Dunwoody Crier - January 19, 2023

APPEN MEDIA SPECIAL REPORT

Police obscure arrest locations

City Hall subs as reported site of prostitution stings

By ALEXANDER POPP and CARL APPEN

carl@appenmedia.com alex@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — This summer, a series of prostitution arrests in Dunwoody had a peculiar similarity – the police reports all said they took place at City Hall.

It wasn’t the only occurrence. In the past three years there have been at least 51 police reports involving prostitution using the location ID of 4800 Ashford Dunwoody.

It turns out, there was no underground brothel operating out of City Hall. Instead, officers follow an “informal policy” meant

to preserve the department’s ability to conduct sting operations at local hotels.

When arrests are made in stings, Dunwoody officers use the address of Dunwoody City Hall in police reports because Chief Billy Grogan says hotels wouldn’t let them use

More coverage

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY CHRISTIAN LORIA/APPEN MEDIA

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POLICE BLOTTER

All crime reports published by Appen Media Group are compiled from public records. Neither the law enforcement agencies nor Appen Media Group implies any guilt by publishing these names. None of the persons listed has been convicted of the alleged crimes.

Thieves take appliances from Dunwoody home

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody police said multiple appliances were recently stolen from a home under construction on Village North Road in Dunwoody.

Owners of 2009 Village North Road reported Jan. 9, that a washer, dryer and refrigerator had been stolen between Jan. 4 and Jan. 9, from their home which is under construction. Owners said all the appliances were at the home Jan. 4, but when they returned two days later the washer and dryer were missing.

Neighbors reported seeing suspects taking a refrigerator from the home with a van on the night of Jan. 8. However, they were unable to identify the vehicle. The report said homeowners suspected one of their contractors, who they had a bad encounter with, of possibly being responsible.

At the time of the report no suspect had been identified by Dunwoody Police.

Man attacked over parking at Dunwoody apartments

DUNWOODY, Ga. — A bad parking job at a local apartment complex reportedly spurred a number of unidentified suspects to assault a Dunwoody man.

On Dec. 26, Dunwoody Police learned a man was attacked outside of an apartment on Winters Chapel Road after he parked his car blocking in multiple vehicles outside of his building. When the victim went to move his car, he was attacked by five men, who asked why he had parked blocking cars in.

Reports said suspects smashed the victim’s phone and began punching and kicking him, yelling that they would kill

him if he called the police.

The suspects also reportedly damaged the victim’s car during the attack. No arrests were made in the case at the time of the report.

East Point man cited for shoplifting incident

DUNWOODY, Ga. — A man caught trying to steal coats worth $900 from the Nordstrom Rack store at Perimeter Mall has been arrested by Dunwoody Police, incident reports said.

Officers were called to Perimeter Mall Dec. 30, after a 30-year-old East Point man grabbed “numerous” men’s winter jackets and attempted to run out of the store.

When stopped by store loss prevention officers, the suspect allegedly tossed the jackets away and attempted to flee the scene. Officers stopped the man and placed him under arrest for shoplifting. Reports said the entire incident was caught on surveillance camera footage.

The man was transported to the DeKalb County Jail after the incident.

Police investigate threats made against woman

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody Police are investigating two people who allegedly threatened to hurt an elderly woman if she didn’t unlock her bank accounts for them.

Reports said a woman living at the Dunwoody Pines Retirement Community on Georgetown Square began receiving threats by phone Dec. 26. In the phone calls, the victim’s son and cousin allegedly threatened to hurt her if they weren’t allowed access to her bank cards.

Police were told this incident was the latest in a series of threats made by the son, but during this incident specific threats were made against the woman and the suspect has access to firearms, reports said.

The report did not say whether the suspect had been identified and questioned.

Man loses $997 in phone number fraud

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Sandy Springs police filed a theft by embezzlement report on Jan. 6 involving a 37-year-old man who had $997 stolen. The police narrative appears to be a transcript from the victim, who claims that while attempting to send money to his niece, somebody linked their bank account to her phone number and is fraudulently receiving her funds. The victim said they “requested the person to send the funds back, this did not happen either.” There is no information on the case status.

Police impersonator scams Subway employee

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — A man posing as a police officer called a Subway employee and tricked her into buying $118 in Subway gift cards, using money from the Subway cash register

The woman told Johns Creek Police Jan. 5 that a man with a country accent called and provided a badge number and asked that she provide her name and cell phone number, the police report said. The caller said the transaction was at the request of the Subway manager and that she should go to Kroger to make the purchase.

After the woman purchased the card, the man called her again and got the information necessary to cash the cards. He then told the employee to cut the card up and throw the pieces into separate trash cans. She complied.

When the suspect asked that she not tell anyone about the transaction, the woman became suspicious and told the Subway manager. The manager said she did not authorize the transaction.

As police were gathering information about the incident, the suspect called the woman again, and her boyfriend was able to get the IP address.

HANS

City councilmembers weigh traffic upgrades at Dunwoody Village

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Daily traffic snarls near Dunwoody Village and backups at Chamblee Dunwoody and Mt. Vernon roads may be on the mend thanks to roadway improvements under consideration by the Dunwoody City Council.

At a meeting Jan. 9, councilmembers held a lengthy discussion on the proposed Dunwoody Village Crossroads project, aimed at improving pedestrian safety, beautification of the area and traffic flow at Chamblee Dunwoody and Mt. Vernon roads.

Dunwoody Public Works Director Michael Smith told councilmembers that when the project was last dis -

cussed in March 2022, it focused on adding bicycle lanes, wider sidewalks and greenery on both sides of Chamblee Dunwoody Road, between Womack Road and Roberts Drive.

Dunwoody Village Plans

Plans initially kept the roadway generally untouched, except for one southbound lane of Mt. Vernon Road, which would have been altered to include a landscaped median. But councilmembers expressed concerns the plan didn’t do enough to address traffic at the Chamblee Dunwoody and Mt. Vernon intersection, which can be substantial at peak times.

“You've got two major roadways

See CITY, Page 6

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Alex Popp to lead Perimeter coverage

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — North Georgia journalist Alexander Popp has been selected to spearhead coverage of the Perimeter area for the Dunwoody and Sandy Springs Crier newspapers.

He will report to Carl Appen, director of Content and Development, and will be based in Alpharetta.

"Alex is our most experienced reporter and has proven himself as a great representative of the newsroom.

It just makes sense for him to be our vanguard into a brand-new coverage area," Appen said.

For the last six months, Popp has reported on local government and public safety in Forsyth County and the City of Alpharetta. Recently Popp and his wife Ellen moved to Sandy Springs.

Originally from the Alpharetta area, Popp graduated from the University of North Georgia in

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2016 and subsequently spent a 6-month sabbatical Thru-Hiking the Appalachian Trail before starting work as a Forsyth County crime reporter in 2017.

To contact Popp with news tips or story ideas, email alex@appenmedia. com or call (770) 847-7404.

The mantle of Appen Media’s Forsyth County and Alpharetta reporter will be taken up by recent UGA Grad Shelby Israel.

UGA alumna Shelby Israel joins Appen Media staff

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Appen Media Group announced Jan. 19 that Shelby Israel will join its staff as a reporter. Israel will cover local government and public safety in Forsyth County and the City of Alpharetta. She will report to Carl Appen, director of content and development, and will be based in Alpharetta.

“Shelby is a magnificent addition to our newsroom,” Appen said in a statement. “She has sharp news judgement and experience leading a

quick-moving staff. She’ll bring a lot of fuel for the fire of our developing team.”

Israel graduated from the University of Georgia Grady College of Journalism & Mass Communication in December 2022 with a minor area of study in English. During her time at UGA, Israel served as a contributor, campus news editor and editor-in-chief at The Red & Black, as well as news intern at Flagpole Magazine.

“I have always wanted to write,” Israel said. “Before, it was a creative

pursuit, but through experimentation with my major at UGA, I found that I could still write while contributing to something important. I love local news and community-driven stories, and I am excited to cover the news scenes of Forsyth and Alpharetta.”

Israel takes the position as Appen reporter Alex Popp moves to cover the Perimeter.

To contact Israel with news tips or story ideas, email shelby@ appenmedia.com.

Atlanta area animal shelter reduces pet adoption rates

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — Throughout January, you can adopt a pet from LifeLine Animal Project for $23. The “new year, new friend” deal includes spay and neuter, vaccines and microchip. Typically, dogs have an $85 adoption fee at Lifeline, and cats have a $65 fee.

The organization also opened a new pop-up dog adoption center for the month at 981 Howell Mill Road NW in Atlanta.

The adoption center is open seven days a week.

LifeLine Animal Project also manages Fulton County and DeKalb County Animal Shelters and provides animal enforcement services in Fulton County. As the largest animal welfare organization in Georgia, Lifeline aims to “end the shelter euthanasia of healthy and treatable animals.”

Ashkenazi Orthodox Rabbi Yitzchok Werbin

DeKalb County Board of Education rings in 2023 with new leadership

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga.— The DeKalb County Board of Education started off the year with the installation of three board members, who began their fouryear terms Jan. 6.

The newest board member Whitney McGinniss took over the District 2 seat from longtime board member Marshall Orson, who left the post in 2022. She won a runoff election for the seat on June 21.

ager for Partnership Against Domestic Violence and serves as a member of the Parent Teacher Association and the Druid Hills Middle School Principal’s Advisory Council.

Also sworn in were Allyson Gevertz, who was re-elected to the District 4 seat, and Diijon DaCosta, Sr. Gevertz has held the position since 2018. She won the general election on May 24, 2022.

since 2018. He won the general runoff election on June 21, 2022.

DaCosta was elected as chair for 2023 by other Board of Education members at a Jan. 9 regular meeting. Diedre Pierce, who holds the District 3 seat, was unanimously selected as vice chair.

qualified District leaders,” DaCosta said. “Moreover, we will remain fully engaged in reviewing our Comprehensive Master Plan to deliver the outstanding facilities our scholars and employees deserve, and our communities want.”

McGinniss works as a grant man-

City:

there with a lot of traffic crossing each other,” Smith said. “That's the intersection in the Village that really experiences the most congestion, which can sometimes spill back into some of the other intersections.”

A study completed on Chamblee Dunwoody Road south of Roberts Drive showed that between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. and between noon and 7 p.m., the traffic volume outpaced the roadway’s capacity. At the 5 p.m. peak the study recorded more than 1,500 vehicles traveling on the roadway.

In researching the intersection, Smith said they learned that the most economical way to improve the intersection would be to add new left turn lanes from Chamblee Dunwoody Road onto Mt. Vernon Road, while keeping the other ideas proposed in the initial plan.

Because of space constraints and the “expensive commercial property” Dunwoody would need to buy to make larger improvements, Smith said this was the best option available to them currently.

“This improvement can be done within the existing right of way, that additional left turn lane,” he said. “So, it doesn't really cost a lot … but it would be about a 15 percent improvement in the a.m. peak hour and the overall efficiency of the intersection.”

Smith said they also considered a plan that would add multipole new turn lanes on Chamblee Dunwoody and Mt. Vernon, to fight the long backups that now form in the intersection’s turn lanes.

“Anybody that drives through the Village in the late afternoon knows that the left turn lane from Mount Vernon to Chamblee Dunwoody … backs up, often spills out of that term lane,” he said. “So, we looked at adding a second left turn lane there.”

But to do that, the city would also need to incorporate new lanes on each

DaCosta has held the District 6 seat

“Working collaboratively with my fellow board members, we will continue to focus on moving DeKalb County Schools forward by selecting a permanent superintendent and other critical, highly

At the Jan. 9 meeting, the board also approved its 2023 Georgia Legislative Priorities, which include budgeting, school district consent to speed cameras, and school safety, among other policies. Continued from Page 3

After Smith’s presentation, Post 6 Councilman John Heneghan said he supported the project’s aims but had concerns about how the bicycle lanes will be laid out on Chamblee Dunwoody Road.

Heneghan said that because new designs of the roadway have the bicycle lanes as an elevated and divided lane, the city will lose the flexibility to create a center passing lane for emergency vehicles when traffic is at it’s peak.

“I'm concerned that by putting the cycle tracks in and not having the ability for cars to move over, are we negatively impacting our emergency response times,” he said.

Post 5 Councilman Joe Seconder called the project a “multigenerational” and “transformational” opportunity, and asked whether it would benefit the project to complete a traffic study tracking the origins and destinations of vehicles in that corridor.

“I'd like to find out where those people are coming from, where are they going to,” Seconder said.

of the roadways to receive the new traffic, which they currently just don’t have room for.

Lastly, Smith said they considered the possibility of turning the intersection into a two-lane roundabout, which he said would have the largest impact on the traffic in the area. That option wouldn’t require the city to build any new lanes but would require a large investment from the city to acquire “expensive commercial property” at the intersection to make the roundabout fit.

Post 3 Councilman Tom Lambert asked whether it would be possible to limit the impact on existing properties at the intersection by shifting the intersection’s middle to the triangle island between Nandina Lane, Chamblee Dunwoody and Mt. Vernon roads.

But Smith said that no matter how they moved the roundabout, it would still have a huge impact at the inter -

section and would likely require the purchase of several properties.

“In addition to acquiring the triangle, you most likely would have to acquire the gas station on the other side of the street,” he said.

Discussing intersection options

Looking at projections 20 years out, Smith said that if the city choses to do nothing at the intersection beyond the initial improvements, traffic at the intersection will get worse, but “not terribly worse.” Summing things up, he said that they are in a tricky situation with the project and are limited on the amount of effect they are likely to have.

“Yes, we could make some additional traffic improvements beyond what has already been included in the concept plan,” he said. “But there would be small gains with large costs associated with them.”

Smith said that because the city was recently awarded $6 million in funding for the project from the Atlanta Regional Commission, their timeline for the project will need to move forward soon.

“It's a within five-year project versus sometime in the future … within five years to go to construction,” he said.

On top of the main project, he said they would also like to consider incorporating a project to bury local utilities in the area, as part of beautification efforts. However, a rough estimate has shown that will cost approximately $8 million.

That cost could be spread out by doing the project in sections, he said, and the city will likely be seeking funding from alternate sources to augment ARC and city money.

“Unless we hear otherwise, what we're moving forward with is this corridor,” he said. “And we will explore burying utilities on a segment.”

CITY OF DUNWOODY/PROVIDED

Renderings show the possible streetscape improvements that Dunwoody city officials think will improve pedestrian safety and beautification near Dunwoody Village. Plans were discussed at the Jan. 9 Dunwoody City Council meeting.

Hotels:

their space otherwise.

“I think if we had to put the exact address, then we might as well stop trying to enforce human trafficking,” Grogan said. “If we started saying, ‘Okay, we made 15 arrests here at the Crowne Plaza today.’

Well, then, the Crowne Plaza could get bad publicity from that, and then say, ‘Hey, y’all, this is hurting our business. We’re not gonna allow you to do this.’”

Instead, the Police Department treats the hotels they operate out of for these stings the same as a confidential informant.

“The crime would never have been committed if the police had not been proactive,” Dunwoody Assistant City Manager Jay Vinicki said. “So therefore, do not penalize the property owner by saying a crime was committed.”

Open Records law

However, Georgia First Amendment Foundation spokesman Richard T. Griffiths said the practice that Grogan and Vinicki describe basically amounts to filing a false police report and violates Georgia’s Open Records law.

“There are minimal reporting requirements for the Open Records Act,” Griffiths said. “It doesn’t get into the investigative files, but it does require accurate information to be published in incident reports that are available to the public for inspection.”

He said he thinks the practice is, “a deliberate attempt to mislead the public about what’s happening in their community,” which isn’t mitigated by the fact that it may, or may not, protect the identity of a local business.

“The public has a right to know what is happening in their community, and for police departments to deliberately falsify their incident reports for an alleged protection of the investigation doesn’t serve the public very well,” he said. “It doesn’t build trusted institutions.”

The practice also goes against

What do you think?

the department’s own Standard Operating Procedure, which states that incident reports will include, among other information, the “location of the incident.”

Grogan said it was a longstanding informal policy, but one he believes is justified given the city’s history with sex trafficking crimes and the efforts they’ve taken to combat it over the past decade.

When the Dunwoody Police Department began targeting human trafficking and sex trafficking about 10 years ago, Grogan said the city was dealing with an influx of what amounted to “open air” prostitution markets at local hotels.

In interviews with those arrested for orchestrating sex trafficking operations, Grogan said police learned over the years that Dunwoody is viewed as the perfect place for sex workers and sex traffickers because it’s a gateway between the north, south, east and west, with easy access to Gwinnett and Cobb counties on I-285, and on Ga. 400 into north

Fulton cities and into the heart of Atlanta.

Crackdown has worked

Through operations and educational events, Grogan said police have been able to slow sex trafficking in the Dunwoody area down to a trickle. So now they’ve taken the fight online, setting up stings for people coming into Dunwoody from other areas to buy or sell sex, using sting operations targeting suspects online.

“Because we’re being proactive and addressing this, even now, it’s sometimes difficult for us to attract people to come to them,” Grogan said.

Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch said she wasn’t aware of the Police Department’s informal policy to obscure confidential crime locations using the address of City Hall. She said she has no authority over the Police Department’s policies.

“In a city manager-council form of government, the layers of authority as it relates to police are very clearly defined … So those are decisions that aren’t made by myself and are not reviewed by myself or the council either,” Deutsch said.

However, Deutsch said she stood by the policies and decisions made

Behind the story

For this reporting Appen Media filed 28 Freedom of Information (FOIA) requests and inspected 271 pages of documents. Two reporters, two editors and a number of other staff members contributed to the project over the course of six months.

by the Police Department and city leaders and believes they have “good reasons” for everything they do.

“I have a lot of confidence in those types of decisions being made by the people who do it for a living, or for the city manager who has worked in local government for decades,” she said.

Grogan later told Appen Media that the department’s informal policy to obscure locations where crimes occur is very limited, and by necessity only.

“Everything can’t be a policy. You’d have a book that big,” he said, holding his hands about a foot apart.

Of course, he said that even with the sex trafficking cases they do value the importance of accuracy at some point along the line. Some cases, like those with attached felony drug charges, must be bound over to DeKalb County Court. In those scenarios the obscured address goes away and the real address of where the crime occurred is entered into the public record.

“It’s one thing for us to put it on our system,” he said. “But if they had taken a warrant out, they should put the actual address where it happened.”

But Grogan said that nearly 100 percent of cases generated from their sex trafficking sting operations are settled in municipal court, either for a plea deal or other type of negotiation, so often cases don’t ever reach the DeKalb County Court.

Grogan said “maybe” it’s a double standard to obscure information in local reports and the municipal court, and not in county court documents, but he believes it’s worth it if it allows them to continue fighting human trafficking.

“Because if none of the hotels will cooperate … it just wouldn’t happen,” he said.

Support dogged reporting of local issues by joining the Appen Press Club at appenmedia.com/join.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY CARL APPEN/APPEN MEDIA

For the last 10 years the Dunwoody Police Department has had an informal policy to obscure the location of where undercover sex trafficking operations occur in published documents, instead using the address of Dunwoody City Hall.

PALS

PERIMETER ADULT LEARNING & SERVICES

PALS is pleased to announced its Winer 2023 Program lineup. Classes will run on Mondays from January 9 –March 6 at the Dunwoody United Methodist Church, 1548 Mt Vernon Rd. Dunwoody, GA 30338. Registration is online at www.palsinline.info.

The class line up is as follows:

MONDAYS:

From 10:00 am - 11:00 am

Spies, Saboteurs and Rescuers During World War II

Dan O’Lone will present a fascinating look at double and even triple agents who played key roles in saving thousands of Allied lives during World War II. He will also continue with his unique take on those who rescued Jews during the War, including sewer cleaners, zookeepers, circus performers and German soldiers, as well as the man who stopped the trains to Auschwitz, a diplomat from a country that he had never been to.

From 10:00 am - 11:00 am

Andrew Jackson and His Indian Wars

Tom McElhinny will continue his series on Native Americans, this time dealing with Andrew Jackson’s presidency and his Indian wars from his first battles with the Cherokee and Creek nations until the establishment of the Indian Territory in Oklahoma. The most infamous outcome of Jackson’s relentless exploits at Indian removal culminated with one of the greatest forced migrations in history-the Trail of Tears. It is a sobering reminder of a violent and dark episode in our nation’s history.

From 10:00 am - 1:45 pm

Mah Jongg

Bring your own Mah Jongg card and come play. There is no instructor for the session- just fun and self-evaluation.

From 10:00 am - 1:45 pm

Open

Bridge for Experienced Players

There is no instructor for this weekly session – just fun and self-evaluation.

From 11:15 am - 12:15 pm

A History of the Space Race

John Baumbusch will take us through the history of how we got to the Moon more than 50 years ago. He will discuss moon lore, the Cold War, Russians and the Right Stuff! Through this series, we will re-live the heady days of the Space Race from the 1950s to the 1970s.

From 11:15 am - 12:15 pm

The Economic Implications of Immigration

Shai Robkin will discuss how immigration is a misunderstood topic in America’s social discourse, with much of what we believe is based largely on myth. He will compare the experiences of immigrants from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries to those of immigrants today, and how immigrants and their children compare educationally, professionally and economically with US born citizens and discuss the policy implications of what we find.

Kemp highlights education as focus of his second term

Third pay increase proposed for 2023

By CANDY WAYLOCK candy@appenmedia.com

ATLANTA — In a spirited inaugural address Jan. 12, Gov. Brian Kemp took media and pundits to task and renewed his commitment to make education a priority in his second term.

“We listened to the people of our state…not the cocktail circuit [or] the so-called experts,” Kemp said before the crowd gathered at Georgia State University’s Convocation Center. “We gave Georgians the opportunity to go back to work, get their kids back in the classroom…and protect freedom to live their lives without fear of more government lockdowns, mandates and overreach.”

Kemp followed up on his commitment to education the next day by sending his amended FY 2023 budget to the Georgia Legislature which includes a $2,000 raise for teachers, pre-K teachers and certified kindergarten through 12th grade personnel.

If approved by the Legislature, the starting salary for first-year teachers will rise this year to $40,500 and average more than $62,000 for the state’s 115,000 public school teachers. The increase could place Georgia among the top 20 states for teacher pay, which was a goal Kemp set in his first run for office.

“We know we need more teachers,” said Kemp, whose daughter is a teacher. “We [also] need to help our kids recover from learning loss, to keep our classrooms safe and [commit] to fully funding our schools once again.”

Educators express support

The Professional Association of Georgia Educators praised the governor’s budget proposal, pointing to the challenges of retaining teachers in the classroom over the past few years. (Statewide study probes deeper into teacher burnout | School News | appenmedia.com)

“We are encouraged by Gov. Kemp’s announcement today of a proposed $2,000 increase to the state salary schedule for Georgia pre-K–12 teachers and certified K-12 personnel,” said PAGE Executive Director Craig Harper. “There is no doubt that a salary increase would assist with recruitment and retention of excellent educators for Georgia’s children.

Four years ago, in his first run at the state’s top office, Kemp won ona platform of public education support. He was able to push through a $5,000 salary increase for teachers during that term.

If Kemp’s amended FY 2023 budget is approved by the Legislature as expected, teachers on the state salary schedule will have received a $7,000 pay hike in his first five years in office.

Moving into FY 2024, which begins July 1, Kemp’s proposed budget includes over $150 million in one-time grants for school districts to address school security, learning loss and create pathways for paraprofessional staff to become fully certified teachers.

Officials with the Georgia School Boards Association praised the governor’s efforts to continue supporting teachers and students.

“Governor Kemp has been financially supportive of Georgia’s public schools once again this year, [and] we are particularly happy to see funding for items we asked for,” said Justin Pauley, director of communications for the association. “It may not look exactly as we hoped, but the school safety funding and additional counselors is greatly appreciated.

Georgia’s coffers are full

The state is well-positioned financially to support education, Kemp noted, despite the disruptions of the

COVID-19 pandemic and shaky national economy over the past three years.

“As we look ahead to the upcoming fiscal year, we expect the state’s economy to be well positioned to withstand any further national economic slowing,” Kemp wrote in letter to lawmakers that accompanied his budget.

“The amended FY 2023 and FY 2024 budgets [will] continue to meet our financial obligations as a state while also investing in the education, health, and safety of our citizens.”

Georgia is coming out of the pandemic in better shape than many states, with a projected surplus of $2.4 billion this year. Kemp noted Georgia has been among the top 10 states for business for the 9th year in a row.

If the governor has his way, much of the state’s tax surplus will be returned to taxpayers this year through tax refunds and a one-time homeowner property tax relief grant to help with rising local property taxes.

“Instead of catering to the talk shows or what is [trending] in media, this administration and the leadership in the General Assembly are going to put you and your families first…and spend the next four years focused on growing Georgia,” Kemp said in his inaugural speech. “This old construction guy from Athens has never been more optimistic about the future of our state.”

ARVIN TEMKAR/CAPITOL BEAT NEWS SERVICE Gov. Brian Kemp is sworn in for his second term by Justice Carla Wong McMillian in an inauguration ceremony at Georgia State Convocation Center in Atlanta on Jan. 12.

Change lives, change the world

Wesleyan School believes faith and intellect are great partners with each other. At Wesleyan, it’s not a matter of choosing faith or intellect, but rather using both to create the best possible education for your child. Our leadership and faculty work to provide students with an atmosphere that is challenging, reinforces the value of hard work, and emphasizes character and integrity above accomplishment. Wesleyan prepares students for each stage of life and provides them the opportunity to see all the possibilities that lie before them. Wesleyan’s school motto is JOY-Jesus, Others, Yourself, and every aspect of school life is oriented to reinforce this philosophy of putting Jesus first and others ahead of ourselves.

A college preparatory environment,

students have access to a wide range of academic opportunities along with athletics, arts, service and other extracurricular activities. Wesleyan’s 85-acre campus provides state-of-the-art academic facilities along with on-campus practice space for athletics and arts.

Located just outside of I-285 in Peachtree Corners, Wesleyan enrolled 1,207 students in grades K-12 for the 2022-2023 school year. Wesleyan offers bus routes throughout the metro Atlanta area. Supervised care before school is included in the cost of tuition and after care is available (K-8) until 6 p.m. at an affordable rate.

The Wesleyan School 5405 Spalding Drive, Peachtree Corners, GA 30092 770-448-7640 https://www. wesleyanschool.org/

Dunwoody Crier | January 19, 2023

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Mount Vernon is where inquiry and innovation create impact

Grounded in Christian values, Mount Vernon prepares all students to be college-ready, globally competitive, and engaged citizen leaders. Ranked in the top 10 of Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Largest PrivateIndependent Schools, the School, founded in 1972, is a destination for students who want to design a better world.

Mount Vernon’s approach to learning is centered around cultivating student curiosities. From a Kindergarten student’s question to learn the names of all the trees on the Lower Campus to Upper School students designing virtual experiences for physical therapists to use with their patients at CHOA and everything in between – at Mount Vernon, curiosity drives learning to create impact.

From Preschool to Grade 12, Mount Vernon students grow, explore, create, and design. Recent graduates include National Merit Commended

Scholars, Morehead-Cain Finalists, QuestBridge Finalists, STAMPS Scholars, and signed collegiate athletes. Alumni go on to attend some of the most prestigious colleges and universities in the United States including Harvard, Stanford, Cornell, Columbia, UPenn, US Naval Academy, Brown, Yale, USC, Dartmouth, Virginia Tech, Tulane, UNC, Morehouse, Davidson, SCAD, Colorado, Auburn, Michigan, Pepperdine, and many more.

All are welcome to visit and learn more about The Mount Vernon School and its inquiry-based approach.

Location: Sandy Springs Phone: (404) 252-3448 Website: mountvernonschool.org

Accreditations/Memberships: NAIS, NAEYC, AdvancED/SACS, Ashoka Changemaker Schools Network, GHSA, IDEO Teachers Guild, SAIS, FolioCollaborative, EdLeader21, MISBO, MODA, MTC (Mastery Transcript Consortium), GISA

Tuition: Please visit website

Brought to you by – The Mount Vernon School

High Meadows School –Inspiring future global citizens and innovative leaders

Brought to you by - High Meadows School

There is no place like High Meadows School. Since 1973, High Meadows students in Pre-K through 8th grade have learned through experiential, immersive educational opportunities offered both in the school’s spacious, lightfilled classrooms and across 42 acres of grassy fields and scenic woodlands. High Meadows School’s progressive curriculum is focused on developing future global citizens and innovative leaders who embrace challenge and think for themselves.

High Meadows lower years classrooms offer low student-teacher ratios in which instruction emphasizes academic excellence, love of learning, critical thinking, and environmental and social responsibility. As a nationally recognized and award-winning leader in progressive education, High Meadows is an

accredited International Baccalaureate (IB) World School offering its renowned Primary Years Program for students in preschool through fifth grade.

High Meadows School’s accomplished and experienced faculty lead each student on this journey. Through interactive, inquiry-based instruction, supported by of-the-moment technology and our nature-based campus, High Meadows teachers are unequaled in their intellect, passion, and compassion for these kids. Every day they inspire authentic learning opportunities that are engaging and sticky (literally and figuratively!).

When children graduate from High Meadows, they are empowered with a deep respect for international perspectives, an intuitive understanding of life’s interconnectedness, and an exceedingly strong sense of self. Education is an expedition that starts from the moment we are born. When we teach children to be curious and inquiring at an early age,

we create within them a love of learning that lasts an entire lifetime. What is more important than that?

Come see how all this comes to life. Join us for our Winter Open House,

Sunday, January 22nd from 2:004:00pm. Please visit our website at highmeadows.org or call 770-993-2940 to learn more about High Meadows School.

Where children develop a love of learning

Brought to you by – MJCCA Preschools

MJCCA Preschools are where children develop a love of learning and find friendships that last a lifetime.

The Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta has been providing outstanding early childhood education to discerning Atlanta families for more than 60 years. The Weinstein School in Dunwoody and The MJCCA Schiff School at Temple Emanu-El in Sandy Springs both offer full- and half-day options for children ages 6 weeks to Pre-K, and The Weinstein School also has outstanding Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten programs.

MJCCA preschoolers experience our innovative and progressive curriculum, infused with traditional Jewish

learning all in a safe and supportive environment. Our warm and loving teachers focus on four traditional areas of child development: social and emotional growth, literacy, cognition, and movement/physical development. Exceptional enrichment and extracurricular classes allow children to explore their interests and try new things.

The Schiff School is accredited by the Georgia Accrediting Commission with Quality. The Weinstein School is a NAEYCaccredited program (National Association for the Education of Young Children) — a distinction awarded to only the top 7% of preschools nationwide and is Cognia and GAC with Quality Accredite

Registration for 2023-24 is now open. To learn more visit atlantajcc.org/preschool or call 678.812.3834.

Providing an exceptional college preparatory program since 1976

Brought to you by - Saint Francis School

Saint Francis School is a SACS/SAIS accredited, independent, non-profit, nonsectarian college preparatory school founded in 1976. The mission of Saint Francis School is to provide a college preparatory program to students with diverse academic ability in a structured environment that is challenging and supportive. Kindergarten – 8th grades are located on the 24-acre Roswell Campus while the High School is located on the 47-acre Alpharetta campus. The school’s commitment to small class sizes, low pupil-to-teacher ratio, and a strong emphasis on structure and organization allows students to enjoy success in academic areas and develop the self-confidence necessary to be successful in college. Curriculum offerings include AP, Honors, Traditional and Support classes.

With a 100% acceptance rate to college and with the majority of graduates qualifying for the Hope Scholarship, Saint Francis alumni attend a wide variety of programs ranging from Ivy League schools, to small private colleges to prestigious Art Institutes. Saint Francis is a Google Apps for Education Classroom, utilizing laptops in grades 4 – 12. Specialized reading programs offered include Fundations®, Wilson Reading System®, Just Words® and supplemental support from Cars® and Stars® Reading Comprehension. Sports are offered at both the middle and high school (GHSA) including football, soccer, baseball, track, swimming, wrestling, softball, volleyball and equestrian.

For more information call 770.641.8257 Ext. 56 (Grades 1– 8) and 678.339.9989 Ext. 33 (Grades 9 – 12) or visit our website: www. saintfrancisschools.com.

PROVIDED

A true vision of learning

For over 53 years, our vision at Dunwoody Baptist Preschool has been to inspire the love of learning by nurturing each child within a Christ-centered environment. We are accredited by Cognia. We offer 2, 3, 4 and 5 day Playmates for children ages 6 months to 2 years as well as 5-day Preschool for 3’s, Pre-K for 4 year olds and Young 5’s. Our Young 5’s program is unique and geared for children with summer and fall birthdays. Young 5’s is aligned with kindergarten standards, but the pace of the day and the small class size is perfect for some children. DBP children not only learn and explore within the classroom, but they also enjoy music and science classes, gym, playground time and chapel. In addition to our caring teachers and high-quality learning

experiences, we focus on developing our children spiritually. With Bible stories woven throughout the curriculum, our children experience God’s truth, power, and love in fun and engaging activities. Our preschool day is from 9:00am -1:00pm with Early Morning, Extended Day and Enrichment class options. Online registration is now open for new students. To see all that is going on at DBP and to register, please visit www. dbc.org/weekdayschool. We would love to be part of your child’s early learning and growing to know Jesus Christ!

Brought to you by - Dunwoody Baptist Preschool

PROVIDED

Education solutions for every mind, every age

Eaton Academy offers multiple programs, both in person and online, since a “one size fits all” approach to education is not effective in today’s world.

Academic Programs

The full-day K-12 school , with its 5:1 studentto-teacher ratio, allows instructors to address students’ individual learning styles, while maintaining social distancing. Students achieve significant academic and personal success resulting from STEAMrelated activities and multisensory instruction. The challenging college-prep curriculum is delivered in a safe, nurturing environment.

For students with more significant academic and social needs, the Pace Program helps students develop life skills and independent living strategies. Pace students follow the traditional school day and work to develop greater self-sufficiency and independence, on their way to earning a high school diploma.

The Independent Study Program (ISP) , tailored to students’ schedules and academic needs, permits individuals to work at their own pace. The tutorial setting enables aspiring athletes and perform -

EATON ACADEMY NOW ENROLLING

ers to work toward graduation while following their dreams. Some students enroll in ISP to accelerate their scholastic work; others seek academic remediation. ISP arranges the one-to-one sessions on a schedule that accommodates the students’ needs for flexibility.

Post-Graduate Programs

LEAP is designed to help individuals strengthen their life skills in order to achieve greater independence. Participants benefit from job readiness training, life skill development, and scholastic support.

The LIFE program places young adults into their own apartments. Participants meet with a LIFE coach several times each week for support with topics such as budgeting, hygiene, roommate relations, and housekeeping.

Supported Employment prepares young adults for the workplace. Assistance is given with resume writing, applying for positions, and keeping a job.

College Exploratory offers individuals college level, non-credit courses so they can gauge their readiness for university life.

Eaton Academy is the ideal place for families to discover education options and independent living solutions.

Brought to you by - Eaton Academy

PHOTOS PROVIDED

Preparing middle school students for a complex world

School

In an increasingly competitive world, children need an education that prepares them for a complex economy.

Endeavor International School, an IB (International Baccalaureate®) middle school in Dunwoody, Georgia serves students from 6th grade to 8th grade. We offer an empowering education and implement the International Baccalaureate® (IB) Middle Years Programme (MYP), ensuring a rigorous education in the sciences and arts with professional educators trained to develop young minds to their maximum potential.

Students graduating with an IB diploma are 18 percent more likely to be admitted to an Ivy League university and 22 percent more likely to be admitted to the top 25-ranked schools in the United States, according to Crimson Education’s IB survey. At Endeavor International School, we help students get into the best high schools and prepare them for success when they get there.

Our teachers are highly trained in their subjects and offer an effective, unique learning experience unlike any other program in the Atlanta area. With small class sizes and immersive instruction techniques, students can learn in a

collaborative fashion and develop thinking and communicative skills that serve them in and outside the classroom.

At Endeavor International School, your child receives more than a highquality education – they learn how to enjoy learning. Our students are taught how to think beyond the standardized

test and dig deep into their subjects, absorb the curriculum, and develop highlevel, critical-thinking skills. Not only do our students gain a strong grasp on their material, but they better understand their own minds, which puts them in an advantageous position as they go on to high school and beyond.

We are now accepting applications for the 2023-2024 school year! See our school for yourself and speak with our educators about how we can help realize the dreams you have for your child’s future. Visit our website at EndeavorInternationalSchool.com or call us at 770802-2194 to learn more.

Brought to you by – Endeavor International

Brought to you by - Mill Springs Academy

Those are the words of Mill Springs Academy’s founder, Tweetie L. Moore, and the words that Mill Springs administration, faculty, and staff continue to live by today. Founded in 1981, Mill Springs provides a values-based college preparatory program for students with ADHD and learning differences. Mill Springs’ school-wide Community Structure encourages students to participate in their own education by teaching self-advocacy, social problemsolving skills, and how to forge their own path. Our small class sizes allow teachers to provide each student with individualized instruction. Our highly skilled faculty and counselors provide academic rigor on all levels, from kindergarten through 12, in a supportive, nurturing environment.

Mill Springs Academy also offers students a wide variety of opportunities outside the core curriculum. Mill Springs’ fine arts program encourages students to explore their creativity through painting, sculpture, set design, music, performance, and more. Our robust athletic programs allow students to play at a competitive level while building teamwork and confidence.

PROVIDED

Mill Springs’ 85-acre Alpharetta campus includes indoor and outdoor classroom space, athletic facilities, and visual and performing arts facilities. We serve students from over 50 different zip codes in the Metro Atlanta area and provide four bus routes with ten stops in the morning and afternoon. To learn more about Mill Springs Academy, visit us at www. millsprings.org/visit.

Dunwoody Christian School nominated for “Best of Perimeter 2023” in 2 categories

Brought to you by - Dunwoody Christian School

Dunwoody Christian School is proud to be named a top nominee for “Best of Perimeter” in two categories: Best Private K-12 School and Best AfterSchool Program. The recent nominations are a testament to God’s blessing, and the incredible investment DCS families and the community have made in DCS. The “Best of Perimeter” contest is particularly meaningful because the awards are decided by the very community that DCS serves: the residents of Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, and Brookhaven.

DCS is an accredited, non-denominational K-8th grade independent school – known for its covenant Christian environment, small class sizes with excellent teachers, and competitive tuition. After-school programing includes cross country, swim team, soccer, cheer, and clubs for art, chess, STEM, basketball, and flag football. DCS also has the unique ability to partner with its neighbor, Dunwoody School for the Arts, to offer after-school classes such as dance,

drama club, choir, piano, and more. DCS provides childcare on school days until 6:00 PM, through its exceptional “Lions’ Den” after-care program.

Please visit DCS at their open house on Jan. 21 and Feb. 25, from 10:00 to 11:00 AM. Visit www.dunwoodycs.org to RSVP for an open house, learn more about admissions, and vote for DCS for “Best of Perimeter.”

“If a student can’t learn the way we teach… we should teach the way a student can learn.”

PROVIDED

Developing self-directed world citizens through integrated learning

warm and close-knit school community with educators who are passionate about the growth of each child.

A Montessori education offers a curriculum that focuses on developing physical, cognitive, social and emotional growth, enabling them to reach their full potential and gain an appreciation for learning that lasts a lifetime. Endeavor Montessori opened fall 2019 in Dunwoody, GA, and is enrolling children ages 6 weeks-12 years for 2023 - 2024.

Endeavor Montessori’s curriculum is distilled from the experiences and knowledge of esteemed Montessori certified teachers and leaders. Designed for infants through elementary school age children, the curriculum implements a modernized Montessori approach that cultivates the whole child through a nurturing and inspiring school environment, as well as our rigorous yet celebratory approach to learning through critical thinking, cultural awareness and entrepreneurship.

At Endeavor Montessori, teachers know that each child learns differently and will accommodate each student’s specific needs and learning style. Children, and parents, will benefit from a

One of Endeavor Montessori’s main goals is to develop self-directed citizens of the world. Through a global approach to learning, cultural awareness and a sense of connection with all human beings will be instilled in each child. Children will benefit from learning that these differences should always be respected and from the integration of global languages into their curriculum.

Endeavor Montessori offers a learning environment where children are exposed to appropriate levels of technology, integrated seamlessly into an enhanced Montessori curriculum. This approach, along with a Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Math (STEAM) program, addresses the demands placed by modern education, while also strengthening children’s innate desire to seek knowledge on their own and find the answers to their own questions.

To learn more about our curriculum, and for enrollment for children ages 6 weeks-12 years, call (770)-6371242 or visit our website at endeavormontessori.com.

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This is The 805!

Brought to you by – Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School

Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School, located at 805 Mt. Vernon Highway, NW, in Sandy Springs, enrolls 1,380 students in Grades PK3-12. HIES is a unique, vibrant learning community filled with encouragement and every imaginable opportunity for students to explore their talents, pursue their passions and achieve their full potential.

HIES offers an educational program encompassing academics, arts, athletics and spiritual formation. Through opportunities to grow intellectually, spiritually, physically and emotionally, students develop their individual worth and dignity.

The challenging academic program prepares students for higher education and emphasizes learning as a pathway toward ethical leadership and a commitment to the common good. Students learn in small classes and actively participate in all classroom discussions. HIES is a community where close connections between students and teachers flour -

ish within the curriculum. The Upper School offers nearly 30 Honors and Advanced Placement classes. With a team of highly regarded college counselors, HIES is committed to working closely with each student and family to help navigate the college search and application process.

As a Global Member of Round Square, an international network of 200 schools in 50 countries, HIES provides a multicultural education for students.

The school is a welcoming and supportive environment that embraces the differences inherent in a diverse community and embodies the inclusive Episcopal tradition of respect for the beliefs of others. HIES is an active Christian community of faith engaged in local, national and international service to others.

The school is easily accessible from all parts of Dunwoody and Metro Atlanta.

Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School: This is The 805! Where students pursue their passions and are challenged to reach their full potential.

Shopping Spree Giveaway

Start the year off right with a chance to win a $1,000 Shopping Spree courtesy of Appen Media and the Crier Newspapers.

Each week, our newsroom will hide this shopping cart image in the newspaper. Once you find it, visit appenmedia.com/shoppingspree and enter 1) Your name 2) Your email 3) The page number you found the image That’s it!

The contest will run for 13 consecutive weeks, so submit an entry each week to maximize your chances of winning.

The winner will be randomly drawn, notified on Monday, April 3rd and announced in the April 13th Crier publications. HAPPY SHOPPING …and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

A little background on today’s Spalding Drive

Spalding Drive east of Roberts Drive was originally part of Jett or Jett’s Ferry Road. The old Jett Ferry Road ran closer to the Chattahoochee River near the place where the Jett family operated a ferry. The ferry was where Ball Mill Creek meets the river.

In 1929, the wooden bridge that crossed Ball Mill Creek washed out and that section of the road was moved farther south to where Spalding Drive is today. A new bridge was built over the creek, just west of where Spalding Drive meets Ball Mill Road. (“The Writings of Jim Perkins,” Dunwoody Historian, 2006)

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF

According to Jim Perkins, the abandoned stretch of Jett Ferry Road became Clay Drive. Perkins attributes the name Clay Drive to Lucius Clay, but several newspaper articles describing parties at the summer home of Ryburn and Helen Clay indicate they owned the land along the former Jett Ferry Road in the 1930s and 1940s. The Clay brothers may have both owned summer homes and property along the Chattahoochee River adjacent or nearby.

Today’s Jett Ferry Road, past the crossroads with Spalding Drive, was once part of Old Nesbit Ferry Road, leading to that ferry crossing of the Chattahoochee River.

In Lois Coogle’s 1981 book, “More of Sandy Springs Past Tense,” she recorded history of the Spalding family for which the road is named. The history comes from her interview with Atlanta Journal editor Jack Spalding.

Jack Spalding’s grandfather was Jack Spalding Sr., co-founder of King and Spalding Law Firm. Jack Spalding Jr.’s parents were Bolling Phinizy and Hughes Spalding. Hughes Spalding and Albert Thornton purchased 400 acres on Johnson Ferry Road in 1925. This land later became Breakwater and River North neighborhoods.

Local builder Arthur Mabry built the Spalding family a weekend retreat along the Chattahoochee River, which they named The Shack. In 1939, the family built another home on this land, naming it Hang Over because it was on a bluff overlooking the river near Johnson’s Ferry Road. Both The Shack and Hang Over burned in the 1960s, but the family had built more permanent homes on the property by then.

Hughes Spalding also purchased 600

ues

acres for farming which later became the Spalding Woods neighborhood. Local Dunwoody farmer Floyd Spruill oversaw this land.

Suzanne Spalding Shroder and her son John donated their 20 acres along the Chattahoochee River in 1957 to establish the Ignatius House Jesuit Retreat Center, which remains today on the same site along Riverside Drive.

Today, Spalding Drive begins at Roswell Road and continues past Winters Chapel Road, Holcombe Bridge Road and Highway 141, until it changes to South Old Peachtree Road at Medlock Bridge Road. Perkins says this part of the road was once known as the Lawrenceville Road which is also one of the old names for Dunwoody Club Drive.

Award-winning author Valerie Biggerstaff is a longtime columnist for Appen Media and the Dunwoody Crier. She lives in Sandy Springs. You can email Valerie at pasttensega@gmail.com or visit her website at pasttensega.com.

PROVIDED

This 1930 map shows Spalding Drive to the west of Roberts Drive, then known as Old Roswell Road. Spalding Drive contin-

just past Ebenezer Church and the Geffcken property. This map is part of the Jim Perkins collection.

OPINION

PERSERVING THE PAST

Local U.S. Marine stood watch for presidents

It is an understatement to say that entrance into the U.S. Marine Ceremonial Guard Company is a major accomplishment. Strict standards have to be met, and few volunteers make the cut. When Alpharetta resident Egil (Gil) Leines accepted the invitation to try out for the Guard Company’s elite Silent Drill Platoon in 1958, 600 to 700 Marines gave it their best, but only 36 were accepted. This is the story of this historic organization and the experiences of one of its members some 60 years ago. Many things have changed since Gil served under presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy, but the spirit and significance of the Company carries on.

BOB MEYERS Columnist bobmey@bellsouth.net

The U.S. Marine Ceremonial Guard Company lived and worked in the celebrated Marine Barracks, a group of buildings also known by its location at 8th & I streets in Washington D.C. Founded in 1801 by President Thomas Jefferson and Lt. Col. William Ward Burrows, the second commandant of the Marine Corps, 8th & I is today the oldest post in the Marine Corps. Although the Barracks is historic, the building where Gil lived was very cramped.

The Barracks housed both Marine ceremonial and security units, such as the three Silent Drill Platoons, Color Guard, Body Bearers, Drum and Bugle Corps, Marine Band and the Marine Corps Institute. John Philip Sousa was director of the Marine Band from 1880 to 1892 and composed many of his famous marches during his tenure. The Barracks is also where the top generals in the Marine Corps reside. The Commandant’s home is the oldest public building in continuous use in Washington.

Gil was a member of the Silent Drill Platoon for 12 months. Rigorous training was constant for the 36-member platoon. Long hours of practice built teamwork and precision so the unit could move as one. The platoon gave frequent public demonstrations at major sporting and other events in the U.S. and abroad.

The silent drill team went to Camp David for from two to three weeks every three months for guard duty on the perimeter or at the gate.

“That took us away from constantly shining all our equipment,” Gil says.

Following his year with the Silent Drill Platoon, Gil was appointed to the Marine Corps Color Guard unit at the Barracks. The Color Guard carries the

American Flag and the Marine Corps Battle Color. Each team consists of four Marines, the flag bearers in the middle plus two Marines with rifles. The Battle Color weighs 35 pounds because the pole is metal with 55 rings around it and 55 streamers hanging from it representing more than 400 campaigns in which Marines have participated from the American Revolution to the present.

Before modern warfare, soldiers tried to keep in formation and were often separated from their units. The color guard carried flags so soldiers could locate their units. Today the color guard is largely traditional and ceremonial.

“We did not have to purchase our dress blues because they were part of our work uniform,” recalls Gill. The uniforms were tailor made. If buttons stretched at all, we went on the H&I diet of spinach and carrots until our bellies were flat again.”

“We were always with the president when he went to Camp David.” Gil says. “I was assigned to the front gate where my job was to know what military people were allowed on the property. A Secret Service agent was responsible for non-military persons.”

While the work at Camp David was deadly serious, there were some lighter moments. One morning the officer in charge asked who among the Ceremonial Guard Company had lifeguard experience. No one responded. Then he asked who would like to be a lifeguard. Again no one responded. He then asked who could be a

The Marine Color Guard Platoon stands in front of the Marine Barracks in Washington DC. In 1961. On the left holding an M-1 rifle is Gil Leines of Alpharetta. Next is the National Flag and the Marine Corps Battle Color. The fourth member on the right holds an M-1 rifle. The Battle Color weighs 35 pounds because the pole is metal and carries streamers representing more than 400 U.S. and foreign campaigns and awards from the Revolutionary War to the present.

lifeguard.

“I said I earned a swimming merit badge when I was a Boy Scout. I spent four hours that day lifeguarding for President Eisenhower’s daughter in law and her young son,” says Gil.

The favorite time for Gil was the summer of 1960 when President Eisenhower spent six weeks in Newport, Rhode Island, at the Summer White House on Fort Adams.

“The locals treated us very well

because we were among the few who wore presidential badges.” On Sundays the unit accompanied the president and his family to church. Some unit members stood guard in the church and others stood outside the church.

Bob is director emeritus of the Milton Historical Society and a Member of the City of Alpharetta Historic Preservation Commission. You can email him at bobmey@bellsouth.net.

PHOTOS BY GIL LEINES/PROVIDED

An official portrait was made of Egil (Gil) Leines when he was a member of the elite US Marine Color Guard in 1961.

Development Authority primed for future economic initiatives

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — The Sandy Springs Development Authority set the stage for more planned development in 2023, targeting areas ripe for projects to boost the local economy.

At the Jan. 12 meeting, Sandy Springs Economic Development Manager Caroline Davis gave authority members a recap of what was accomplished by the city in 2022, and what could be expected in the coming year.

“You all are sitting in the fruits of what everyone worked on over the past decade,” Davis said.

The biggest highlight of the past year, she said, was major updates to the City Springs Master Plan, which led to development of “City Springs Master Plan 2.0,” a guide to development over the next decade.

For the City Springs Master Plan update, she said they have focused on large-scale improvements to infrastructure, streetscapes and pedestrian accessibility for everything on Roswell Road, from Allen Road to Cromwell Road.

These improvement project recommendations are now in the hands of city staff where Public Works, Community Development and Economic Development departments will research the proposals for presentation to the City Council.

Davis said the new master plan identified multiple areas as “priority redevelopment properties”

These areas include a city-owned property to the south of the City Hall campus, which they’ve identified as the possible location for a boutique hotel with office and residential space. The city has already received a number of bid applications, and Davis said the project is expected to move forward at the location.

They have also identified a large block of properties bordered by Mt. Vernon Highway, Hilderbrand Drive, Boylston Drive and Roswell Road as a priority area for redevelopment, she said.

“What we’ve seen is that there’s a lot of fractured ownerships, so we will consider potentially bonuses for assemblage that might help developers,” she said.

Other properties located between Mt. Vernon Highway and Sandy Springs Place, though not ready for redevelopment, have been selected as priority investment areas Davis said, and will eventually be a focus to

improve continuity and connectivity in the area.

Davis said her department has a goal to begin working on a commercial property improvement grant program, possibly for façade, structure, landscaping and even business interior improvements.

That grant program could be something the authority participates in, she said.

Development Authority Chairman Chip Collins said there is funding available he’d like to see put to good use.

“Before we have used funds for sponsorship of things like concerts out there … but I do think that to participate in something like the façade improvements, as development or redevelopment would be more in line,” he said.

Regular annual business approved

In addition to the talk on development priorities for 2023, Development Authority members also conducted the board’s usual annual business of electing officers and setting the meeting schedule for 2023.

After a short discussion, William “Chip” Collins was reelected as Development Authority chair and John Paulson was reelected as vice chair.

Members of the Development Authority also approved a meeting schedule which will see them meet three more times in 2023, on April 13, July 13 and Oct. 13. These meetings will be held unless there is no business for the authority to consider, officials said.

These items were unanimously approved by development authority members.

The Sandy Springs Development Authority will reconvene April 13 at 8:30 a.m. at city hall, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs.

The Sandy Springs Development Authority met for the first meeting of 2023 and discussed development priorities identified for the coming year. The finalization of the City Springs Master Plan was highlighted as a big win for the previous year.

ALEX POPP/APPEN MEDIA

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Full benefits, base salary and an aggressive uncapped commission package and fun team environment!

GARDEN BUZZ

Introducing ‘Garden Buzz’ and North Fulton Master Gardeners

Extension, representing the university in educational events, activities and programs. Master Gardeners teach community members how to use plants and gardening to improve their environment, personal health, and quality of life. More information about how to become a Master Gardener can be found at nfmg.net/becomeMG.html.

Fulton community and beyond through virtual webinar technology. The First Place Award in the Workshops/Presentations Category was made on September 15, 2021, during the virtual International Master Gardener Conference. View our video at https://youtu.be/_1hSJfpsFS0.

LEE

TANENBAUM

Garden Buzz is a new gardening column coming to the Appen Media Group newspapers and social media. Guest columnists will be certified Master Gardener Extension volunteers and members of the North Fulton Master Gardeners. Master gardeners will write about their diverse areas of expertise, including roses, daylilies, fig trees, fairy gardens, herbs, insects, and plants for water gardens, just to name a few of the many possibilities. Future columns may also address several ways to certify your garden as a wildlife habitat, how to conduct a proper soil sample, how to create a no-dig garden and other information.

We North Fulton Master Gardeners are very excited to partner with Appen Media group on Garden Buzz, another opportunity for us to provide horticultural education to the North Fulton community and beyond. If you have suggestions for future columns, please email us at northfultonmastergardeners@gmail.com.

So, what is a Master Gardener?

The Georgia Master Gardener Extension Volunteer (MGEV) Program connects the University of Georgia Extension, plant enthusiasts and communities across the state. MGEVs share UGA Extension consumer horticultural programming about selection and care of plants for ornamental value, recreation and home food production. A Master Gardener is a volunteer educator who is trained and supervised by UGA

We are a small group of people (about 105 or so!) living primarily throughout North Fulton County who enjoy plants and people. North Fulton Master Gardeners, Inc (NFMG) is a Georgia nonprofit organization whose purpose is to educate its members and the public in the areas of horticulture and ecology to promote and foster community enrichment.

Over the years, the North Fulton Master Gardeners have provided gardening community education classes in Alpharetta, Roswell, Sandy Springs, and Farm Chastain (now transitioned to a virtual learning format due to the pandemic); gardening education for young children; university and college scholarships for horticulture students; and local demonstration gardens maintained by the North Fulton Master Gardeners and Garden Faire, which will return April 29, 2023, to a new venue at Wills Park in Alpharetta.

In response to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, the North Fulton Master Gardeners went virtual with our pre-recorded Fall 2020 Gardening Lecture Series. The 2021 David Gibby International Master Gardener Search for Excellence (IMGSFE) Awards have recognized the North Fulton Master Gardeners for our efforts in the face of a global pandemic in successfully providing horticultural education to the North

More than 5,800 people have attended one or more of the 43 free NFMG Garden Lectures live-streamed on Zoom or Facebook since May 2020. An additional 25,000 people have viewed the videos on www.youtube.com/ northfultonmastergardeners. Please check out our YouTube video library.

The North Fulton Master Gardeners in collaboration with the UGA Extension in Fulton County are continuing to provide horticultural education to the North Fulton community and beyond through free virtual gardening education programming. The Spring 2023 Gardening Lecture Series begins Sunday, March 5, 2023, and will be available through live Zoom webinars and Facebook Live.

Each class emphasizes practical gardening activities at the time of year that is best suited for that activity. You may register for all five classes or just pick specific classes. Please register in advance at https://bit.ly/Spring2023NFMGGardeningLectureSeries to assure your place. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about how to join the webinar. If you cannot attend the live webinar, you can register anyway so you will receive a recorded link to the class. Don’t miss these incredible opportunities to learn more about gardening in metro Atlanta.

We hope you will become a Garden Buzz reader!

Happy New Year 2023 and happy gardening!

North Fulton Master Gardeners, Inc. is a Georgia nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose purpose is to educate its members and the public in the areas of horticulture and ecology in order to promote and foster community enrichment. Learn more at nfmg.net.

About the Author

The first “Garden Buzz” guest columnist is Lee Tanenbaum, a master gardener since 2011. Lee is NFMG’s Communications Co-Chair for Publicity and Marketing as well as the current Interim Chair of the NFMG Gardening Education Team.

Lee is a retired speech-language pathologist and public health professional, a mother of three, and a grandmother of nine. Lee loves to garden and travel, especially with her grandchildren.