Commercial and Residential Locksmiths in Milton

MILTON, Ga. — Some neighbors in Milton are fighting a homeowner’s plan to open his home to wine tastings.

They’re concerned about safety on their streets, saying a winery offering tastings doesn’t belong in a residential area.

The at-home winery, called D’Rose Vintners, is located along Blakmaral Lane in a gated subdivision called Boxwood Estates.

To reach the vineyard, guests would have to follow Providence Plantation Drive, past the home of Sarah Moen.

She told Channel 2′s Bryan Mims that drivers already blow past the 25-mph speed limit on the hilly road.

“We don’t need to add anything else to the traffic issues, the speeding, the disobeying the laws,” she said.

Moen said if D’Rose offers wine tastings, that would pour more traffic onto the road. She’s worried not only about speeders but the potential for drunk driving.

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“It’s a risk, and it’s a risk no one in this neighborhood is really willing to take,” she said.”

Jim Rosenberger and his wife Daryn own the winery on their 18-acre property. More than two years ago, Milton rezoned their land, allowing them to grow a vineyard and eventually sell their own wine.

But the city restricted them to no more than five appointments per day – with a maximum of 10 guests at any given time. They’re also allowed to operate only between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.

“The tasting component is just a small piece of it,” Rosenberger said. “The idea is to come here over an hour, an hour-and-a-half period, taste two, three, four or five wines maybe, and then potentially sign up for one of our wine club memberships.”

He said each wine tasting would be strictly limited to one ounce.

“Our idea is to have limited alcohol consumption during a brief amount of time and not put any drunk drivers on the road,” Rosenberger said.

A sign posted outside the gate to his subdivision gives notice of Rosenberger’s application for an alcohol permit.

Moen said she’s gathered signatures from 33 homeowners in hopes of putting the brakes on the permit.

“And we don’t begrudge him a business,” she said. “No one in this neighborhood begrudges him a successful business at all. This is just not the appropriate place for wine tastings. That is our sole concern.”

Rosenberger said he’s surprised by the opposition.

“The idea is to really give people an opportunity to embrace and be engulfed in a park-like setting while enjoying some delicious wine,” Rosenberger said.

The city of Milton has a hearing on the alcohol permit scheduled for Dec. 18.

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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.

Kendall Milton’s Georgia career has been a bit odd.

The senior running back arrived at Georgia as part of a loaded 2020 recruiting class — a stacked list that includes now-pros Jalen Carter, Broderick Jones and Kelee Ringo as well as current Bulldog standouts Sedrick Van Pran, Ladd McConkey and Carson Beck.

Milton ran for over 4,000 yards and 70 touchdowns in high school and was named the 2019 California Running Back of the Year. He joined a 2020 Georgia team that had just lost star back D’Andre Swift to the NFL. Milton, a highly-rated Fresno, California native, was expected to become the latest in a dynasty of legendary Georgia runners.

Milton’s massive 6-foot-2-inch, 220-pound frame immediately drew comparisons to former Georgia great Nick Chubb, who became a premier running back in college football as a freshman. Even Swift was a key contributor for a playoff team when he was a freshman in 2017. Legendary back Herschel Walker almost won the Heisman in his first year in 1980. In any case, Georgia fans expect a lot out of their running backs right away, and Milton was no exception.

It’s not that Milton has been a bad player at Georgia. He’s averaged an eye-popping 6.2 yards per carry for his career, was named to the freshman All-SEC team and was part of two straight national championships.

However, for essentially his whole time at Georgia, fans have wanted more. He’s only rushed for about 1,700 yards in his four-year career, and has generally struggled to separate himself from the other backs on Georgia’s roster — a group that for the most part doesn’t have the same raw talent that Milton does.

“Kendall was a very mature young man coming in,” head coach Kirby Smart said. “He was very intelligent, very mature, so it wasn’t the same progression where a kid comes in that’s not accustomed to hard work. He had a brother that played college football. He was more aware of what he was getting himself into, so the learning curve was not as steep as maybe some kids’ was.”

Injuries have played a significant role in the underwhelming feeling surrounding Milton’s college career up to this point. He missed three games due to injury in his freshman year, and then eight as a sophomore. He was out for two games last season before missing most of spring practice with a hamstring injury.

That ailment, along with an MCL injury, continued to nag him well into the 2023 season. He couldn’t play against UAB and Auburn, and Georgia’s running game struggled to find its footing early in the season.

“During the time of dealing with the hamstring and the MCL, there’s a whole lot of mind games to convince yourself that you’re 100% back and ready,” Milton said. “It was a whole lot of trial and error, a whole lot of different cuts I had to make. I had to feel what it felt like to get tackled again, to get twisted up. There were a whole lot of things that I had to put my body through again to get that full confidence.”

It was clear that Georgia needed a real lead back. Daijun Edwards has worked best as a change-of-pace runner, sophomore Branson Robinson is out with his own injury and freshmen Roderick Robinson and Andrew Paul don’t look ready just yet. As he continued to work back and get healthy, Milton seized the leading role in the backfield.

In an emergence that feels years in the making, Milton set a new career-high in rushing yards in Georgia’s blowout win over No. 9 Ole Miss when he turned just nine carries into 127 yards and two touchdowns. Two weeks later, he broke it again with a 156-yard, two-touchdown outburst against Georgia Tech.

“I’m excited for him,” safety Javon Bullard said. “What better person to do the things he’s been doing than Kendall? That guy has been through so much as far as injuries and things not going the way he wanted them to.”

Milton’s college career has been defined by bad luck. Every time he looks like he’s about to turn the corner, another injury limits that combo of explosiveness and raw power that once had Georgia fans so excited about him. Now, he looks as healthy as ever and the results have been speaking for themselves.

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 — Kendall Milton, Georgia’s touchdown leader, has already announced he will play in the Orange Bowl rather than break away to prepare for the NFL combine and ensuing draft.

The No. 6-ranked Bulldogs (12-1) will play an undefeated No. 5-ranked Florida State (13-0) team that’s hell-bent on proving a point in the Orange Bowl at 4 p.m. on Dec. 30.

Georgia, Florida State both felt they belonged in 4-team CFP field

Seminoles coach Mike Norvell issued a scathing statement claiming he was “disgusted and infuriated” his team was “cheated” out of a playoff spot.

“We have one more opportunity to define this 2023 team in the Orange Bowl,” Norvell said, “and I believe in how our team will respond.”

Milton flexed the “togetherness” Coach Kirby Smart has preached with his firm commitment to play in a non-CFP bowl game mere moments after his two-TD effort in the heartbreaking 27-24 loss to Alabama.

“One-hundred percent,” Milton said on Saturday night, asked by a DawgNation reporter if he would play in a bowl game even if the Bulldogs didn’t make the four-team CFP field.

Some fans and media have downplayed the relevance of non-playoff bowl games since the addition of the CFP, but that’s not how Smart has approached it and certainly not how Milton feels.

“There’s no way I would abandon my brothers,” Milton said. “I’ve been through hell and back with these boys, so there’s no way that I won’t take every opportunity that I can to be able to play with them.”

Bulldogs suffered a painful and avoidable defeat in SEC title game

Georgia has several players projected to be selected in the NFL Draft again this season.

There have been a few occasions in the past when some UGA players dealing with injuries — or carrying elite first-round grades — have opted out of non-playoff bowl games.

But the vast majority of Smart’s players have opted to play and improve their NFL draft stock while finishing something they started, capping their legacy on a high note with teammates.

Milton noted how fellow Georgia stars Ladd McConkey and Brock Bowers showed what this UGA team all about by playing injured in the 27-24 loss to Alabama last Saturday.

“Credit to those guys, personally I know what those guys have been through and the adversity they faced,” Milton said. “I know the pressure they felt they had on their back.”

Indeed, both Bowers and McConkey have been rated among the top five players at their respective positions by NFL draft analysts.

“But those guys just always kept the team first,” Milton said. “I think everyone knows Ladd and Brock didn’t have to keep playing …. If they wanted to make a selfish decision, they could have called it quits, but it just shows how much of team players those guys are.”

Milton said it’s that sort of dedication that has set this 2023 version of Georgia football apart.

“Mission, team, self,” Milton said. “That’s what we preach in the facility, and those guys showed that with their actions playing in games like this.”