Dunwoody Crier - March 14, 2024

Ashford Lane to host spring concert and market

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Ashford Lane, at 4500 Olde Perimeter Way in Dunwoody, invites Metro Atlantans to its inaugural “Flower Power Spring Concert & Outdoor Market” March 23 from noon to 3 p.m.

The Saturday afternoon free-to-attend event features some 40 local vendors selling floral arrangements, handcrafted candles, clothing items, jewelry and other wares.

The market will be on The Lawn at Ashford Lane, a 70,000-square-foot greenspace that opened last summer. The property is less than a half-mile from Perimeter Mall and a 10-minute walk to

the Sandy Springs MARTA station.

In 2020 and 2021, the Dunwoody City Council adopted regulations for entertainment districts, allowing guests to walk around with a drink in their hand, at Ashford Lane, Dunwoody Village, Perimeter Mall and High Street.

City officials said the development projects fall into line with the Edge City 2.0 Report, guiding the design of the 20-year buildout of Perimeter Center.

Ashford Lane, the former Perimeter Place shopping center, is a 280,000-square-foot mixed-use development in Perimeter Center. CTO

Realty Growth, a Florida-based investment trust, partnered with Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated for the retooling of the property.

The investment trust bills its revamp of the shopping node as “the center of gravity for Atlanta’s Central Perimeter market.”

A pop music group, Davis & the Love, returns to Ashford Lane for a live musical performance during the outdoor market.

After the Hall at Ashford Lane closed 40 days into its operations in summer 2023, New Orleans-based Politan Group opened a food hall at the location in early February. Politan Row at Ashford Lane sports 10

individual stalls and neighborhood bar, featuring local Thai, Vietnamese, Indian, Italian and Creole-Mexican chefs from Metro Atlanta.

The food hall adds to a variety of dining options at Ashford Lane, including Grana, Superica, Taco Mac and Ali’s Cookies.

The Facebook events page for the annual “Flower Power Spring Concert & Outdoor Market” has received more than 500 responses as of March 5.

Organizers are still accepting applications for interested vendors. Visit the “Events” page at https://www. ashfordln.com/

Irish-based nonprofit prepares for St. Patrick’s Day celebration

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Northside Irish Culture & Arts, is gearing up for its 2nd annual St. Patrick’s Day Festival from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 23 in Sandy Springs.

A shortfall in funds this year has scrapped plans for the parade, but the focus will be on the festival, celebrating Irish music, dance and culture.

The city is wrapping up installation of synthetic turf at the City Green, a 4-acre park on Galambos Way, just in

time.

The celebration honors St. Patrick, the Patron Saint of Ireland. It also gives Metro Atlantans an opportunity to wear green on the City Green and soak in all things Irish.

Mike Moors, president of Northside ICA and former local president of The Ancient Order of Hibernians, said he and a few members of the north metro Irish community created the nonprofit during the pandemic to bring a St. Patrick’s Day celebration to the area.

See

BUTCH ELMGREN/PROVIDED

Pictured center, Caoimhe Ní Chonchúir, consul general of Ireland in Atlanta, and Georgia Governor Brian Kemp hold a signed proclamation Jan. 17 declaring March as Irish American Heritage Month. Representatives from The Ancient Order of Hibernians joined the Kemp family and Irish Consulate representatives for the honor at the state capitol.

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Officers find several narcotics in vehicle

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody Police arrested an Atlanta man and a Kennesaw woman Feb. 27 after a traffic stop turned up controlled substances in a 2020 Chevrolet Impala.

Officers conducted a roadside check on the vehicle, belonging to the male suspect, for a window tint violation at North Peachtree Road and Cotillion Drive off I-285.

During the search, officers allegedly found 52 grams of marijuana, 90 baggies for distribution and unspecified quantities of methamphetamine, promethazine and psilocybin.

The first suspect, a 44-year-old Atlanta man, was charged with possession of a Schedule II controlled substance, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of a Schedule V controlled substance with intent to distribute, possession of a Schedule I controlled substance with intent to distribute and possession of drug related objects.

The second suspect, a 25-year-old Kennesaw woman, received the same drugrelated charges without a tint violation.

Police arrest Atlanta man in string of grope reports

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody Police arrested a 20-year-old Atlanta man Feb. 29 after an alleged string of sexual assaults in the Perimeter Mall area.

A 30-year-old Loganville woman said a male sexually assaulted her while she was on Zoom call at Perimeter Mall on Ashford Dunwoody Road. She told police the man came up behind her, grabbed her from behind, groped her breast and then pulled

her to the ground.

The victim said she went to the mall security office and called police shortly after the incident.

Officers said security cameras failed to show the incident because of an obstructed view. They also said an image of the male was uploaded to Police Department records.

A second victim, a 29-year-old Duluth woman, called police Feb. 29 to report a Feb. 27 incident on Hammond Drive.

The victim said a man grabbed her buttocks as she was walking to her car in the parking lot.

Dunwoody Police announced the arrest of the suspect the morning of March 6. He is in custody in Fulton County Jail.

Chicago man reports gun threats at filling station

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody Police arrested a 35-year-old Stone Mountain man Feb. 23 after he allegedly threatened another man with a handgun at the Exxon on Perimeter Center East.

The victim, a 49-year-old Chicago man, said he was waiting in line to pay for items at the gas station when the altercation began.

When he returned to the line after exchanging an item, the man behind him became verbally aggressive, the victim said.

After giving up his place in line, the victim said he went to another counter.

The victim said the suspect brandished a firearm, chambered a round and yelled at him about the Atlanta versus Chicago “rivalry.”

Officers said the suspect exited the store and no injuries were reported.

The suspect was later arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a gun and possession of marijuana.

Package containing phones stolen from man’s porch

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — An Alpharetta man reported March 2 someone stole a package containing $3,898 in smartphones from his front porch on

Birchington Close Drive.

The victim reported receiving a notification that the package was delivered around 12:30 p.m. March 1.

Because it was raining heavily, he said he went to rerieve the package immediately around 12:35 p.m., but the box was not there, the report states.

The victim reportedly contacted FedEx, but the delivery photograph only showed the front porch with no package visible. He told officers he canceled the phones through AT&T so they could not be activated.

The box contained two iPhone 15s, an iPhone 15 Pro and a Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, the report states.

The victim’s wife and daughter reportedly saw a package at Cape York Trace and Grey Abbey Drive while driving home, and they jokingly thought it could be the missing phones.

When they checked the label, it was the missing package. The packing slip was still inside, but the box was destroyed, the report states.

No suspects have been identified.

Suspect evades police on Haynes Bridge Road

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Alpharetta police are searching for a suspect who allegedly fled from arrest for traffic violations on Haynes Bridge Road March 2.

Officers reported clocking a gray Chrysler 300 driving 61 mph in a 40-mph speed zone on Mansell Road around 10 p.m. The vehicle reportedly had a license plate cover that obscured its tag number.

Officers tried to stop the vehicle at Mansell and Haynes Bridge roads, but the suspect turned right at a red light without yielding and began speeding away, the report states.

The suspect reportedly continued southbound on Haynes Bridge Road and passed other vehicles while driving on the wrong side.

Officers reported ending the chase as the suspect continued into Johns Creek and notifying surrounding agencies.

No suspects have been identified.

Make plans to attend the Brookhaven Cherry Blossom Festival!

This FREE, general admission event takes place from 10AM to 6PM at Blackburn Park in Brookhaven, GA. FREE parking and shuttles are available at the Brookhaven/Oglethorpe MARTA station

100+ Vendor Artist Market | Kidz Zone | Food Trucks

Saturday Morning Classic Car Show | Sunday Dare Devil Dog Performances

This year ’ s headliners are +LIVE+ and Barenaked Ladies!

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5K benefiting Children's Healthcare of Atlanta is on Saturday, March 16th

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Sandy Springs passes incentives for firm’s relocation to Queen Building

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — The Sandy Springs City Council approved a request for economic incentives March 5, aimed at keeping a Fortune 500 company in town.

Newell Brands is considering relocating its global headquarters less than 2 miles south from 6655 Peachtree Dunwoody in Sandy Springs to the Queen Building on Concourse Parkway.

Representatives for Newell Brands applied to the city Jan. 25 requesting a waiver of building permit fees and business occupational taxes for the buildout of their corporate headquarters.

Newell Brands is a global consumer goods company known for products like Rubbermaid, Coleman and Sharpie.

Caroline Kinchler, economic development manager for Sandy Springs, said the company occupies three spaces across the city, including one across the street from its headquarters at Embassy Row and a research and development center off Morgan Falls Road.

The Queen Building at 5 Concourse Parkway lies in the heart of Perimeter Center and stands 31 stories with almost 700,000 square feet of Class A office space.

The property is a part of the Concourse Office Park, a 2.2 millionsquare-foot development just north of I-285 and immediately east of Ga. 400.

“The new site will serve as our world headquarters of our multinational business that is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange,” a spokesperson for Newell Brands said. “We routinely bring business contacts

know that Sandy Springs is ready and enthusiastic about the possibility of being your chosen location.”

Staff expects the corporation to sign an 11-year lease commitment for some 181,000 square feet of office space.

Newell Brands is expected to invest $30.4 million for renovation and another $20.8 million for furniture, fixtures and equipment. The corporation is anticipated to occupy the first floor and seven others.

chooses Sandy Springs as the location of for [its] global headquarters relocation.”

The incentive policy allows the city to hold large employers accountable for following through with redevelopment and revitalization efforts.

With more than 100 jobs created, $5 million invested and 10 years committed, Newell Brands qualifies for expedited permitting, a building fee waiver and a 3-year business tax waiver.

Staff in the Finance Department said the estimated value of waived fees will not exceed $282,000.

from around the world to meetings at our headquarters which further promotes the city.”

Three representatives from Newell Brands, including its senior director of corporate real estate, attended the March 5 City Council meeting, but did not speak about the incentives request.

With the national office vacancy rate at a record-breaking 20% in the fourth quarter of 2023, a new major tenant in the Queen Building signifies a jump in the regional competitiveness of the Perimeter Center.

City staff said the publicly traded company is in the final stages of exploring relocation options both inside and outside of Sandy Springs, including Dunwoody. They also said the application for incentives will help the corporation determine the final costs and benefits of selecting Sandy Springs.

“While the decision ultimately rests with Newell Brands,” Councilwoman Jody Reichel said, “we want them to

If Newell Brands elects to stay in Sandy Springs, it will retain 890 jobs and add 165 new jobs, with an average wage of $130,000.

Based on information that Newell Brands submitted to the city Feb. 7, the relocation project satisfies the tier three qualifications in the city’s Economic Development Incentive Policy, last updated in 2017.

“This is a great example of how our incentive policy is aligning with our objectives,” Reichel said. “It is my sincere hope that Newell Brands

“Our employees and visitors often leave for lunch or after work stopping to eat, shop and play in the businesses in Sandy Springs,” a Newell Brands spokesperson said. “We also have a subset of employees that choose to live close to work, and will buy or rent housing, raise families and ‘do life’ in Sandy Springs outside of work hours.” The city anticipates renovations to begin in fall 2024 and the relocation to occur sometime in 2025.

“If this building sits empty, and they don’t go into it, our tax revenue drops,” Mayor Rusty Paul said. “Commercial taxes in the Perimeter market are some of our most important revenue sources.”

FILE PHOTO

A view of northbound Ga. 400 shows the Queen Building, or Concourse Corporate Center V. The Sandy Springs City Council approved a request for economic incentives March 5 for the relocation of Newell Brands’ global headquarters to the iconic building.

Group schedules fundraiser for Chattahoochee River park

ATLANTA — The Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy will host its annual fundraiser “Party for the Park” on March 26 to benefit its mission to preserve the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area.

The event will begin at 6 p.m. at SweetWater Brewing Company in Atlanta, featuring live music, food, drinks and an auction. There will also be a virtual silent auction and a 50/50 raffle, allowing participation for those unable to attend in person.

Established in 2012, the Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy (CNPC) serves as the official friends group for the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, which spans a 48mile stretch from the Buford Dam at Lake Lanier to Peachtree Creek and encompasses 7,000 acres of parkland. With over 3.1 million visits in 2023, it ranks as the 29th most visited national park in the United States out of 429.

Contributions to the conservancy are often used to help fill critical gaps in federal funding for trail maintenance,

SAVE THE DATE!

Dunwoody Garden Club’s 46th Annual Spring Fling

CARD PARTY, CHICO’S FASHION SHOW SILENT AUCTION & LUNCHEON

Friday, April 5, 2024 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM Dunwoody United Methodist Church 1548 Mount Vernon Rd

For more info and tickets, Call (770) 639-3510 Or visit our website

www.dunwoodygardenclub.com

If you go

What: Party for the Park

When: Tuesday, March 26 at 6 p.m

Where: SweetWater Brewing Company, 195 Ottley Drive Northeast Atlanta, GA 30324

educational programs and volunteer management.

The group will honor Sally Bethea with the prestigious CNPC Hightower Award for her extensive dedication to restoring the Chattahoochee River. As former board president of CNPC, retired founding director of Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, and author of her recent memoir “Keeping the Chattahoochee,” Bethea’s efforts have had a profound and lasting impact on the recreation area and its community.

Tickets are required for “Party for the Park.” For more information and to purchase a seat, visit chattahoocheeparks.org/CNPC2024.

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Festival:

Continued from Page 1

He also emphasized the annual event is distinct from The Ancient Order of Hibernians, a fraternal organization founded in New York City in 1836.

“[Sandy Springs] Mayor [Rusty] Paul has been a big supporter, and we have worked with the folks at the city,” Moors said. “There was an Irish band that played in early 2022 at the Performing Arts Center, and then we decided to go for it.”

With more than 1,500 patrons at the inaugural event last March, Northside ICA organizers are looking for more sponsors and community outreach.

Festival organizers said they hope the weather improves from the cold and rainy event last year.

The festival will feature city and state officials; local and national Irish organizations; Irish arts, music and dance groups; neighborhood and civic organizations; churches, schools and families; Irish artisans and other attractions.

Moors said Ireland-native Kate Curran, a youth ministry director at Christ the King Cathedral in Atlanta, will sign the “Irish National Anthem” in her native tongue.

“The AOH is a part the overall Irish community here in Atlanta, there’s several groups doing different things,” Moors said. “People don’t really like going downtown anymore, and we have a critical mass here on the northside.”

He said The AOH will participate in the 136th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade March 16 in midtown Atlanta.

Butch Elmgren, Savannah-native and owner of Thos. O’Reilly’s Public House, said the idea is to prevent competition with larger events the weekend of March 17 in Atlanta and Savannah.

Thos. O’Reilly’s Public House, 227 Sandy Springs Place, is a sponsor of and event organizer with the Northside ICA.

While the festival contracted with

Feb. 27 declaring March as Irish American Heritage Month. The 2nd annual Northside Saint Patrick’s Day Festival will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 23 on the City Green at 1 Galambos Way.

Guiness in 2023, organizers are teaming up with Sandy Springs-based Mutation Brewing this year.

He also said the Northside ICA festival bills itself as a more familyfriendly event, rather than an afternoon of excessive partying.

“There’s a lot of things that are kind of stereotypes, green beards, leprechauns and things like that,” Elmgren said. “There’s a whole lot more to it, Ireland is rich in culture, history and arts.”

Irish American history

More than 9 percent of Americans or 32 million people reported having Irish ancestry, according to 2020 U.S. Census results.

Some famous Irish Americans include former presidents John F. Kennedy and Barack Obama, Tom Cruise and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

In 1991, President George H.W. Bush issued the first proclamation declaring

March as Irish American Heritage Month. In subsequent years, Congress passed legislation designating the month as a celebration of Irish Americans. Since 1997, presidents have issued annual proclamations for the observance of Irish American Heritage Month.

On Jan. 17, representatives from The AOH along with Caoimhe Ní Chonchúir, consul general of Ireland in Atlanta, presented Gov. Brian Kemp with a crystal bowl from Dingle, Ireland, full of shamrocks from a Peachtree Corners farm.

Sandy Springs Mayor Paul signed the local proclamation Feb. 27.

While Ireland was a part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain from 1801 to 1922, a period known as “an Gorta Mór” or the Great Hunger, from 1845 to 1852 saw the systematic starvation of 1 million Irish people and the exodus of another 1 million.

Contemporary analysis of the British government’s role in the humanitarian crisis attributes the mass starvation in Ireland to an inadequate response.

The potato blight throughout Europe during the period did not result in mass starvation in other nations, except in British-controlled Ireland.

The Irish population recovered to its pre-1845 level in 2022.

While funding the festival remains a priority for Northside ICA organizers, Moors also discussed the nonprofit’s charitable partners.

“If we can raise enough money and we have overage, then we will contribute,” Moors said. “The charities that we support would be the Hibernian Hunger Project and Solidarity Sandy Springs.”

BUTCH ELMGREN/PROVIDED

From left, Mike Moors, president of Northside Irish Culture & Arts; Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul; Ryan Curry, organizer for The Ancient Order of Hibernians National Board; and Butch Elmgren, owner of Thos. O’Reilly’s Public House, celebrate a proclamation

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Living with guilt vs. Living with gusto!

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A few years ago, I intercepted one of my sons as he was descending the staircase and heading outside. He explained, with a guilty expression on his face, that he was going to go outside to smoke a cigarette. Ever since I was my grandmother’s companion during her final months of life as she went through chemo and radiation treatments for lung cancer after her 50 years of smoking cigarettes, I’ve not been a fan of cigarette smoking. And he knew this. I stopped him and challenged, “Either do it with gusto or don’t do it at all.” I went on to encourage him, “Fully enjoy inhaling and blowing smoke rings or whatever you do. Get the most out of whatever it is that you do. Choose wisely, then do it with no guilt. If you cannot enjoy it fully, then don’t do it at all.”

In the decade since that first statement just slipped out of my mouth on its own, I’ve reflected on that sentiment. I believe it is a way of living life to its fullest. “Either do it with gusto or don’t do it at all.”

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In Memoriam

Charles “John” Wilson

Our father, Charles “John” Wilson passed away on January 19, 2024, age 93. He was born on September 20, 1930, in San Diego, CA. Due to his father’s career as a Naval Aviator, his family relocated to Pensacola, FL, and he graduated from Pensacola Catholic High School in 1947, at age 16. John graduated from Marion Military Institute in 1949 and enlisted in the Air Force for the Korean War in 1950. He served as a Navigator on the F94 Spitfire but spent most of his service as Staff Sergeant Senior Medical Administrative Supervisor establishing medivac units until 1954. John received the National Defense Service Medal and the Good Conduct Medal for his service. A proud, life-long Seminole, John graduated with a B.S. in History from Florida State University in 1958. He cherished his time at FSU, as well as his membership in the Alpha Tau Omega (ATO) fraternity and was proud two of his grandchildren also became FSU alumni. After college, John worked in sales for American Tobacco Company until 1963. He found love at first sight when he saw his future wife walking to work across the street. They were married September 26, 1959, and celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary in 2023. John embarked on a career with the US Government in 1963, in the Department of Defense Contract Administrative Services. This required several relocations to support Government contracts including, but not limited to, shipbuilding, aircraft production, technology development, and system integrations. John moved his family to Dunwoody, GA in 1977, for his last relocation to Lockheed Martin in Marietta, GA. The Wilsons became members of St. Jude Catholic Church, and the children eventually graduated from St. Jude the Apostle School and St. Pius X Catholic High School. After years of well-traveled and respected leadership, John retired in 1994 with 31 years of service to the US Government, a total of 35 including his Veteran service. As the Patriarch of the Wilson family, John led by example with love, joy, humor, a hard work ethic, positive attitude, and the Catholic faith. He never missed an opportunity to make his family feel loved and special, and supported all their activities whether it was a sporting event, drama, music, or dance performance. He had an amazing smile and if you

couldn’t see it, you could hear his prideful smile on the other end of the phone. John loved playing and watching multiple sports, especially football, basketball, and baseball. He stayed active, working out for almost 30 years at the Dunwoody Fitness Center. His passion for music was clear. He enjoyed playing his impressive record collection, but his favorite was listening to Ol’ Blue Eyes, Frank Sinatra. A history buff, John loved to read and had an extensive book, as well as movie collection. John appreciated movies of all genres, but favored movies about war and sports, musicals, Westerns, and any starring John Wayne. He also collected magnets and matchbooks from all the places he and his family traveled. Born with a large sweet tooth, John loved sharing meals and desserts with the people he loved. Christmas was his favorite holiday, and he added decorations every year. His eyes twinkled as he decorated and sang Christmas carols, which always made it a memorable season. John had a big heart for animals, not only as his pets, but also donated to various animal charities. He contributed annually to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, the FSU Boosters, and many others. He had a true zest for life, with so many experiences and stories to share. He never met a stranger, could talk to anyone, and everyone loved talking to him. His love and laughter will be greatly missed. John is preceded in death by his wife Carolyn Eloise (Curry) Wilson (d. 2023), his parents Charles A. Wilson (d. 1973), and Kathleen O’Connell Brown (d. 1997), as well as his brother Joseph Burke Wilson (d. 1939), and sister Barbara Brown Davis (d. 2009). He is survived by his four children and their spouses: Shaunda Kay Wilson, Parker Burke Wilson (Mary Pat), Shannon Lee (Wilson) Shipley (John), and Shari Lynne (Wilson) Bramlett (Todd), and six grandchildren: Parker Wilson, Natalie Wilson, Carolyn Shipley, Elizabeth Shipley, Peyton Bramlett, and Patrick Bramlett. He is also survived by his brother Charles A. Wilson II and sister Charlene Wilson Howell. The Funeral Mass will be held at St. Jude the Apostle Church at 7171 Glenridge Dr. NE, Sandy Springs, GA 30329, on March 25, 2024, at 10 am. His interment will be at The Barrancas National Cemetery at the US Naval Air Station in Pensacola, FL.

Serious, hardworking, ‘Mr. Steve’ was respected

Stephen Spruill was born in Dunwoody in 1870 and grew up in a log cabin behind his grandfather’s house on Spruill Road. Today, that road is Ashford Dunwoody Road. One of his chores as a child was to gather pine knots to help light the cabin. He remembered that his grandfather once paid him $1 to drive an “unruly” calf to cattle market in Atlanta.

The first school Spruill attended was a one-room log cabin, located where Spruill Center for the Arts and the Dunwoody Library are today. His teacher, Mattie Graham, lived with his grandparents.

“We walked to school through the woods, carrying our lunch pails containing such things as a baked sweet potato, sausage and a biscuit, and fried apple pies,” he recalled. (“The Story of Dunwoody,” by Elizabeth L. Davis and Ethel W. Spruill)

In 1903, a group of men decided it was time to build a Methodist church in Dunwoody. The group included Stephen T. Spruill, Henry Spruill, J.C. Spruill and John Cates. They met at Cephas Spruill’s blacksmith shop. Church members first met in 1899 at Dunwoody School. Lumber for the church came from the sawmill on Stephen Spruill’s land and from the sawmill of John Wallace in Chamblee. (“The Story of Dunwoody United Methodist Church, 1899 to 1963,” Mrs. D.C. Waybright, Jr.) Spruill’s parents and grandparents

were active in Sandy Springs Methodist Church, so the family vacation each year was a week at Camp Meeting. They packed up and stayed in Sandy Springs for religious meetings, singing and spending time to visit with neighbors.

Stephen Spruill married Mollie Lee Carter of Sandy Springs in 1889, and they had 11 children. After her death in 1932, he married Ethel Warren of Sugar Valley, Georgia.

In addition to cotton and vegetables grown on the farm, there was a 50-acre orchard of apples and peaches. Produce was sent daily to Atlanta by mule-drawn wagons and later by car or truck.

Stephen Spruill was known as a kind, understanding man who lived simply. He was loved and respected in the community. Friends and neighbors called him “Mr. Steve.” One of his sons, Euil Spruill, said his father worked from daylight to dark with everyone else on the farm and “took no foolishness from anyone.”

In 1970, Euil Spruill reflected on the changes to the land where his family lived. He remembered standing on a knoll 50 years earlier, when all he could see were mules and men working the fields. There was a commissary on the farm where tenant farmers and employees could buy flour, meal, lard, coffee, sugar and work clothes. The view in 1970 was the Perimeter Mall construction site. (The Eagle, Tucker Federal Savings and Loan newsletter, November 1970)

Euil Spruill recalled, “One thing my father enjoyed was rabbit and squirrel hunting. He had two or three hounds and roamed the place in his spare time.”

Stephen Spruill died in June of 1967, just two months before his 97th birthday. He is buried at Arlington Cemetery in Sandy Springs.

The Spruill home still stands today as Spruill Gallery and Gift Shop at 4681 Ashford Dunwoody Road in Dunwoody.

If you are curious about this 1950 photograph of the Dunwoody Methodist Chapel and the other people pictured, return to Past Tense next week.

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

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF Columnist

AI wave – When reality can no longer be ignored

I hate it when what I have been working so hard at avoiding or not seeing becomes so compelling and so intrusive that I must deal with it. Sometimes that “thing” is something personal and relatively trivial –like a toothache at the point a dentist can no longer be avoided, or like a mole that is starting to change shape and color and not going to see the dermatologist is no longer an option.

Sometimes the “thing” is not so individually personal but more “macro” in nature – like say an epidemic – like COVID 19. We collectively ignored it; dealt with it by isolating and getting vaccinated; denied it; recognized it; and so on – but at one point, no one could continue to not see it or deny its existence - even though we were told not to worry because it would just “magically disappear someday” – the height of scientific reasoning, knowledge and prudence.

Now we are in one of those “macro” situations, and the reality of the “idea” or the “concept” is getting real, fast. I am not talking about the war in Ukraine. It is still going to be a while before we collectively must face the realities of that war – including the direct consequences to us when and if Russia succeeds, which will probably happen if U.S. aid does not resume. Talk about penny-wise and poundfoolish to the most absurd extreme.

No, the unavoidable 900-pound gorilla that can no longer be ignored or swept under the rug is artificial intelligence – AI. To me, it is no longer this vague existential threat that “we” must “do something about.” It is here, now, and the impact is already hitting us in the pocketbook.

Here is a case in point: Atlantabased Hollywood movie and film producer Tyler Perry just announced that he’s putting his Atlanta studio’s $800 million expansion on hold indefinitely because of his concern that much of the utility of the physical production facilities could be done instead with software – AI software. Tyler’s expansion – four years in the planning – was to include construction of 12 new sound stages on his 330acre production campus. Tyler was quoted as musing that “why would I go to the time, money and labor to

build production sets when I can sit in my office in front of a computer and accomplish the same thing with AI?”

The short term and long-term economic impact of Perry’s $800 million expansion could have been substantial. The number of jobs that could have been created in building the facility and post-construction use – from construction workers and engineers, to actors, grips, electricians, sound technicians, writers and editors – was massive. That is not to mention the tax base that would have been generated for the City of Atlanta; the power that would have been consumed; the number of hotel-stays and restaurants that would have benefited; the business generated for the real estate companies; and all the peripheral businesses that would have been created to support and supply the demands of the expanded studio. We are talking about a ton of lost jobs, lost revenue, and lost opportunity –all because so much of the core work now – and in the future – can be done with artificial intelligence software and computers.

Yes, not all those jobs are lost, and yes, one would assume more computer-related jobs will be created, but, as AI is increasingly used in the film process, a huge percentage of jobs formerly required will simply go away. Why spend more money than necessary in producing entertainment content?

Even Gary Trudeau who writes the Doonesbury comic strip picked up –almost immediately – on Tyler Perry’s announcement.

In his Feb. 25 script, Trudeau shows a talent agent pitching a new writer sensation to a producer. The producer incredulously replies to the talent agent the following: “Ted, anyone who doubts that AI can write a soap opera script has never watched a soap opera. Two years from now, AI output will be network quality! In three years, it’ll be cranking out peak TV and film scripts.”

The example of AI’s impact on the film industry is only representative of its impact on the entire current economic system. It will impact most jobs in most industries and services. More will be done with less – less employment. Yes, there will be an upside – somewhere – and yes, on some scale, new jobs will be created –somewhere, somehow. I wish I could see in that crystal ball, but I can’t.

So, fasten your seatbelt. It is going to get bumpy.