Dentist Near Milton, GA

Step into the heart of the Old West — without ever leaving Georgia.

Nestled in the town of Milton, near downtown Atlanta, lies a slice of the Wild West right in the Peach State.

Ron Wallace, an 81-year-old aficionado of all things Western, and the former president of UPS International, didn’t just build a home; he crafted an entire frontier town right inside of it, too, the Wall Street Journal reported.

And now, the whole package is on the market for $8.95 million.

Imagine saloon doors swinging open to reveal a bar stacked with poker chips and playing cards, while lights flicker in the windows of an undertaker’s office.

It’s like stepping onto the set of a Hollywood Western film — and to a degree, it is.

Inspired by the 1993 classic “Tombstone,” Wallace spared no expense in recreating the rugged charm of the Wild West.

With the help of Six Flags set designer Rick Clark, he dedicated 4,000 square feet of his 25,000-square-foot mansion into a living homage to the frontier days. But not just for a love of Westerns; Wallace is also quite the collector of Western antiques, and this provided good, and fun, space to house his keep.

Picture rows of life-size building facades, a sheriff’s office (fittingly, Wallace himself is a former deputy sheriff), and even faux-dirt roads complete with hoofprints and wagon-wheel tracks. Still, there were some limitations.

“We had started to put moss on the beams to try to make them look old, but the builder came back and said ‘Don’t put anymore moss on it, we’ve got to take everything off,’ because there is no moss in the original town of Tombstone,” Wallace told the Journal.

But this ain’t just for show, pardner. Wallace and his wife, Kate, regularly host fundraisers and immersive events in their Western wonderland.

From gun-twirling lessons to high-stakes Faro games, guests are transported back in time faster than you can say “Howdy!”

And it’s not just Western memorabilia that sets this mansion apart.

With a 4,600-square-foot garage and parking for 35 cars, Wallace’s collection of vintage automobiles is the envy of gearheads everywhere. Plus, with amenities like a theater, a lounge, a sauna and a steam room, this ain’t your granddaddy’s ranch house.

Set on roughly 9 acres of picturesque land, this estate boasts two ponds with waterfalls and a tree-lined driveway. It’s no wonder Wallace decided to call Milton home.

However, it looks like the family will be losing out on some money in the process of selling this spread.

They paid an estimated $900,000 for the vacant land and spent an additional $11 million to build the property.

Still, you might ask, why is Wallace parting ways with his Wild West dream? Listing agent Bonnie Smith of Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty tells the Journal the Wallaces are downsizing.

ATHENS — All it takes is one team to like you in the NFL draft, and there’s a lot to like about Georgia tailback Kendall Milton.

Milton has left an impression that his best football is still ahead of him, in the professional ranks, as he exits a successful career with the Bulldogs that saw him win two national titles.

Few tailbacks in the 2024 NFL Draft have more momentum than Milton, who scored at least one touchdown in his final nine games at Georgia.

Milton, in fact, scored nine touchdowns over the past five games en route to leading the Bulldogs with 14 touchdowns this season.

It was a fitting end for Milton, a fan-favorite who persevered through hamstring issues and two sprained knees.

Team leader

Kirby Smart and NFL types surely noted how Milton spearheaded Georgia’s historic “opt-in” Orange Bowl against Florida State.

It was Milton who announced his intention to play in the non-CFP bowl game just mere minutes after exiting a disappointing 27-24 SEC title game loss to Alabama.

“I’ve been through hell and back with these boys,” Milton said, asked if he planned to play in the non-playoff game.

“So there’s no way I won’t take every opportunity that I can to be able to play with them.”

The Bulldogs showed up en force, all of their healthy players taking part in the 63-3 win over Florida State, while injured stars Brock Bowers, Amarius Mims and Smael Mondon watched from the sideline.

Orange Bowl MVP

Milton made the most of his late-season momentum against the Seminoles in the Orange Bowl.

The 6-foot-2, 225-pound tailback scored the first two touchdowns in the game, carrying 9 times for 104 yards before giving way to reserves as the contest quickly got out of hand.

Milton said he could feel his teammates lifting him — just as they told him they would for the seniors.

“I (had) receivers, the offensive linemen, the defensive linemen coming up to us saying we’re going to send you out the right way,” Milton said, “an that showed in practice, how hard we all practiced.”

Attack mentality

Milton went to the 2024 NFL Combine knowing he had work to do, in terms of impressing pro types.

Milton said his approach was to take an “attack mentality” to his training for the standardized NFL field testing in Indianapolis.

The results were impressive: Milton had a 1.51-second 10-yard split, which ranked among the top three backs at the combine, despite his imposing 225-pound frame.

Milton’s 35.5-inch vertical and 124-inch broad jump also compared favorably with elite tailback talents, somewhat negating an ordinary 4.62-second 40.

NFL Combine Breakdown

• Height: 6-foot-1.5

• Weight: 225 pounds

• Arm: 31 3/4-inches

• Hand: 9 5/8-inches

• 40-yard dash: 4.62

• 10-yard split: 1.51

• Vertical: 35.5-inches

• Broad jump: 10-feet-4

• Bench press: 18 reps

• Draft range: Fifth to seventh round

MILTON, Ga. — Milton residents can expect to see several road construction projects, local- and state-funded, underway across the city.

Communications Director Greg Botelho wrote Feb. 28 about the Ga. 9 “widening-and-then-some” project making its way from Alpharetta to Milton. In Alpharetta, the project starts at Ga. 9 and Upper Hembree Road.

The Milton phase covers just over 3 miles of Ga. 9 from Windward Parkway to the Forsyth County line.

“That project presents a real challenge that – if we are intentional and savvy – can serve as a pivotal opportunity to enliven, and in some cases, reinvent this crucial corridor,” Mayor Payton Jamison said in a December letter to the Milton Herald.

The Georgia Department of Transportation oversees all aspects of the project along the state route, creating a four-lane roadway with a raised median. The project consists of additional bicycle and pedestrian facilities, signal upgrades and turn lanes at all major intersections.

The latest estimate from GDOT last July put construction costs at just over $68 million.

During a preconstruction meeting Feb. 27, state officials said the contractor, Vertical Earth, has been given a notice to proceed with the stretch through Milton.

The completion date is set for December 2027.

Botelho said city officials are in regular contact with GDOT and may fund a stone veneer along the sidewalks. He also said residents can expect to see the relocation of utilities, tree removal and sidewalk work “fairly early in the scheme of things.”

“While all this goes on, the city will continue efforts to support businesses and residents who work and live in and around this crucial corridor,” Botelho said.

Improvements are also underway at Ga. 400 and McGinnis Ferry Road where GDOT is constructing a diamond interchange.

GDOT is expected to begin construction next year on new bridges on Freemanville Road at Cooper Sandy Creek and on Hopewell Road and Birmingham Road at Chicken Creek.

The new bridges will have two 12-foot-wide lanes and 6.5-foot-wide sidewalks on both sides.

Another new bridge on Birmingham Road near Manor Trace, funded through the 2016 Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, is in the design and right-of-way acquisition phase.

Each bridge project is expected to cost between $2.8 and $4.4 million.

Also, on the north side of the city, utility relocation for the roundabout at Freemanville and Birmingham roads is complete.

The 2016 TSPLOST referendum funds the project, around $2 million, near the Freemanville-Birmingham Greenspace.

The on-site contractor will first install stormwater infrastructure before crews begin grading for the new road, curb and gutter.

“In other words, expect a lot of activity in the coming weeks,” Botelho said. “Because of that, there may be some intermittent slowdowns and slight delays to the work can proceed.”

The expected competition date is Sept. 29.

MILTON, Ga. — Nearly 100 people packed Milton City Hall Jan. 3 to watch Chief Judge Brian Hansford swear in newly elected members of the City Council.

Milton voters selected two new councilmembers and one incumbent Nov. 7, wrapping up the city’s first self-run election.

Councilman Doug Hene won the seat by default after incumbent Councilman Paul Moore announced he would not seek re-election. Hene served as a member of the Design Review Board before joining the council.

Incumbent Councilwoman Carol Cookerly defended the District 1, Post 2 seat against Helen Gordon. Cookerly secured around 64 percent of the vote.

Councilman Phil Cranmer ran against incumbent Councilman Rick Mohrig for the District 3, Post 2 seat.

Cranmer served as HOA president for Bethany Creek and on the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board during his 17 years in the city. He secured about 60 percent of the vote.

After each member was sworn in, they were greeted with a standing ovation.

Mayor Peyton Jamison invited the councilmembers to take their seat on the dais.

“Remember that we have 42,000 residents that we’re going to represent,” Jamison said. “And we’re going to work hard for each and every one of them… I look forward to working with you.”

After 16 years serving on the Milton Municipal Court, Chief Judge Hansford has resigned his position, effective Jan. 5.

“He’s done a great, great job representing the citizens,” Jamison said.

The mayor turned to Hansford and added, “You will be missed.”

Hansford said his resignation is due to commitments to his law practice and role as Chief Judge of Roswell Municipal Court.

"The memories and experiences gained will forever remain close to my heart,” Hansford wrote in his letter. “It has been an honor beyond measure.”

The new business at the Jan. 3 meeting required approval of councilmembers’ appointees to board and committees in the city.

Appointments include:

• Hodge Patel (reappointed by Cookerly)

• Lauren Holmes (appointed by Juliette Johnson)

• Zach Middlebrooks (appointed by Hene)

• Nick Horton (appointed by Cranmer)

• Ann D’Anella (appointed by Cookerly)

• David Jackson (appointed by Johnson)

• Celeste Jackson (appointed by Hene)

• Danielle Gagne (appointed by Cranmer)

• Theresa Jarmuz (appointed by Cookerly)

• Mac Plummer (appointed by Hene)

• Nan Buckner (appointed by Cranmer)

• Morgan Van Gelder (reappointed by Cookerly)

• Scott Mynatt (appointed by Hene)

• Ralph Troupe (appointed by Cranmer)

• Fred Edwards (reappointed by Cookerly)

• Brian McNeese (appointed by Hene)

• Sumeet Shah (appointed by Jan Jacobus)

• Vic Jones (appointed by Cranmer)

• Phil Van Gelder (reappointed by Cookerly)

• Keesha Asher (appointed by Johnson)

• Thomas Oliver (appointed by Hene)

• Suzanne Bock (appointed by Cranmer)

Hene also reappointed Greg Tinker to the Milton Sustainability Advisory Committee. While the committee has not met yet, it will work with city staff on developing an updated management plan for recycling and solid waste, as well as other sustainability initiatives.

Councilman Cranmer reappointed Suzanne Bock to the Trails Advisory Committee and Nan Buckner to the Equestrian Committee. Former Councilman Rick Mohrig had previously appointed Bock and Buckner.

Additionally, Councilman Jacobus reappointed Sumeet Shah, who was originally appointed by Mohrig.

Each appointee will serve a 4-year term.

One resident spoke during public comment at the meeting.

Jon Lundstedt, a new resident, advocated for active parks in the city.

Lundstedt referenced the City Council’s vote to renege its intent to install several lit sports fields on roughly 40 acres it owns along Hopewell Road just south of Bethany Bend.

While he did not push for an active park on Hopewell Road, Lundstedt asked the council to pursue other options.

“Let’s work together between the parks and recreation community and the equestrian community to find active park space,” Lundstedt said.

MILTON, Ga. — Jim Rosenberger’s at-home “hobby” winery in the gated Boxwood Estates subdivision off Blakmaral Lane is causing a stir among many of its neighbors, specifically those who live in Providence Plantation.

The issue, Providence Plantation residents say, is Rosenberger’s intent to offer wine tastings at the location. To visit D’Rose Vintners, customers will have to drive through the hilly Providence Plantation neighborhood.

Safety is the primary concern for Sarah Moen, whose house is near the bottom of a steep slope on Providence Plantation Drive. Her 19-year-old son, with severe autism, is prone to elopement — Moen fears that Rosenberger’s business could mean heightened traffic and potential drunk driving, putting her son at risk.

“I already have to watch him with regular traffic,” Moen said. “If all of a sudden we have people who are leaving a wine tasting coming down, that just adds extra stress and a completely new level of safety concerns that I just don't need.”

An afternoon visit to the area showed several cars and even school buses took the 25-mph speed limit as a suggestion.

Moen has gathered more than 30 statements from residents of Providence Plantation as well as surrounding neighborhoods. One statement comes from Amy Squires, who spoke with Appen Media alongside Moen.

Squires, the founder and CEO of Therapy and Learning Center of Georgia, referenced a study by the National Autism Association to say two in three parents of elopers reported their missing children had a “close call” with a traffic injury.

But, Squires also noted groups of kids who ride their bikes and families who walk, all in a neighborhood with no sidewalks.

“A lot of people will say, ‘Who cares?’ as they often do when something happens,” Moen said. “... But you will when this is a precedent-setting case.”

Five years ago, the Public Works Department assisted Providence Plantation in a traffic study which showed that of around 400 vehicles near Moen’s home, nearly 80 percent exceeded the 25-mph speed limit. The intent was to install speed bumps, but that never happened because a handful of homes were not in support.

Katrina Drudge, a resident of Providence Plantation, said those who opposed the speed bumps were mostly concerned about their sports cars. Drudge had also provided a statement to Moen.

“Here's the elite saying they don't want a speed bump because of their cars. That's all well and fine, but then the same exact process should have been done when [Rosenberger] applied for the winery and got it approved by the city in 2021,” Drudge said. “We never even knew about it. We had no idea this was happening.”

Like Moen and Squires, Drudge’s primary concerns are the increased traffic, alcohol consumption as well as the precedent the license could set for all of Milton.

“Our lifestyle choice was quiet and peaceful, not a winery in the back of a neighborhood,” Drudge said.

What set off the community is a city sign announcing a Nov. 20 hearing for Rosenberger’s alcohol license – more than two years after Rosenberger’s renovation project was approved in a zoning case. Milton City Manager Steve Krokoff said the hearing has since been rescheduled to Dec. 18, allowing the city time to re-examine what Rosenberger is entitled to based on what was originally approved.

In May 2021, the Milton City Council rezoned Rosenberger’s 10.8-acre property in Boxwood Estates from Community Unit Plan, or CUP, to an agricultural area. The go-ahead allowed him to construct a new home behind an existing barn structure and to allow a vineyard, and to eventually sell his own wine.

But, there were conditions, restricting Rosenberger to by-appointment visits, a maximum of five appointments per day and a cap of 10 customers at any given time with operating hours from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

In order to secure the approval, Rosenberger had to rally support from his five neighbors in Boxwood Estates. While Rosenberger told Appen Media the city required him to deliver around 75 notices in 2021 to those in the surrounding neighborhoods, their support was not required.

Rosenberger also said it was only in the last week that he had heard any pushback, and he has still not received any phone calls, despite his number listed on the city sign.

“Everything that was approved in 2021 – nothing’s changed,” Rosenberger said. “We’re not looking to increase traffic. We’re not increasing the number of people that can participate at one time.”

Though the website for D’Rose Vintners provides visitors the capability to book current appointments, Rosenberger said the function is just a “placeholder.” He said he thought opening the site to the public would be a much faster process.

Rosenberger also said he expects customers to only stay about an hour and a half for wine tastings and that there would be strictly 1 oz. tastings to avoid over-serving people, but also to avoid pouring away the profit.

“When the city put all these conditions on our venture, my wife and I looked at each other and said, ‘It never was a goal to make this the next million dollar venture,’” Rosenberger said.