Dunwoody Crier - February 22, 2024

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Carlson to succeed Grogan as Dunwoody Police Chief CARLSON

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody City Manager Eric Linton announced Feb. 15 the promotion of Deputy Chief Mike Carlson to the position of police chief.

“Deputy Chief Mike Carlson has been with the

Dunwoody Police Department since day one,” Linton said. “He has proven himself to be a strong and respected leader.”

The transition will begin right away, and Carlson will officially start his new role in April.

“I’m confident that he is more than ready and right for the top job,” Linton

said. “He has the support of officers in the department and members of the community.” Carlson holds a bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership and public safety from Reinhardt University and a master’s in public administration from Columbus State University.

He is also a graduate of the FBI

National Academy, the Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange and the Senior Management Institute for Policing at the Police Executive Research Forum.

Carlson will succeed Chief Billy

See CARLSON, Page 16

Dunwoody recognizes World War II veteran Dunwoody resident and World War II veteran Hilbert “Hilby” Margol stands with his wife of more than 75 years, Betty Ann, during an early celebration for his 100th birthday. More than 40 neighbors and friends gathered at the clubhouse at 4600 Village Oaks Drive Feb. 18 to honor the long-time pillar of the Dunwoody community.

Mayor L ynn Deutsch surprised her friend, presenting Margol with

a key to the city and declaring Feb. 22, 2024, Hilbert Margol Day. As a liberator of the Dachau concentration camp, Margol has spent the past few years speaking to thousands of local students about his experiences as a Jewish-American solider in the war. “When you get past 90, life presents new challenges. Some of them can be on the rough side,” Margol said. “I hope and pray that every one of you does get there.”

More See the full story and photo gallery at appenmedia.com.

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Vehicle reported stolen from parking garage

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DUNWOODY, Ga. — A 57-year-old Dunwoody woman reported her vehicle stolen Feb. 3 after leaving it overnight in a parking garage at 4333 Dunwoody Park.

The victim said she parked her black Lincoln Town Car around 10 p.m. Feb. 2 at the Terraces of Dunwoody Condos.

She said the vehicle was gone upon returning to the parking garage the next morning.

Officers said the victim had the keys to the vehicle, and no broken glass was observed at the scene.

Flock cameras detected the vehicle heading southbound on North Shallowford Road at Cotillion Road before midnight.

Officers said they last detected her vehicle at Winters Chapel Road and Peachtree Industrial Boulevard shortly after midnight.

The victim said the condominium would provide security footage to police the following week.

She also said no valuables were inside her vehicle when it was stolen.

Officers listed the vehicle as stolen in the National Crime Information Center.

Owner of closed shop finds man in back room Judged a newspaper of General Excellence 2023

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody Police arrested a 26-year-old Gary man Feb. 6 after the owner of Contender eSports at 4511 Olde Perimeter Way found him loitering.

The 44-year-old Atlanta business owner said he came to check his business, which is permanently closed, and encountered a man in one of the

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PUBLIC SAFETY back rooms.

The victim told police the doors were locked, and no one should have been at the property.

Officers said they found the suspect, took him into custody without incident and escorted him out of the business.

While the suspect said he entered the business with another man, officers found no one else at the scene.

The business owner said he wanted to press charges because a similar situation with the same man occurred last year.

Officers said the suspect had received a written warning not to come back to the property.

The suspect was charged with loitering and prowling and transported to DeKalb County Jail.

Two mall restaurants report car break-ins DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody Police are investigating car break-ins Feb. 6 at two Perimeter Mall restaurants along Perimeter Center West and Ashford Dunwoody Road.

Officers first responded to an entering auto call at the Seasons 52 restaurant.

The victim, a 58-year-old Gainesville woman, said she left her friend’s black Toyota Tundra around 5:30 p.m. in the parking lot.

She said when she returned to her car, she found the rear passenger window smashed, and the vehicle had been rummaged through.

Officers said no fingerprints were found.

The victim said her glasses, makeup, sweater, laptop, wallet, scarf and other accessories were had been taken. The personal belongings are valued at $1,800.

Officers asked the victim to provide a serial number for the laptop so it can be listed on the National Crime Information Center.

Other officers on scene checked surrounding parking lots for additional car break-ins.

An officer found a white Chevrolet

Suburban with a broken rear passenger window around 9 p.m. in the parking lot of Lazy Dog at the corner of Perimeter Center West and Ashford Dunwoody Road.

The officer said he determined the vehicle was a rental and waited for the driver.

The victim, a 25-year-old man from Bronxville, New York, said two of his bags were missing from the trunk.

A black Osprey bag, containing a computer, monitor and keyboard, and a blue Hershel bag were valued at more than $2,200.

The victim said he picked up the rental car at the Atlanta Airport and drove straight to Lazy Dog. Officers said they did not find additional car break-ins or suspects at the scene.

Man files assault claim after lending out vehicle ALPHARETTA, Ga. — A Marietta man reported Feb. 1 his friend swung a machete at him after he asked him to return his vehicle.

The victim reported he lent his vehicle to the suspect Dec. 1 on the condition it would be returned when the owner needed it back.

When he asked the suspect to return the vehicle Feb. 1, he reported the suspect “became agitated” and allegedly swung a machete at him four times.

Officers reported taking the victim to the location where the attack allegedly happened, but his vehicle was no longer there. The victim said the attack happened at one of the buildings near 341 Brady Place.

The suspect and the vehicle were reportedly a match in a December hitand-run on Ga. 9.

Officers reported returning to the location the victim had provided around 5 p.m., and an employee at a neighboring business confirmed she had seen the vehicle there.

The victim told officers he would like to press charges and report his vehicle as stolen, the report states.

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AppenMedia.com/Dunwoody | Dunwoody Crier | February 22, 2024 | 3

Council questions additions to Dunwoody Police

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appnemedia.com DUNWOODY, Ga. — A proposal to add more positions to the police ranks drew pushback from the Dunwoody City Council Feb. 12.

While no vote was taken on the request, Chief Billy Grogan asked to add a new sergeant and three investigators to form a Street Crimes Unit, which will primarily conduct narcotics and vice operations. Funding of the positions would begin July 1.

Grogan pointed to recent busts across the city as a reason to fund a specialized unit, focused on drug and sex trafficking investigations.

Consulting firm BerryDunn presented a study of the Dunwoody Police Department Oct. 30 and supported the plan to create a Street Crimes Unit. However, the BarryDunn report listed the additional unit as a non-urgent recommendation.

The report’s principal recommendations to the Police Department included adding three patrol officers, hiring non-sworn field personnel, and revising recruitment and retention practices.

Grogan said current Dunwoody

jumps to $672,900.

HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA

Dunwoody Police Chief Billy Grogan discusses his request for five additional police personnel at the Feb. 12 City Council meeting. Grogan said the addition of a Street Crimes Unit and civilian fleet manager is needed for the department. officers will most likely fill the positions in the Street Crimes Unit, and several officers have expressed interest in the additional training required for the unit.

“It’s also something that would, I believe, help us in the long run with our recruitment efforts,” Grogan said. “More importantly, it’s something that meets a need of our department right now and of our community.”

He also requested the addition of a fleet maintenance coordinator, a non-sworn civilian tasked with administrative duties for the maintenance of vehicles and equipment.

Funding of the fleet manager position would begin April 1.

Including one-time expenses, the anticipated cost for additional police personnel for fiscal year 2024 is $616,565. In fiscal year 2025, the cost

Council discusses request City Councilman Rob Price asked about the number of vacancies within the Dunwoody Police Department.

“It’s been a challenge, no doubt, we’re just like a lot of agencies around us and across the country.” Grogan said. “Staffing is an issue… we got down to three openings not too long ago, and now we’re at six.”

Grogan said there are four sworn candidates and two non-sworn candidates in the hiring process with the Police Department. He did not provide a timetable for when the six vacancies will be filled.

Councilman John Heneghan asked Grogan if he accepts the final recommendations of the more than $100,000 BarryDunn report.

“I didn’t necessarily agree with everything in the report,” Grogan said.

“But I did certainly accept it.”

Heneghan said there were several discrepancies between the recommendations from the BarryDunn report and the requests from Grogan.

While the report called for the Street

See QUESTIONS, Page 14

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COMMUNITY

4 | February 22, 2024 | Dunwoody Crier | AppenMedia.com/Dunwoody

Dunwoody opens nominations for Sustainability Hero Award

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DUNWOODY, Ga. — The Dunwoody Sustainability Committee opened nominations Feb. 13 for its annual awards celebrating dedication, service and leadership in eco-friendly practices.

The nomination period for the annual Sustainability Hero Award program runs through March 8.

Nominees must be residents of Dunwoody, and nominated organizations must be licensed or have clear ties to sustainable initiatives in the city to be included in the selection process.

The Sustainability Committee will announce the winners in April.

Michael Cowan and Blooms of Dunwoody were selected as winners of the 2022 Dunwoody Sustainability Awards.

Blooms of Dunwoody was selected for its composting methods, elimination of almost all chemical products and vase recycling program.

Cowan, a former chair of the committee, helped overhaul the city’s Sustainability Plan, initiated Dunwoody’s effort to become a Bee City USA and established a partnership with Chattahoochee Riverkeeper.

“I was very happy to play a small part in helping Dunwoody recognize the importance of environmental sustainability over the last decade,”

CITY OF DUNWOODY/PROVIDED

Michael Cowan, center, accepts the 2023 Sustainability Hero Award at the April 24 Dunwoody City Council meeting.

The Sustainability Committee opened nominations for the 2024 awards Feb. 13.

Cowan said. “More can and always should be done.”

The Sustainability Committee meets monthly and encourages the community to reduce its environmental impact through public education and outreach.

Interested residents and local businesses can nominate deserving individuals and organizations by visiting the Community Development Department’s website found at dunwoodyga.gov.

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Expand your family by 4 furry little feet; meet Alamedo and have a loving friend forever. All adoptions include spay/ neuter, vaccinations and microchip. If you would like more information about Alamedo or if you have questions about adopting, fostering or volunteering please email adoption@dekalbanimalservices. com or call (404) 294-2165; all potential adopters will be screened to ensure Alamedo goes to a good home.

The shelter is full; foster or adopt to save a life and meet your new furry

friend, stop by DeKalb County Animal Services. We are located at 3280 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, Chamblee GA 30341 or give us a call at 404-294-2996. No appointment necessary.

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AppenMedia.com/Dunwoody | Dunwoody Crier | February 22, 2024 | 5

Planning Commission backs Park Center mixed-use development

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com DUNWOODY, Ga. — The Dunwoody Planning Commission voted Feb. 13 to recommend rezoning a 2.6-acre undeveloped parcel along Perimeter Center Parkway that would allow its developer to add 300 multi-family residential units and a hotel to the site.

The property, at 245 Perimeter Center Parkway, is the last undeveloped piece of Park Center, owned by Dallas, Texas-based developer KDC. The award-winning and masterplanned Park Center was the largest development of its kind in Metro Atlanta when it broke ground in 2014.

In 2022, KDC re-acquired the two office towers, parking structure and adjacent 2.56-acre property in a saleleaseback deal with State Farm.

Dunwoody Senior Planner Madalyn Smith said the parcel lies near the Dunwoody MARTA station.

“Essentially, they were approved in 2015, and now they’re coming back wanting to make amendments to mix of uses that’s allowed on the property,” she said.

The City Council approved a rezoning of the roughly 13-acre property

HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA

Dunwoody Senior Planner Madalyn Smith discusses a rezoning Feb. 13 of the property at 245 Perimeter Center Parkway. KDC, a Dallas, Texas-based developer, sought rezoning to allow the development of a hotel and apartments for Park Center Building Four. in 2015, which established a Planned Development zoning classification with extensive conditions.

The 2015 Overall Development Plan, incorporated into the rezoning, has guided the buildout. Since then, the campus has garnered state and national recognition as a glimmering tribute to commercial urban development from the National Association of Industrial

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Because construction of Park Center One was completed in 2016, it was excluded from the Overall Development Plan.

The original plan The 2015 rezoning entitled KDC to 1.8 million square feet of office

space, 90,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space, 7,000 structured parking spaces for the three-building development.

Other conditions included a maximum height of 35 stories above the plaza level.

Since 2015, the owner has constructed all three buildings, two consisting of some 1 million square feet of Class A office space, 4,117 structured parking spaces and 56,414 square feet of retail and restaurant space.

KDC has also satisfied conditions of the 2015 rezoning that include streetscape, landscape and greenspace with a pedestrian bridge for connectivity over Perimeter Center Parkway for access to the Dunwoody MARTA Station.

Park Center Two, a 621,000-squarefoot office tower, was completed in 2020.

The following year, Park Center Three, a 440,000-square-foot office tower, was completed.

Under the conditions of the 2015 Overall Development Plan, a Building 4 and the property at 245 Perimeter Center Parkway is entitled to 729,613

See CENTER, Page 14

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6 | February 22, 2024 | Dunwoody Crier | AppenMedia.com/Dunwoody

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Drug enforcement forum stresses fentanyl’s threat to thousands in America

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SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — A former top official with the DEA alerted area residents Feb. 15 that fentanyl is “the biggest monster that we’ve ever had in drug law enforcement.”

Speaking at a fentanyl awareness and drug prevention forum at Sandy Springs’ Studio Theatre at City Springs, Dan Salter, former DEA Special Agent in Charge, and current director of the Atlanta-Carolinas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Program, pleaded for parents to involve themselves in their children’s lives.

“This takes all hands-on deck,” Salter said. “For the parents that are in the room, get to know your kids and what’s going on. Talk to them. Be aware of some of these things.”

The primary purpose of the meeting, one of a number community outreach events hosted by law enforcement agencies across the country, is to bring awareness to the widespread misuse of the popular painkiller, fentanyl, and the rapid increase in deaths and overdoses for users, especially in teens and young adults. Through social media platforms such as Tik Tok, younger users are easily purchasing the deadly narcotic online as user numbers continue to grow.

U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia Ryan Buchanan also spoke at the event offering his experience and perspectives.

“We [as U.S. Attorney] work primarily to understand what poses the greatest threat to the citizens of our district,” he said. “It’s clear to us that fentanyl plays a huge role in

threatening our safety.”

Just last year, more Americans died from drug overdoses and drug poisonings than any other year in the history of the United States, Buchanan said.

Spreading awareness is vital, he said, and he hoped that everyone attending the meeting leaves with their “eyes wide open about what threatens us.”

The presentation included videos from drug experts expressing their thoughts on the recent popularity of fentanyl with firsthand examples and accounts of how it leads to nationwide fatalities.

Closing speaker Angela King offered her personal experiences of losing her teenage son, Jack, to a fentanyl overdose. While she continues to mourn his passing, she is working hard to spread her message to parents and communities everywhere.

“We’re [her family] grieving and we’re hurting,” Kink said. “But we have to turn our pain into a purpose.

Saying ‘don’t do drugs’ isn’t working.

We have to start communicating. We have to start making this real…we have to be prepared. I’m committed not only to speak, but to take action.

We have to end this terrible epidemic that we’re faced with. I will be talking with legislators to get legislation passed. I will do what I can.”

The event closed with a Q&A session between attendees and each of the contributing speakers.

To watch the full presentation, visit Sandy Springs’ YouTube channel at youtube.com/@CityOfSandySprings.

For more information on the Atlanta-Carolinas HIDTA Program and fentanyl use, visit achidta.org or call 678-244-8400.

PUBLIC NOTICE

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The Dunwoody Art Festival will return to Dunwoody Village Parkway on May 11 & 12, 2024. Dunwoody Village Parkway, between Mt. Vernon Hwy. and before the front entrance to CrossFit Dunwoody will be closed to vehicular traffic beginning Friday, May 10 at 6 pm until Sunday, May 12 at 10 pm. All businesses will remain open and have access to their establishments. For more information, visit www.SplashFestivals.com.

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8 | February 22, 2024 | Dunwoody Crier | AppenMedia.com/Dunwoody

BUSINESS

Johns Creek Chamber operates as hub for small businesses City’s business licenses exceed Roswell, Alpharetta

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — The Johns Creek Chamber of Commerce, like other chambers around the area, serves as a resource hub for its members and the community.

But, President and CEO Robin Buckley says what makes the Johns Creek Chamber special is that it’s composed mostly of small businesses, mom-and-pop shops. She said more than half of the city’s businesses are home-based.

“You’ll see that in Johns Creek, there aren’t a lot of corporations and that kind of thing,” Buckley said, who had just returned from a ribbon-cutting at Moi, an Asian fusion restaurant and cafe. She goes to a lot of ribbon-cuttings, especially at the beginning of the year. “It’s very personable.

You can really make a difference in each other’s lives and each other’s days.”

The Johns Creek Chamber has 330 members, most of them businesses, with one or two individuals. At the organization’s office on Johns Creek Parkway, there’s a wall filled with members’

AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Robin Buckley, president and CEO of Johns Creek Chamber of Commerce, sits at her desk in the organization’s office on Johns Creek Parkway. Buckley has been with the Chamber for more than a decade.

business cards, adjacent to stands filled with the 2023-2024 Johns Creek Guide Book the Chamber created to showcase the city’s newest park, Cauley Creek, on the cover.

More than networking Membership grants access to exclusive

events, centered around networking, allowing members to connect to potential customers and partners.

An annual all-day event that started five to six years ago is Chicks in Charge, where the Chamber features women speakers who are leaders in their industry.

It takes place on or around International Women’s Day in March.

“When they come in, they’re talking about their story or their passion for whatever it may be, saying, ‘It’s possible,’” Buckley said. “‘You can be very successful.

It’s not just a man’s world out there.’”

The organization also hosts events with elected officials, like the luncheon with Fulton County Commissioner Bridget Thorne that took place Feb. 15. These gatherings provide officials an opportunity to update business leaders on what they’re currently working on and what’s in the pipeline.

“Not everybody does get to meet their elected officials,” Buckley said. “I mean, I never did until I got this job, when I started coming to the Chamber.”

Buckley immediately joined the Chamber when she opened Cocktails & Canvas in 2010, then started volunteering.

Two years later she sold her paint party business and got a full-time position, eventually climbing to the top as the president and CEO, a role she’s held for four years.

While people often think of chambers as strictly networking event related, Buckley said the organization also offers educational opportunities for its members by facilitating introductions to other resources in the area, like the University of Georgia’s Small Business Development Center which has a free mentorship program.

Through a partnership with the City of Johns Creek, the Chamber is also launching a new middle-management program, for members ready to expand their businesses. The program, starting in the summer, will operate like a buddy system with mentors.

Small business community Describing the health of Johns Creek’s business community, Buckley said it’s small compared to the number of residents.

The resident-to-business ratio is about 15 to 1. There are around 83,000 residents in Johns Creek, which has a little more than 5,300 businesses, based on the number of licenses issued last year.

That’s more businesses than in Alpharetta – even Roswell, whose population is 10,000 more than Johns Creek’s.

Alpharetta, with a population of about 70,000 has close to 4,700 businesses, and Roswell has a little more than 4,300, according to documents obtained through an open records request.

Whether a higher number of business

reflects greater economic impact has not been determined.

While business in Johns Creek took a major hit during the COVID-19 pandemic, going under or restructuring, Buckley said space is filling up, new ideas are coming in.

Economic development has become a priority for the City of Johns Creek, propelled by the introduction of Town Center. The 192-acre area along Medlock Bridge Road will feature Medley, a mixedused development headed by Avalon’s Mark Toro, who said his project will create a halo effect.

The Town Center area will also house biomedical engineering giant Boston Scientific as well as a 62,192-squarefoot commercial development, which was recently approved by the City Council.

Johns Creek is also in the process of adopting a Revitalization Plan for the four corners of Medlock Bridge and State Bridge roads.

Thriving business Whether businesses thrive once they’re established in Johns Creek is another story, though city staff told Appen Media that the 18 to 20 percent of non-renewals seen each year is relatively even with the number of businesses entering the city.

“One of the things about Johns Creek is that the residents have a lot of expendable money, but they don’t have a lot of expendable time,” Buckley said. “...

We turn into a ghost town during the major holidays … Everyone travels to get out of here because they can afford to do that.

But, when they’re home, they don’t tend to necessarily spend locally.”

Buckley said it’s a tough situation for businesses when the local community shops online.

“That was a mistake I made too when I opened my studio,” Buckley said. “I was like, ‘Oh, you know, this is one of the richest cities in Georgia,’ but [residents] just don’t have the time.”

She says networking and getting involved in the community are huge to the success of new businesses.

It also helps to have a plan.

“I see a lot of people that just do things on a whim, and then they wonder why people don’t come, and it’s because they didn’t do their homework, you know?”

Buckley said. “Or, you know, it’s more of a hobby for them than a real job.”

She said owners should consider the space, if the surrounding businesses are in alignment, rather than just focusing on how much the rent is. Buckley said there needs to be some cohesiveness within the city’s shopping centers.

“It’s crazy,” Buckley said. “Sometimes you look, and you’ll see that there’ll be a Taekwondo studio, and then there’s a paint store, and then there’s the tattoo shop.

Nothing meshes.”

BUSINESS

AppenMedia.com/Dunwoody | Dunwoody Crier | February 22, 2024 | 9

Elections, human interest ideas take floor at Appen staff forum ROSWELL, Ga. — About two dozen people attended Appen Press Club’s second stop on its 2024 “Listening Tour” Feb. 15 at From the Earth Brewery Company.

Members of Appen Media’s newsroom made themselves available to the public to listen to feedback from readers and talk about what they would like to see more of in their local newspaper.

The Alpharetta-Roswell Herald has been serving the Alpharetta and Roswell communities since 1983 and is currently delivered to 28,000 homes weekly. It also serves as the legal organ for the City of Roswell, which means that it publishes all of the city’s legal notices about public meeting dates, tax dollar allocation and rezoning of property.

Newsroom staff also fielded questions about whether they disclose sources, how news is localized, best practices on facilitating city council debates and other election coverage.

Some attendees also encouraged staff to cover more human interest

Attendees are encouraged to RSVP at www. appenmedia.com/join. stories. As always, the group’s inbox at newsroom@appenmedia. com is open to any and all ideas — reporters would love to cover community pillars, eccentrics, feel-good efforts, and anything in between.

“We appreciate the people of Roswell welcoming us and providing us with some great story ideas and ways we can better serve them,” Appen Media Publisher Hans Appen said. “They are an engaged citizenry, and it is important to us to give them information and tools to more effectively realize the vision they have for their future.”

Appen also announced that the company is in the process of digitizing all its archived newspapers for online consumption.

AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Appen Media Publisher Hans Appen leads about two dozen people in a Q&A session for the company’s second stop on its “Listening Tour” at From the Earth Brewery Company in Roswell Feb. 15. The tour’s next stop is in Johns Creek at Sugo on March 21 at 4 p.m.

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February 22, 2024 | Dunwoody Crier || 10

Common questions for the dermatologist Q&A with Dr. Kehinde Raji Olumesi of Epiphany Dermatology Does my teenager need a skin screening?

Yes, your teenager should have a skin check. Adolescents can develop various skin conditions, and early detection is crucial. Skin checks help identify issues like acne, eczema, or unusual moles that might indicate skin cancer. Regular examinations by a dermatologist can provide insights into proper skincare routines and address concerns early on. Sunscreen habits, lifestyle choices, and genetic factors can all contribute to skin health, making routine skin checks beneficial for preventive care.

What else can a dermatologist help my teen with?

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AppenMedia.com/Dunwoody | Dunwoody Crier | February 22, 2024 | 11

Vein disease is more than a cosmetic problem Brought to you by - Chad Aleman, MD, RPVI, RVT

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A.I.R. your emotions Navigating grief with acknowledgment, identification, and release Brought to you by - Line Fleming, Licensed Professional Counselor | Summit Counseling Center Grief is what we experience when dealing with loss. Examples include loss of someone we love, loss of physical ability, or loss of a relationship. We grieve what is no longer there.

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12 | February 22, 2024 | Dunwoody Crier | AppenMedia.com/Dunwoody

NEWS

Jewish Film Festival returns to Metro Atlanta theaters SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival returned to Metro Atlanta theaters Feb. 13 for its 24th film lineup, catering to inperson and online audiences.

This year, the festival is set for an expanded 24-day lineup, including 14 days of in-theater screenings and 10 days of online streaming.

The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival, a nonprofit arts organization founded by the American Jewish Committee, brings the world’s most outstanding Jewish films to five metro-area venues.

Films will be screened, Feb. 1326, in the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center at City Springs; the Tara Theatre on Cheshire Bridge Road; the historic Plaza Theatre in Midtown; the Georgia Theatre Company’s Merchants Walk Cinemas in East Cobb; and The Springs Cinema & Taphouse off Roswell Road.

The streaming encore runs from Feb. 27-March 7.

In 2015, the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival became the largest Jewish film festival in the world, attracting more than 38,000 moviegoers.

The 2024 lineup features 48 full-

DOUG BRADBURD/PROVIDED

Moviegoers gather in the lobby of the Byers Theatre at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center Feb. 8 for the kickoff of the 2023 Atlanta Jewish Film Festival. This year’s festival began Feb. 13. length films and 15 shorts from 20 countries, including world, North American and regional premiers.

The jury for the festival, composed of industry members and awardwinning artists, will evaluate

submissions in several categories, including Narrative Feature, Documentary Feature, Short Film, Emerging Filmmaker, Building Bridges and Human Rights.

Noteworthy members of the jury

include Dara Jaffe, associate curator at the Academy of Motion Pictures; Eric Warren Singer, Oscar -nominated screenwriter for “Top Gun: Maverick” and “American Hustle”; and L yn Goldfarb, Oscar -nominated, awardwinning independent filmmaker.

Before and after screenings, audiences can enjoy live and pre-recorded Q&A sessions with international film artists, local community leaders and other orators.

Tickets cost $18 for evening and weekend shows, and $16 for matinees.

Tickets for streaming through the Virtual Cinema are available at $18 per household.

Special event pricing varies, with tickets ranging from $18 to $180. All seating is reserved.

The Closing Night Selection, including the announcement of the Jury Award winners and the southeast premiere of “Shari and Lamb Chop,” screens exclusively intheater Feb. 26 at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center.

To learn more about this year’s films or purchase tickets, visit ajff. org/tickets.

Teachers of the year honored across Metro Atlanta schools

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

Schools Superintendent Jeff Bearden and representatives from the Chamber of Commerce and Andean Chevrolet visited the five finalists’ classrooms to surprise them with their nominations Feb. 8.

The 2023-24 Forsyth County Schools teacher of the year will receive a car lease from Andean Chevrolet.

Forsyth County is set to name its teacher of the year at a Celebration of Excellence luncheon at 11:30 a.m. March 14.

METRO ATLANTA — Metro Atlanta school districts are recognizing their distinguished and beloved instructors with the title of 2023-24 Teacher of the Year.

Here is a look at the winners and nominees from Fulton, Forsyth and DeKalb County schools.

Fulton County Fulton County Schools recognized Autrey Mill Middle School special education teacher Elise Kreitner as its 2023-24 Teacher of the Year April 18.

Kreitner previously taught at Ocee Elementary School, where she twice qualified as a Teacher of the Year finalist, until joining Autrey Mill staff in 2017.

The Johns Creek Civitan Club also named Kreitner one of four special needs teachers of the year in 2019.

Fulton County also named Northview High School professional assistant Barbara Rettker its School Professional of the Year, and Title I central office financial analyst Harriet Perry was recognized as Support Professional of the year.

Forsyth County Forsyth County began its process in

FORSYTH COUNTY SCHOOLS/PROVIDED

Brandywine Elementary School teacher Jennifer Smith, center, is recognized as a teacher of the year finalist with a surprise classroom visit Feb. 8. Forsyth Schools Superintendent Jeff Bearden and representatives from Andean Chevrolet and the Chamber of Commerce stopped by to name Smith one of five finalists.

September. Schools in the district named their nominations Sept. 1, and the selected teachers submitted applications in October.

School district officials narrowed the nomination pool to 21 semi-finalists Nov. 15.

“Those teachers submit a classroom observation video that is scored by a separate committee, and the top five combined scores of both essay and video give the five finalists,” Forsyth County Schools Communications Facilitator Hannah Samples said.

DeKalb County DeKalb County School District named Kristen Jones its 2023-24 Teacher of the Year at its 10th annual Academy of Educational Excellence Awards Gala Nov. 4 at the Georgia World Congress Center.

Jones, a fifth grade math and social studies teacher at DeKalb Elementary School of the Arts, received a $1,000 check from Georgia United Credit Union at the ceremony.

The school district also recognized Redan High School Principal Vitella Dodson as 2023-24 Principal of the Year.

Donna Howard from DeKalb School of the Arts, Dale Collins from the Department of Public Safety and Syreeta McTier from Smoke Rise Elementary School were named Educational Support Professionals of the Year.

AppenMedia.com/Dunwoody | Dunwoody Crier | February 22, 2024 | 13

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14 | February 22, 2024 | Dunwoody Crier | AppenMedia.com/Dunwoody

Questions:

NEWS

Continued from Page 3 Crimes Unit to be composed of two investigators and one sergeant, Grogan requested three investigators for the unit.

Also, Heneghan asked why Grogan is requesting additional personnel for a non-urgent recommendation rather than an urgent recommendation.

“Why aren’t we honoring that report and doing the critical things first?”

Heneghan asked.

Grogan said the BarryDunn consultants are not located in Dunwoody, and they only studied a 2021 snapshot of the department.

“My ask is coming from the experience that we’ve had dealing with these types of issues,” Grogan said. “We have nobody assigned to work these drug cases right now, and that’s why I look it as a higher priority than maybe BarryDunn does.”

Councilman Joe Seconder asked for a roadmap for the implementation of the BarryDunn recommendations.

Seconder said his focus is on the prioritization and funding source of the recommendations.

“I’d rather fix our long-term because this is just a two-year Band-Aid,” Seconder said. “This is a short-term fix, so if we want to have this systemically, then I’d like to make the tough

Center: Continued from Page 5 square feet of office, 33,586 square feet of retail, and 2,833 parking spaces.

However, KDC is applying for major changes to zoning conditions for this last vacant parcel.

The application seeks to modify the 2015 zoning to allow for a maximum of 300,000 square feet of office space, 175 hotel rooms, 22,000 square feet of retail space and 300 multi-family residential units.

KDC proposes to develop the site with an eight-story parking podium, one residential tower, and one hotel and office tower.

One amendment to the original development plan sets the maximum height of Building Four at 37 stories.

The request for multi-family residential and a hotel are not permitted under the 2015 Overall Development Plan.

During the construction of buildings two and three, stormwater infrastructure was installed in anticipation of the construction of building four.

HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA

Finance Director Richard Platto discusses a proposed budget amendment for additional police personnel and emergency medical services funding during the Feb. 12 Dunwoody City Council meeting. Platto said $1,889,465 in funds from the American Rescue Plan Act could go toward both items. decisions now.”

Mayor Lynn Deutsch interrupted Seconder and said the funding is for two years, but that does not mean the positions end in two years.

Seconder said he wants to fix the long-term funding of the additional positions before approving the request.

“No, we’re not going to do that,” Deutsch responded.

Amending the 2024 budget Finance Director Richard Platto presented a proposed budget amendment for additional police personnel and emergency services funding.

To fund five additional police personnel and recoup emergency medical services funding, the city plans to use $1.9 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds.

The American Rescue Plan Act, an economic stimulus bill designed to speed up the country's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, was signed into law on March 11, 2021.

Dunwoody was allotted $18.4 million in ARPA funding.

In April 2022, the city set aside $10 million of its allotment as revenue replacement. The creation of the ARPA II Fund removes federal requirements and time frames for spending.

Along with the 2015 rezoning, a development of regional impact study was conducted in anticipation of buildings Two, Three and Four.

The Atlanta Regional Commission and the Dunwoody Community Development Department found an additional study was not necessary because the proposed development of Perimeter Center Four would not create worse impacts.

A change in the market But, economic fallout from the global COVID-19 pandemic has significantly reduced the need for new office development.

Dunwoody’s 2023 Edge City 2.0 report, which focuses on Perimeter area planning details a communitysupported vision for Perimeter Center developments and roadmap for the next 20 years.

Dunwoody planners argued the Edge City 2.0 report indicates the need for residential development and the proposed mix of uses would be a benefit to the Park Center campus and the surrounding area.

Attorney David Kirk, representing the owner KDC told the Planning Commission about site plans for the mixed-use development.

KDC/PROVIDED

A rendering of the proposed mixed-use development at 245 Perimeter Center Parkway shows “a conceptual view of what the maximum buildout would be,” according to an architect with Cooper Carry. The Dunwoody Planning Commission recommended Feb. 13 the approval of a rezoning of the property to allow a hotel and apartments.

A representative from KDC, transportation engineer with KimleyHorn and architects from Cooper Carry joined Kirk at the meeting.

“There’s been a significant shift in the market that supports the development of Park Center Four slightly different than originally

When the ARPA II budget was created, the city planned for $600,000 to provide three years of funding for emergency medical services.

Because the city awarded a $566,684 contract with DeKalb County and American Medical Response Oct. 30 for additional ambulance services for one year, a part of the budget amendment reallocates another $600,000 for an additional year of funding.

The proposed budget amendment also calls for the transfer of $1 million from the ARPA II Fund to the General Fund, which pays for additional police personnel through fiscal year 2025.

Another transfer of $253,880 from the ARPA II Fund to the Capital Projects Fund is needed for vehicles related to the Street Crimes Unit.

As a result, $889,465 in contingency and $1 million for a Social Services Incubator from the ARPA II Fund will go toward additional police personnel and emergency medical services funding.

Mayor Deutsch said the need for a Social Services Incubator has dissipated since the idea was proposed during the pandemic.

She also said legislation in the General Assembly may provide relief for increasing costs related to emergency medical services.

“The needs of public safety are greater,” Deutsch said. “This ambulance thing, for heaven’s sake, is so expensive.” envisioned,” Kirk said.

He also touted the site plans’ conformity with Edge City 2.0, transitoriented developments proposed

by MARTA and the Dunwoody Comprehensive Plan.

Kirk, city staff and the Planning Commission agreed to amend the sixth condition regarding the installation of public art. He said this clarified that the developer would install one piece of public art worth $50,000.

Commissioners spent 45 minutes clarifying aspects of the proposed development with architects and engineers.

Screening the 8-story parking podium from pedestrian view, creating a ‘true live-work environment’ and offering affordable housing options were some suggestions offered to the KDC team.

The Development Review Committee, composed of Dunwoody department heads, voted unanimously Dec. 5 to recommend approval of the rezoning request.

Following the unanimous recommendation from the Planning Commission, the rezoning will go before the Dunwoody City Council at a future date where it will be considered for final approval.

AppenMedia.com/Dunwoody | Dunwoody Crier | February 22, 2024 | 15

Appen Press Club presents

Listening Tour 2024

Reporter-Led Event Series Seeking Story Feedback and Ideas

Johns Creek – Thurs. March 21, 4–5pm Open to the public and FREE to attend!

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Cherry Street Brewing Home of Rick Tanner’s (Vickery Village – Forsyth)

May 16th

Six Bridges Brewing (Milton)

June 20th

July Moon & Café

July 18th

Pontoon Brewing Company (Sandy Springs)

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16 | February 22, 2024 | Dunwoody Crier | AppenMedia.com/Dunwoody

NEWS

Patrons focus on courses, timeline for new high school North Springs building set to open in 2027

Maloof said construction costs have increased 40 percent since the estimate in the 2027 Capital Plan project. The latest estimate for the new building has a price tag of $108 million, which does not include possible increases in materials and labor.

While the county’s Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax funds the project, inflation and supply chain issues have put a strain on the budget.

The full-time equivalent student count, set at 1,500 for the new high school, is a method of accounting for students for funding purposes.

“Enrollments are projected somewhere between 1,100 and 1,200 over the next five to seven years,” Maloof said. “So, we will have ample space.”

After taking a question from City Councilwoman Jody Reichel, Maloof said the new high school will be between 300,000 and 320,000 square feet.

Prior to her time on the City Council, Reichel served as president of the high school’s Parent Teacher Organization.

She was also a founding member of the Citizens For A New North Springs, a parent-led organization pushing for the new facility since 2015.

Maloof was peppered with dozens of questions about the construction timeline for the project.

“Our team, right now, is doing a phenomenal job of mitigating cost escalation,” Maloof said. “There are a number of things we are doing without sacrificing any of the quality or any of the design specifications we have.”

A site package for construction preparation was advertised Jan. 22, followed by a pre-proposal meeting Jan. 31.

After the deadline for site package proposals Feb. 20, the Fulton County School Board will review submissions for approval at its April or May meeting, Maloof said.

He expects construction preparation at North Springs High School, which includes demolition and preparation, to begin in July.

“It’s about a month, monthand-a-half later than what we had anticipated,” Maloof said. “But, we expect to see a little bit of savings out of that.”

While the site package is for demolition and preparation, the building package for construction of the new North Springs High School is anticipated to go out for bid in the fall.

Maloof anticipates students will return to classes at 7447 Roswell Road in August 2027.

department’s Citizen Police Academy, Neighborhood Watch, and Chaplain programs.

He was promoted to lieutenant in 2015, major in 2019, and deputy chief in 2021, overseeing the department’s day-to-day operations.

“As the men and women of the Dunwoody Police Department continue to build upon Chief Billy Grogan’s outstanding legacy, we wish him a happy and well-deserved retirement,” Carlson said.

In 2022, Carlson retired as a captain with the Georgia National Guard. He began his part-time service in 2011 and was deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in 2014. His awards include the Afghanistan Campaign

Medal with Campaign Star, Meritorious Unit Commendation and Meritorious Service Medal.

“As Dunwoody’s next police chief, I will continue strengthening the partnership with our community, foster innovation, and provide the best training and equipment for our officers and staff,” Carlson said. “I promise to provide effective and compassionate law enforcement services to all who live, work, and visit this great city.

Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch echoed the comments of city staff and credited him for playing an important role in building the Police Department “I know Deputy Chief Carlson will continue to move the department in the right direction,” she said.

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Construction of the new North Springs High School is four to six weeks behind schedule, Fulton County Schools officials say.

Speaking at a community meeting Feb. 14 at Spalding Drive Elementary, District COO Noel Maloof said the delays are the result of extra care in cost-cutting measures to keep the project on budget.

School Board members Michelle Morancie and Katie Gregory hosted the meeting and fielded a number of questions from the crowd of close to 50.

While the board members sought feedback on the school district’s new strategic plan, community members were anxious for updates and give input about the new high school, which is to be built at the site of the current high school on Roswell Road.

“A new North Springs High School is the most important thing happening in Sandy Springs right now,” City Councilman Andy Bauman said.

Patrons thanked school officials for their progress with the project and pushed back against any efforts to implement the Middle College program at the new high school. Middle College sets a curriculum geared more toward technical skills than traditional academics.

One North Springs student said he was concerned about the branding of the Middle College initiative. He said the connation of the program makes it unattractive to prospective students and encouraged a rebranding of alternative paths to high school graduation.

Solution A S A P F A D E S P E E G U R U A S E A B E E R S E M I R S H A R P E N E R S D O L L T E N R A S P S O P E N C I T E F R I A R G U M D A R E M E A N S S A R A H D I D T E Q U I L A L O G E L I E T U D E U N I T E S I S H A Y S N U B S A X E S P E N D W A T T M A O R I V A T C O D E A W E S M E D I O C R I T Y O R A L S A V E R S E E P D E M S M A R S E D D Y

FULTON COUNTY SCHOOLS/PROVIDED

A rendering of the courtyard at the new North Springs High School shows where students can enjoy lunch on campus. Noel Maloof, chief operations officer for Fulton County Schools, provided a construction update Feb. 14 to community members at Spalding Drive Elementary School.

Many patrons echoed his concerns.

In his presentation, COO Maloof updated residents on the building project, including design status, cost management and next milestones.

Due to a traffic study and requirements from surrounding cities, the Roswell Road entrance to the school will remain open.

Maloof said the entrance will not affect plans for the bus circle.

Renderings presented in an update to the North Springs High School Construction Advisory Committee were on display at the meeting.

Maloof said the aesthetics of the new high school will be “sophisticated industrial,” which corresponds to downtown City Springs.

Carlson: Continued from Page 1 Grogan,who announced last month that he will step down June 1.

“Carlson’s record of excellence spans the entire history of the Dunwoody Police Department, consistently delivering outstanding service to the citizens of our community,” Grogan said. “With unwavering confidence, I believe his leadership will propel the department to new heights of success.”

Carlson was one of the founding members of the Dunwoody Police Department, joining as a sergeant in 2009. He coordinated the startup of the

AppenMedia.com/Dunwoody | Dunwoody Crier | February 22, 2024 | 17

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18 | February 22, 2024 | Dunwoody Crier | AppenMedia.com/Dunwoody

OPINION

PRESERVING THE PAST

Tracking the history of the Webb families

BOB MEYERS

The Webb families are numerous and widespread. According to House of Names, Webb is the 125th most popular surname in the United States with an estimated 179,000 people with that name.

Columnist

I appreciate the assistance of several people in the preparation of this column: Judy Webb, Pat Miller, Connie Mashburn and Ed Malowney, all of whom are steeped in the history of North Fulton County. Thanks also to Brent Lerch, an “avid reader” of “Preserving the Past,” for suggesting as a subject the Web family and “how deeply invested they were in the history of the Alpharetta/Ocee/Milton area.”

Perhaps we should start with Clinton Toliver Webb, born in North Carolina in 1778, moved to Georgia, raised a family, died and was buried in Alpharetta in 1862.

While he and his wife, Jane Christian Robinson (1777-1872), were not the first Webs to immigrate to the United States, they were probably among the first to settle in Georgia. They are buried in Old Big Creek Cemetery in Alpharetta. According to Judy Webb, they had 12 children who gave life to 40 offspring.

Pat Miller says that by the early 1920s, seven generations following Clinton Webb,

there were nearly 150 Webb descendants in the North Fulton area, including spouses and many more after that. Most of the descendants remained in the North Fulton area although some lived in Cherokee and Forsyth Counties. Through marriage with other local families, many if not most families are somehow linked genetically.

Surnames, such as Paris, Martin, Maxell, Shirley, Buice, Bagwell, Morton, Devore, Mansell, McGinnis, Medlock, Mayfield, Strickland, Phillips and other well-known names intermarried with the Webbs.

The name means “weaver” in Old English and can be traced back to the Norman conquest of 1066. Locally, various branches of the Webb family exist, some individuals with the same names or initials as previous generations which makes researching the family more challenging.

Judy Webb and her husband Lewis Webb graduated from Milton High School in 1966. Judy taught school in Cobb County and Fulton County for 41 years.

After serving in Vietnam, Lewis created software for AT&T and later formed his own company. In 1981 they built a home on family land purchased in 1942 from the Buice family by Lewis’ parents Horace David Webb and Violet Lenora Burgess in the Ocee Community.

One of the most repeated Webb stories concerns Add James Webb (1886–1924) who was related to Lewis Webb. During the Civil War, the federal government began to tax luxury goods such as liquor and

tobacco. Distillation went underground to avoid taxes which led to Prohibition in 1920. Moonshiners transported their illegal product in souped-up, high-speed cars from its source north of Atlanta to the lucrative Atlanta market. Their cars sped through Alpharetta, Roswell, Sandy Springs and other towns.

Milton County Special Officer Add Webb was shot and beaten to death Nov. 7, 1924, after police chased a car for some 10 miles near the community of Newtown.

The car suddenly stopped near Holcomb Bridge. The suspects shot, then beat the officers, killing Webb and seriously wounding the second officer, Verd Eison.

In February 1925 two of the participants turned themselves in but were acquitted in court after claiming that one of their guns accidentally discharged during the struggle. In March 1925, they were indicted for murder by a grand jury. In December they were acquitted but were fined $250 for assault and battery. The third participant surrendered after Christmas and declared his innocence.

Connie Mashburn’s book “Alpharetta, Milton County The Early Years,” tells the story of Alpharetta’s early hotels and commercial buildings. The R.J. Webb building, known as the Webb Hotel and later the Alpharetta Hotel, began operations in 1908. The hotel dining room had white linen tablecloths and waiters dressed in white jackets. Beginning in the late 1910s other families took over

the hotel. By the late 1960s, the building was empty except for a few residents and had deteriorated. It was demolished in the 1970s.

R.J. built several other buildings in downtown Alpharetta, including the Adventist School and Church. He and J.J. Webb built the Webb Guano House in 1901. Years later, the building was demolished to make way for the Hamilton Hotel which opened in 2021. J.J. also built the J.J. Webb and Sons Building in 1910 which included the Bates Grocery, Milton County Bank, Shirley Brothers store and a post office. C.P. Brady purchased the building in 1934 where he operated a Chevrolet dealership.

Judy Webb reports that John Webb was a prosperous farmer who owned about 1,000 acres east of Big Creek. Webb Bridge Middle School and a post office were built on the property.

Judy says, “When I was a child, my mother in-law was afraid of him. He was old with a long white beard.” John’s son Jim was a Georgia State Senator who helped draft the merger of Milton County with Fulton County in 1932.

An interesting family to say the least.

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. Bob welcomes suggestions for future columns about local history.

PAST TENSE

Black soldiers from Georgia report to WW 1 Camp Gordon In 1917, a temporary World War I training camp was constructed on 2,000 acres in Chamblee.

U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Leonard Wood visited Atlanta to find suitable land, VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF near the railroad and with a good Columnist water supply. Today, DeKalb-Peachtree Airport is on land that was Camp Gordon. During World War II, this same land was home to Naval Air Station Atlanta.

The camp opened on Sept. 5, 1917.

Barracks had been constructed for 46,612 men. Sixteen similar training camps were set up across the country.

The first men assigned at Camp Gordon were White men from Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee. Later, men were sent to Camp Gordon from all over

the country and it became primarily a replacement facility. (“Atlanta’s Camp Gordon,” James Knettel) In September of 1917, the Atlanta Constitution announced the arrival of 3,755 Black soldiers at Camp Gordon on Oct. 3. Barracks were constructed for Black recruits in the northeastern section of the camp, separated by a strip of empty land.

According to the National Archives, over 380,000 Black men served in the Army during WW1, with over 200,000 being sent overseas. Over half of them were assigned to labor and stevedore battalions. They performed essential work such as building roads, bridges and trenches; and unloading and loading ships.

In November 1917, 1,300 Black soldiers from Camp Gordon were sent overseas to France, primarily as part of service battalions. (Atlanta Constitution, November 11, 1917).

Black soldiers who were sent overseas later and became part of the 92nd and 93rd divisions, fought alongside French soldiers. This included the 369th, 370th, 371st, and 372nd Infantries. According to army.mil, the 370th Infantry was the only one to be commanded by Black soldiers.

Joe Roberson, Henry Mitchell Vaughan and E.C. Obean were among Black recruits who reported to WW1 Camp Gordon. Roberson, born in 1896, is listed on a record of soldiers ordered to Camp Gordon from Valdosta on April 29, 1918. He began in the 157th Depot Brigade, but later became part of the 372nd Infantry Company E, and eventually was a machine gunner in the 372nd. He returned to the U.S. aboard the ship Leviathan on Feb. 11, 1919.

Feb. 12, the Atlanta Journal reported around 10,000 troops were unloaded from the Leviathan at Hoboken, New Jersey, including soldiers from the

371st, 372nd, 163rd, and 368th Infantry.

Henry Mitchell Vaughan of Nashville, Georgia, was inducted April 13, 1918 and instructed to report to Camp Gordon. He began his service in the 157th Depot Brigade, but later was part of the 370th Infantry sent overseas. He served overseas from July 1, 1918, until Feb. 9, 1919.

Among the men inducted at Hamilton, Georgia, on July 19, 1918, was E.C. Obean. He was born in Fortson, Georgia, in 1892. Obean reported to Camp Gordon and served in the 157th Depot Brigade. He later served overseas with Company B 584 Engineers.

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.

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OPINION

Fulfilling wish of being weightless as a feather Remember the Sears Wish Book?

Okay, I’m dating myself with that one. But if you’re of a certain age, I’ll bet you know exactly what I’m talking about. You may remember, too, the STEVE HUDSON hours and hours Columnist you (that is, I) spent immersed in its pages, thinking of all the fun you (that is, I again) could have with a genuine die-cast fire truck or an electric race car set with four authentically detailed cars or, if I was really good, an honest-to-goodness oldfashioned tree swing.

I really wanted that swing. I really wanted to get it going, to see how high I could go, to arc up-up-upwards till my feet were far from the ground and my head was in the clouds and I was weightless as a feather, over and over again...

Yeah, it was good to be young.

Fast-forward a few years (we won’t say how many). These days, the nature of wishes has evolved. But they’re still there. And so…

The other weekend, we took a day and went to the Atlanta Camping and RV Show.

“Let’s look at the campers!” she said.

She is seriously into this camping thing, let me tell you, and we are having a blast with it. Our home in the woods is a tent, which she somehow magically transforms into a palatial estate, and it’s grand.

But there’s always that wish book fantasy, right? And so we start by looking at the campers.

Let me tell you. Campers are serious business. We look at the little pull-behinds, including a cute pink one with a retro look. She likes that. We look at some fancy pop-ups, including some high-tech models that fold into compact packages but unfold into country estates. She likes those too.

We look at the full-fledged drive-yourown-house mobile homes, diesel-driven

ROI

matters.

PROVIDED

GoSwing inventor Matt Morgan’s daughter Riley enjoys some time on a GoSwing tree swing. luxury on wheels.

“One could get used to that,” I say.

We look at the price tags. Wow. “Maybe we’ll stick with the tent,” I say.

“Yes, maybe so,” she says.

We start to make our way back to the car. But on the way, without even knowing it, we stumble across another wish, one just waiting to be granted.

What’s this? Oh boy! A tree swing!

Suddenly that Wish Book wish is alive and well!

Do you remember how much fun it used to be to play in trees? To run among them? To climb them? To float back and forth on a swing tied to a limb?

I do, and it all came back just then as I stepped up to the GoSwing display.

GoSwing, which may be the world’s

first completely portable tree swing, is the brainchild of Georgia native Matt Morgan. It’s a tree swing in the grand tradition, but it solves the big problem that has flummoxed generations of tree swing lovers: How do you take down a tree swing at day’s end so you can take it home and swing another day somewhere else?

Among tree swing fans, that’s a big deal. But fear not. Matt has come to our rescue. Tree swing lovers, rejoice!

As Matt puts it, inspiration struck one day over a decade ago during a visit to Charleston, S.C. “I was walking through Battery Park,” he says, “a beautiful landscape on the ocean.” As he walked, he was struck by the park’s spectacular treescape.

“The landscape included

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magnificent trees with large limbs that seemed to stretch out for miles,” he says, and that got him to thinking.

“I thought it’d be nice to have a swing you could hang up, swing for a while, and then bring back down to take with you,” he continues. “I quickly wrote the idea down, and when I returned home, I searched to see if there was anything out there like it.”

To his surprise, he found that no one had come up with the idea before.

“So I started putting ideas into action,” he adds, and the rest – as they say – is history.

Matt’s GoSwing is elegant. It features a wood swing seat and a rope, of course. Those are tree swing essentials. But the brilliance is in the patented system he developed for getting the swing out of the tree at day’s end. You can see it for yourself on his website, goswing.net.

At first, Matt made each swing by hand in his own workshop, one or two at a time. He sold his first one in 2014.

“My first customer was a childhood friend,” he recalls, adding, “I’ve still got the check.”

But as demand began to grow, he outsourced the manufacturing. Now he manages the business in his spare time.

“My only marketing time is after the kids go to bed,” he says.

To date, Matt has sold close to a thousand GoSwings, either through his website or through mom-and-pop shops or at festivals and fairs. But he looks for the numbers to grow, and he’s already planning his next product – a lightweight molded plastic version, just the thing to fit in a daypack.

As Matt sees it, though, GoSwing is more than just a business. He sees it as a way to help families connect with one another while enjoying the outdoors.

“I’m trying to get kids and families off their screens and phones and back outside,” he says.

He’s doing it, too.

And I wonder if he knew that he was granting a Wish Book wish along the way?

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OPINION

THE INK PENN

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Don’t miss out on an author’s back list KATHY MANOS PENN Columnist

genres.

This week’s reading included earlier books by two authors whose later books I enjoyed.

The first is part of a cozy mystery series. The second is a standalone novel. Both are set in England, but they’re different

“Death of a Cozy Writer” by G. M. Maillet I read Malliet’s Max Tudor cozy mysteries eons ago and had a hankering to check out her St. Just series. The Max Tudor series features an Anglican priest as the main character. Det. Chief Inspector Arthur St. Just is the likeable main character in Book I— “Death of a Cozy Writer.” This 2008 entry in the

series won the Agatha Award for Best First Novel and was nominated for many other awards, including the Macavity and the Anthony.

Set at a house party in a manor house in the English countryside, the mystery involves family intrigue that stretches over 40 years until, of course, it ends in murder. That a cozy mystery author is a central character made my day. I may write cozy mysteries, but I’ve yet to be involved in a real-life murder mystery and hope I never am.

Imagining murders is enough for me.

The author includes a helpful cast of characters in the front, and it was reading her Max Tudor mysteries that inspired me to include one in my books, too. It’s a feature that my readers often comment on. The fifth book in the St. Just series comes out later this year, and I plan to read the next several so I’m ready.

“Ghosted” by Rosie Walsh Billed variously as romantic suspense, sisters fiction, and women’s friendship fiction, this love story is a page-turner. Sarah and Eddie meet, spend a week together, and fall instantly in love. She’s visiting England from her home in California, and he’s off on a vacation with a friend. They plan to connect when he returns from his week away — but he ghosts her.

Therein lies the mystery. Is Eddie like every other man who’s ghosted a woman? How can that be when he expressed his undying love for Sarah? She can’t believe he ghosted her and worries that something awful has happened to him. He’s disappeared from social media and disconnected his phone. She does everything she can to locate him before returning heartbroken to California.

This alternately heartbreaking

and heartwarming love story-cummystery kept me guessing until the very end. If I hadn’t already read Walsh’s second book, “The Love of My Life,” I’d be off to get it. It was that 2022 book that sent me in search of “Ghosted,” and I honestly can’t say that one is better than the other. My hope is that Walsh will soon release a third book.

Meanwhile, I’ve got the St. Just and Max Tudor mysteries to keep me busy, not to mention all the other books on my TBR list. Can there ever be too many?

Award-winning author Kathy Manos Penn is a Sandy Springs resident. Find her cozy mysteries on Amazon or locally at The Enchanted Forest, Bookmiser, Tall Tales, and Johns Creek Books. Contact her at inkpenn119@gmail.com, and follow her on Facebook, www.facebook.com/ KathyManosPennAuthor/.

Waiting for baseball, the Masters and spring It’s tough to not quote Dusty Rhodes, the late professional wrestler who cut a classic promo that decried how he was going through “hard times.” It was a masterful blurb MIKE TASOS of showmanship.

Columnist If you’re bored waiting for spring, look it up on YouTube and enjoy.

For sports fans, these are not “salad days.” We wait like a good boy at Christmas, making ourselves giddy with anticipation of all the delights of springtime.

But before we can get excited about baseball, we are forced to deal with annual buzzkill, which arrives at a different date or month every year. Of course, I’m referring to Ash Wednesday, which isn’t a holy day of obligation in the Catholic Church, but a day that you are nonetheless expected to be present to have your forehead “smudged.”

It has been my observation that there all types of “smudges” that are worn after attending mass on the day that is somewhat of the green flag for signaling that an Easter feast is a mere 40 days down the road. It’s been my experience that different

priests put their own personal touch when they dole out ashes. Some barely leave a trace while others go all-in, leaving residue that might necessitate lots of soap and two or three washcloths.

Some years ago, I was instructed by a less enlightened non-Catholic trying to be helpful to: “Go wash your face. Your forehead is nasty.”

Lent is never a barrelful of laughs, nor is it meant to be. There are some brighter points in the season of sack cloths and ashes. For instance, there are Friday fish dinners galore at most Catholic parishes. The events are usually quite festive and a perfect opportunity to mingle and make friends.

If eating fish doesn’t float your boat, there’s solace in knowing the Atlanta Braves will be playing the Tampa Bay Rays as the curtain rises for spring training baseball beginning Feb. 24. The regular season begins Thursday March 28 in Philadelphia. No love lost there. The home opener is Friday April 5 when the Arizona Diamondbacks will visit Truist Park. For you who like to plan ahead, the season closes on Sunday, Sept. 29.

The sports calendar fills up with March Madness and a full slate of NASCAR races for fans who like to watch screaming, speeding machines

that never seem to make a right turn.

Let’s not forget there’s a little golf tournament in Augusta that begins the weekend of April 11. You know the venue will be gorgeous. Here’s hoping the Masters weekend weather will match Augusta National’s beauty.

For me, I will accept the doldrums of a sports slate that is uninspiring, biding my time until baseball’s AllStar break in early July. I will take solace in knowing college football is so close.

I’ll sprinkle in some summertime Black Beauty rides in the

breathtaking beauty that encompass the scenery of the mountains of Georgia, Tennessee and North Carolina.

I’m counting on a healed right foot. When I’m knee deep in all this, I’ll smile and give thanks that all is right in my world. I hope you get a chance to smile too.

Mike Tasos has lived in Forsyth County for more than 30 years. He’s an American by birth and considers himself a Southerner by the grace of God. He can be reached at miketasos55@gmail.com.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING The City of Dunwoody City Council will meet on Monday, March 11, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. in the Council of Chambers of Dunwoody City Hall, located at 4800 Ashford Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody, Georgia 30338, for the purpose of due process of the following: MMSP 24-01: The applicant, Paul McKeever, seeks a Major Master Sign Plan for 4896 N Peachtree Road (Kingswood Church).

MMSP 24-02: The applicant, John Barrow, seeks a Major Master Sign Plan for 4553 N Shallowford Road (Emory Healthcare).

Should you have any questions or comments, or would like to view the application and supporting materials, please contact the City of Dunwoody Community Development Department at 678-382-6800. Members of the public are encouraged to call or schedule a meeting with the staff in advance of the Public Hearing if they have questions or are unfamiliar with the process. The staff is available to answer questions, discuss the decision-making process, and receive comments and concerns.

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