Dunwoody Crier - April 4, 2024

Dunwoody officials discuss their post-retreat gameplan

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — A windfall of state funds for the city’s paving program is allowing Dunwoody officials to set aside a contingency for inflated construction costs related to other projects.

The city anticipates receiving an additional $600,000 in Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant funds from the Georgia Department of Transportation.

The state initiative distributes a

portion of gas tax revenue to local governments for transportation improvements.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp’s rollback of the state’s gas tax ended last November.

After amending the state’s budget, Kemp secured an additional $200 million for local transportation projects, doubling the funds going to Georgia cities for improvements to roadway networks.

When the Georgia House of Representatives approved the amended budget Feb. 7, the required match from local governments was removed

Students, volunteers revive Wildcat International Night

DUNWOODY, Ga. — A student-led effort saw the return of Wildcat International Night at Dunwoody High School March 21 after a hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Students Kate Bergquist, Maggie Miller and Annie Peng worked with their teacher Clarissa Adams to host food tastings, dance performances, a scavenger hunt and a fashion show from 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. in the cafeteria.

Cultures from South America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East were represented at the celebration.

Bergquist said the event, which originally ran for a full week, was

suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it wasn’t clear who would step in to take charge and begin planning again.

“The world languages department at Dunwoody High School had some remnant photos though,” she said. “After stumbling upon them and learning of the tradition, others and I knew it was well worth bringing back.”

She said she hopes the one-night celebration sparks the student body to work toward returning the event to its pre-pandemic luster.

for the additional $200 million in local transportation funding.

Earlier this year, Dunwoody received around $490,000 in LMIG funds, which brings the expected total to just under $1.1 million.

Support for paving program

Dunwoody Public Works Director Michael Smith recommends using the additional local transportation funds for the 2024 paving program, which the city has historically done to supplement city funds for annual road resurfacing.

Staff said the change allows state funds to be quickly allocated to annual paving contracts and frees city money to be used on other projects.

Smith said around $600,000 in Special Local Option Sales Tax funds could be used for additional paving or another transportation project.

“That should leave a $600,000 surplus in paving,” Smith said. “With construction and cost inflation, we are recommending setting that money aside

See

DUNWOODY HIGH SCHOOL/PROVIDED

From left, Clarissa Adams, Kate Bergquist, Maggie Miller and Annie Peng celebrate the success of their effort to bring back Wildcat International Night to Dunwoody High School March 21. Bergquist, Miller and Peng, under guidance from Adams, planned the return of the multicultural event.

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POLICE BLOTTER

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

Atlanta man arrested for shooting grandmother

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody Police arrested a 23-year-old Atlanta man March 24 after he allegedly shot his grandmother during an argument.

Officers said they were dispatched to a residence on Perimeter Trace East after reports of a person being shot. The victim, a 61-year-old Atlanta woman, had a gunshot wound to the chest.

A witness told officers that they saw a suspect flee to Two Bridges Park on Perimeter Center East.

While some officers cleared the park, others traveled with the victim to Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center.

Officers said the manager of Café Intermezzo on Ashford Dunwoody Road was unable to provide security footage from earlier in the evening.

As an officer was leaving the restaurant, he said he saw a person matching the description given by the victim at the Exxon on Ashford Dunwoody Road.

The suspect, identified as Erik Beasley, surrendered to the officers at the scene.

During a search of the suspect, officer found a Ruger 9mm and six rounds of ammunition.

An officer said he transported Beasley to the Dunwoody Police Department for interviews with detectives.

Police charged Beasley with aggravated assault-family violence and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and transported him to DeKalb County Jail.

Officers arrest two men on drug-related charges

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody Police arrested two men March 22 on loitering and drug charges at a residence on Laurelwood Road.

Officers said they saw the two suspects in the driveway next to a white Chrysler Pacifica when they arrived.

One suspect, a 58-year-old Chamblee man, said his car battery died and they were taking items out of a dumpster, like metals and wood.

A search of the vehicle’s license plate showed the tag belonged to a Lexus LS. The Chamblee man said he placed the tag on his vehicle because it could not pass emissions for valid registration.

The other suspect, a 44-year-old Atlanta man, had an active arrest warrant through the Doraville Police Department for failure to appear for traffic offenses.

During a search of the Chrysler, officers found plastic baggies containing more than 5 grams of crystal meth inside a pair of jeans that allegedly belonged to the Atlanta man.

He was charged with possession of Schedule II controlled substance, loitering and prowling and using plate to conceal or misrepresent.

Inside the Chamblee man’s backpack, officers also found a glass pipe with drug residue inside.

Officers charged him with possession of drug-related tools, loitering and prowling and the active arrest warrant out of Doraville.

Both men were transported to DeKalb County Jail.

Suspect flees Dillard’s with 30 Polo shirts

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody Police are investigating a shoplifting incident March 21 at Dillard’s inside Perimeter Mall.

An officer said he met with a loss prevention employee about an hour after the incident.

The employee said a Black male,

wearing a dark hoodie, grey sweatpants and white tennis shoes, entered the store around 11:15 a.m. and began shoplifting.

The suspect walked over to a Polo display, grabbed 30 shirts and ran out of the store, the employee said.

Officers said the employee did not see where the suspect fled and estimated the stolen merchandise to be worth around $1,700.

Employees provided security footage of the incident, officers said.

Wheels reported stolen off vehicle outside home

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — An Alpharetta man reported March 16 someone removed the wheels and tires from his vehicle outside his home on Gardner Drive.

The victim reported parking his vehicle around noon March 15, and when he came outside the next morning around 8 a.m., he found his vehicle sitting on two cinder blocks with all four wheels missing.

He said the lug nuts were left on the ground beside the vehicle, the report states.

Sinks found destroyed at Webb Bridge Park

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — A parks employee reported March 17 that someone had smashed sinks and vandalized the men’s bathrooms near the baseball fields at Webb Bridge Park.

Employee shared a video that showed large rocks and trash scattered on the floor and feces thrown on the walls of one of the stalls. All the sinks were cracked and unusable with large holes in them.

Officers went inside the second bathroom and found two sinks crushed by large rocks. There were more rocks on the floor, a trashcan had been flipped, and one toilet was clogged by a trash bag, the report states.

The employee reported he saw two teenage boys leaving the bathroom and giggling, but officers could not locate them.

No suspects have been identified.

City schedules drive to recycle hazardous waste

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody residents can responsibly dispose of their household hazardous waste May 4 in the parking lot of City Hall at 4800 Ashford Dunwoody Road.

Registration is only open to Dunwoody citizens, who must bring proof of residency.

The recycling drive runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 4.

Community Development Director Richard McLeod said his department and the Sustainability Committee prioritize recycling efforts every year.

Discuss:

Continued from Page 1

and not making a decision on how to spend it until we see how some of those costs come in.”

With the Mount Vernon Road at Tilly Mill Road intersection upgrade project scheduled to go out for bid later this year, the excess funds in the SPLOST paving program will sit until further action by the City Council.

Councilman John Heneghan asked Smith how much funding is designated for paving after receiving complaints from residents about a lack of investment.

Heneghan said he wants to ensure the paving program is properly funded, considering inflated construction costs.

Smith said the city is allocating $3.8 million this year, which has increased from the $2.9 million spent in 2018. He also said the city is on track to complete its 20-year paving plan.

After a brief discussion, the City Council voted to approve the reallocation, keeping $600,000 in SPLOST funds available for future projects.

Councilmembers also approved a contract with Sunbelt Traffic for installation of pedestrian hybrid beacons on North Peachtree Road at Chesnut Elementary School and on Perimeter Center West between Perimeter Mall and the Terraces office complex.

Smith said the DeKalb County Perimeter Community Improvement District will contribute $200,000 for the Perimeter Center West project.

The City Council approved the allocation of $425,000 in SPLOST funds for the two projects.

Councilman Heneghan, who said he met with the Parent Advisory Council at Chesnut last week, thanked Smith and the Public Works Department for moving the project along.

“As a father whose son was very close to being hit in that very crosswalk,” Heneghan said. “This is an important project for all students of Chesnut and their parents, so thank you.”

“This event gives residents a way to support the city’s sustainability efforts by keeping household hazardous waste out of a landfill,” McLeod said. “We’ll also hold an electronics recycling event in the fall.”

Last year, 415 residents participated and recycled 17,060 pounds of latex paint, 3,395 pounds of pesticides, 531 pounds of antifreeze, 107 pounds of lithium batteries and 12 fire extinguishers.

Some examples of recyclable items include oil and latex paints, stains,

HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA

Public Works Director Michael Smith unveils the city’s plans for an additional $600,000 in Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant funds.

Retreat topics raised

Following the March 12-13 annual city retreat in Clarksville, councilmembers and staff came back with a plan.

Councilman Joe Seconder discussed an upcoming staff presentation on the takeaways and action items from the retreat. He confirmed with City Manager Eric Linton that there have been no changes to capital projects in this year’s budget.

Linton said the city aims to be transparent with its capital improvement projects, including up-to-date information on its website.

“The department heads, for the most part, were all at the retreat,” Linton said. “They have their items to work on, and we’re going to put all that together to

paint thinner, automobile batteries, household batteries, motor oil, antifreeze, gasoline, diesel, household cleaners, pool chemicals, household chemicals, pesticides, flammables and corrosives.

The following will not be accepted: agricultural wastes, bio-hazardous and bio-medical waste, ammunition, explosives, radioactive materials, smoke detectors, cylinders of acetylene, oxygen, carbon dioxide, helium and refrigerant gases.

To register and select a drop-off time, visit www.dunwoodyga.gov/waste.

Hey y’all, I’m Hayden Sumlin and I report on all things in Dunwoody, Milton and Sandy Springs. If you have any story tips or ideas please contact me at hayden@appenmedia.com

bring to Council.”

Some of the items the City Council will address this year include trails, signage and a playground at Waterford Park, financial modeling and Police Department enhancements.

The City Council discussed one action item March 25 from the retreat, a 4.25 percent increase to city employees’ salaries, which will be on the consent agenda next meeting.

Other forecasted items include discussions of the city’s capped millage rate, business incentives and emergency medical services.

Councilman Heneghan, posting on his blog March 20, discussed the buildup of financial pressures and said he anticipates a slowdown of some capital projects.

“I have been very open regarding my concerns about the long-term stability of city finances, and they will be a huge topic of conversation in the coming months,” Heneghan wrote. “Because we are currently at our maximum millage rate and based on everything I am hearing, in 2026 our operating revenue will not be keeping up operating expenses.”

PALS

SPRING 2024

April 1st – May 13th (7 Weeks)

Dunwoody Baptist Church

1445 Mt. Vernon Rd., Dunwoody, GA 30338. Registration will be available on the PALS website: www.palsonline.info

The class line up is as follows:

MONDAYS:

From 10:00 am - 11:00 am

The Lost Generation – American Writers in Paris in the 1920s – Professor Gautam Kundu will continue his survey of the highlights of American literature, this time focusing on the ex pat American authors living in Paris in the 1920s, which had become the world’s epicenter of culture. Included in this survey will be Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Djuna Barnes, Henry Miller, E. E. Cummings, Ezra Pound, Sylvia Beach and Claude McKay.

From 10:00 am - 11:00 am

World War II – Behind the Scenes – There is much about World War II we do not know. This class will delve into those little known stories, including from 2 soldiers who were there (they are 100 and 99 respectively). We will also hear about the Untold Story of the Rise of Imperial Japan, Robert Oppenheimer in perspective, building the atomic bomb and finally a description of the air war in both the European and Pacific Theaters.

From 10:00 am - 1:45 pm

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

From 11:30 am - 12:30 pm

Libraries – with Betsy Jones – From the ancient library of Alexandria to the Library of Congress, scores of libraries have been the repository of the written word. Among others, the class will look at several Presidential libraries and explore the 2509 Carnegie libraries which formed the backbone of our public library system.

From 11:30 am - 12:30 pm

Art History – Mannerism and Baroque in 16th Century Italy – Marilyn Morton will discuss the abrupt change in art style following the Protestant Reformation in 1517 and the sack of Rome in 1527. The art of the High Renaissance ended to be replaced first by Mannerism, which concerned itself with the human figure but without perfection and then with Baroque, which was an architectural concept which included the building of St. Peter’s Basilica. This architectural phenomena soon spread across Europe.

From 10:00 am - 11:30 pm

Canasta for Beginners – Rhea Berger will teach beginning canasta. Class will be limited to 12 people. Please contact Iris at PALS before registering to insure seats are available.

PERIMETER

PLANT SALE AND MORE!

Saturday, April 20 • 9am–3pm

The Grove @ Wills Park • 175 Roswell Street

Free parking and shuttle from the Amana Academy parking lot

Brought to you by THE NORTH FULTON MASTER GARDENERS

in partnership with Georgia Native Plant Society & the Alpharetta Community AG Program

Educational speakers, Fleatique, Children’s activities, Plant Vendors, Food Vendors, and Master Gardeners to answer your gardening questions.

For more information: www.nfmg.net/garden-faire

The popular North Fulton Master Gardeners

Pass-along Plant Sale will feature more than 2000 beautiful plantings suitable for sun and shade.

The North Metro Atlanta Chapter of the Georgia Native Plant Society will have a selection of around 2000 native perennials, shrubs, vines, and trees.

April sunset lantern parade scheduled in Sandy Springs

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — The theme of this year’s Sandy Springs Lantern Parade is “Take it to the River,” inspired by the April 13 sunset walk to the Chattahoochee at Morgan Falls Overlook Park.

The three-quarter-mile march begins at Steel Canyon Golf Course at 460 Morgan Falls Road and ends with a view of the river.

Look out for five unique lanterns floating on the Chattahoochee River, including Jeremiah the Bullfrog, Georgia Kissyfish and Alice the 26-foot Albino Alligator.

Before the parade steps off around 8:30 p.m., participants are invited to gather in the parking lot at Steel Canyon for live music, food trucks and

children’s activities.

A free shuttle from the Morgan Falls Office Park begins at 5:30 p.m. Festivities at the golf course start at 6 p.m.

City officials encourage participants to park at the office park, wear good walking shoes and make their lanterns in advance of the preparade activities.

Beginning April 4, Make-A-Lantern Kits are available at Steel Canyon Golf Course and the Ace Hardware on Dunwoody Village Parkway. There are several kits available for purchase, ranging from $7-$25. If someone chooses a Flying Pig lantern,

See LANTERN, Page 11

SALES

See more garage sales in the classifieds

MOVING SALE IN SANDY SPRINGS

• All furniture in new condition

The Alpharetta Community Agriculture Program will have around 5000 unique varieties of organic, heirloom, and non-GMO plants, grown from seed at Old Rucker Farm.

• Dining Table & 4 chairs. Pub Style $300 retailed $729

• Bar stools 2 for $100

• TV Stand solid natural wood $50

• Sectional Grey L shape $300 (Good condition)

• Coffee Table & 2 side tables.

Greyish/brown. $125 for all

• 2 Grey Solid Ceramic Lamps $50

• Dresser, Large Distressed Wood $150

• Queen Headboard & platform $25

• 5x7 area rug $15

Call or text 847-903-1356

Photos available

DEADLINE

To place garage sale ads: Noon Friday. Call 770-442-3278 or email classifieds@appenmediagroup.com

STEVE EBERHARDT/PROVIDED

Sanderson the Flying Pig leads a drift of piglet lanterns down Morgan Falls Road during the 2023 Sandy Springs “Take it to the River” Lantern Parade.

Chopin Society of Atlanta fosters young talent

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — “This is our kingdom,” said Dorota Lato, walking through the door of Musik21, a conservatory for young musicians off State Bridge Road.

Pianos for sale and rent bordered the large, open space. They are the core instrument of the conservatory, though more than a dozen passionate teachers offer individual lessons on a variety of instruments for students in the early years of elementary school up to 12th grade.

Musik21 is under the auspices of the nonprofit Chopin Society of Atlanta, founded by Lato and her husband Piotr Folkert in 2000 to promote the music of Fryderyk Chopin and advance his legacy.

“All pianists — they talk in a specific language,” Lato said. “Most of the young generation play football or soccer or swimming. Those kids who play piano sometimes feel like not many of them, so they love to be with each other because they understand.”

Lato and Folkert are from Chopin’s native Poland and have been playing piano all their lives. An accomplished concert pianist, Folkert performs around the world.

The nonprofit originally began with concerts at the Roswell Cultural Arts Center, featuring some of the world’s greatest pianists like Sergei Babayan, Ingrid Fliter and Kevin Kenner. Posters from over the years lined the back room.

Lato said the first-ever concert she presented sold out, which was the 250th anniversary of Chopin’s death. All 600 seats in the center were filled.

The society evolved over time, branching out from solely concertizing. With a desire to introduce Chopin and other classical music to younger kids, Lato said she began hosting art competitions, paintings of Chopin, and competitions on history.

“It was important that they really open their eyes to knowing who Chopin was, where he was born, what he composed,” Lato said.

Lato opened Musik21 in 2010. Currently, 400 students are enrolled who take multi-level music theory courses, creating their own compositions, in addition to lessons and recitals throughout the year.

The newest summer program for the society is the Chopin Academy of Atlanta, the result of the COVID-19 pandemic. During the week-long program in June, students take virtual and in-person piano lessons, masters classes and attend lectures.

Students also have the opportunity

to play at Carnegie Hall in New York City and study abroad on scholarships.

Through the hallway, past classrooms, Lato pointed out dozens of pictures taken with students abroad participating in the nonprofit’s core programs in Vienna and in Paris.

Photos were also from Valldemossa, Majorca, where Chopin wrote some of his most important pieces within piano literature. Majorca was an “unfortunate vacation” for Chopin, Lato said, because he had gone there with his lover and French novelist George Sand as a means

to hide the affair. The Paris International Summer Sessions mostly consists of master classes, through a partnership with another organization, and Lato said the summer program in Vienna is more holistic, having developed it alongside her husband.

This year, students can expect to take lectures on the intersection of music and medicine as well as music and movies. The music for many wellknown movies was composed in Vienna, a favorite site of Hans Zimmer, Lato said.

Folkert said he just returned from a trip with one of his students to see the birthplace of Chopin in Želazowa Wola, Poland, and also described a trip last year, where he saw the death place of Hungarian composer Franz Liszt in Bayreuth, Germany.

“You know what kind of feeling that gives you? You know the man through his music, and then you go, and you just look, stare at the bed where he died,” Folkert said. “It opens your imagination and establishes a totally different connection between you and the music.”

AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Piotr Folkert and Dorota Lato, founders of the Chopin Society of Atlanta, stand beside pianos inside Musik21, their music conservatory off State Bridge Road. The nonprofit sells and rents pianos.

DOROTA LATO/PROVIDED

On left, Dorota Lato and Piotr Folkert, founders of the Chopin Society of Atlanta, stand with students during an award ceremony in Vienna last year. The nonprofit sends students to study abroad every year on scholarships.

AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Dorota Lato, founder and president of the Chopin Society of Atlanta, displays paintings from the nonprofit’s art competitions at Musik21, the organization’s conservatory. Student art is used for programs and other promotional material.

$45 Million for 1,000 North Atlanta Homeowners

Brought to you by - Bath and Kitchen Galleria

For the past 12 years, home values have moved upward. However, homes remodeled with certain features, statistically sell at significantly higher values than average. According to Bath and Kitchen Galleria’s president, John Hogan, “On average, our clients realize an additional $45,000 in the sale price of their home”. Our internal Design Studio is adept at listening to our clients’ preferences. We also coach them to integrate statistically proven design elements that will not only improve the functionality, but also increase the resale value of their homes.

Last month, Bath and Kitchen Galleria (formerly Remodeling Expo Center) celebrated the completion of its 1,000th project. This large data set allows them to analyze exactly what features drive resale value. “It is extremely rewarding to know that our efforts not only provide customized living spaces but are also financially rewarding for our clients. The completion of our 1,000th remodeling project also signifies that we have

increased the value of our clients’ homes by an added $45 million,” affirms Bobbie Kohm, Chief Designer at Bath and Kitchen Galleria.

Not all homes increase in value equally. Many non-remodeled homes are left behind in value because styles have changed so much over the past 25 years. Open floor plans, colors, lighting, connectivity, room size and the advancement of technology have all evolved remarkably. The key to driving increased value is understanding how to adapt your home with specific coveted features and elements. Mr. Hogan adds, “I start each one of my new client presentations by providing them with 3D color renderings giving them a sharp vision of what their home would look like if it were constructed today. When your home is adapted to compete with newly constructed homes, the value of your home soars upward, and we now have 1,000 homeowner who will agree!”

To learn more about “Remodeling to Drive Value,” visit Bath and Kitchen Galleria’s showroom at 10591 Old Alabama Rd Connector in Alpharetta (no appointment need) or call them at 678459-2292.

Foreign assets and taxes

If

foreign assets, having an estate plan and knowing the rules of the game is doubly important. When you pass away, your foreign asset will fall under the jurisdiction of the country it is located in. Double taxation may come into play and your asset may also be subject to death taxes depending on the country it is located in. If the foreign country has tax treaties with the U.S., you may be entitled to a foreign death tax credit - but you also may not, so it is important that you check with legal and financial professionals in the foreign country to see how you can protect your assets.

Regarding the rules inside the US, while you do not have to report to the IRS that you have purchased a property in a foreign country, you do have to report gains or losses on the property on the Schedule D of your U.S. tax return. Make sure your records related to your investments in the property are complete. In addition:

• If you inherit a foreign home from an individual who was not a U.S. citizen or resident, you must file Form 3520: Reporting Foreign Trusts, Inheritances and Gifts for Americans Abroad.

• If your foreign home was your primary residence and you occupied it during two

of the previous five years, you can exclude up to $250,000 ($500,000 if married) from your taxes.

It is preferable for you to have two Wills - one domestic and one foreign - to streamline the probate process after your death. Make sure the professionals who draft these Wills work with each other to prevent the Wills from nullifying each other. Better yet, you can skip the probate process entirely by setting up a domestic and a foreign Trust, which will allow your beneficiaries to inherit automatically, so long as each Trust is set up according to the rules of each jurisdiction.

Be aware that not all countries recognize trusts. So, if you have real estate located in foreign countries, take the initiative to speak to legal and financial professionals to make sure all your assetsnot just your U.S. ones - are protected.

David Patterson Homes introduces

new neighborhoods in Dawson and Forsyth County

Brought to you by – Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties’ New Homes Division

With over 15 years of experience in home design and construction in Atlanta and the Lake Lanier area, David Patterson Homes is renowned for its commitment to quality, customer service, unique designs, and attention to detail. The company is excited to unveil their latest neighborhoods in Forsyth and Dawson Counties, offering distinctive transitional European farmhouse designs.

Sales have commenced at Maddux Path in Cumming, featuring four homes on 2+ acres starting from the $800s. Construction is underway, with move-in dates expected by late spring. Nearby, Brooks Pond will soon offer four homes

on spacious lots with basement options, all within the excellent Forsyth County School District and close to GA 400 and major shopping centers.

In North Forsyth, Fireside Farms provides easy access to GA 400 and Lake Lanier, with homes starting from the high $600s. The community boasts various home designs, large homesites, and amenities such as a neighborhood green space and playground, ideal for families. Homeowners will appreciate the proximity to acclaimed schools like Silver City Elementary and North Forsyth High School.

For those seeking lakeside living, Long Hollow Landing in Gainesville/ Forsyth County is currently offering luxurious lakeside homesites with a boat slip at the community dock with prices from $1 million plus. Amenities

include a community boat dock and gathering area, enhancing the lakeside lifestyle experience. Long Hollow Landing is conveniently located off Hwy 306 and Hwy 53 close to shopping and dining, GA 400, and Gainesville. Children will attend Chestatee Elementary, Little Mill Middle and the new state-of-the-art East Forsyth High School.

In Dawson County, Downtown Fausett will soon introduce 24 townhomes with European transitional farmhouse-style exteriors, each offering three bedrooms and 2.5 baths priced from the $400s. Conveniently located in downtown Dawsonville, this community provides easy access to GA 400 and the North Georgia Outlet Mall.

David Patterson Homes utilizes a team approach, and their use of

advanced technology to ensure an affordable, quality-built home that your family will enjoy for years to come. Combining the latest in new trends and design options, the design team provides exquisite interior finishes and unique architectural features which help to create timeless homes that feel custom and never go out of style. David Patterson Homes has been the recipient of numerous awards from the Greater Atlanta Professionalism Awards for outstanding achievement in new home building and marketing.

For additional information, please call 404.821.9807 or visit www.

DavidPattersonHomes.com. Sales and marketing by Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Georgia Properties New Homes Division. Equal Housing Opportunity.

Revive:

Continued from Page 1

“Clarissa Adams has been a wonderful teacher, not just through this process, but in the years we’ve all known her,” Bergquist said. “She’s been the cornerstone of Dunwoody High School for years, and the rest of the school would not be the same without her.”

Students raised $230 from ticket sales for Children International, a nonprofit dedicated to aiding children in poverty and providing them with proper medical care and education.

The organizers also were quick to recognize help from the Asian American Student Association, French National Honor Society, French Club, German Club, Hispanic Organization

Promoting Education, International

Lantern:

Continued from Page 4

they will get to march at the front of the parade with Sanderson the Flying Pig.

The idea for the parade mascot stems from Sandy Springs’ effort to incorporate in 2005. Some residents believed that Sandy Springs would become a city “when pigs fly.”

The make-a-lantern kits, which include accordions, little butterflies and flying piglets, are also available at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center during the workshops April 6 from 10:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Chantelle Rytter, a parade artist best known for founding the Atlanta Beltline Lantern Parade in 2010, will lead the lantern-making event. Rytter also founded the lantern parade in Sandy Springs.

All materials are provided, and tickets for the two-and-a-half-hour

Club, Muslim Student Union, Spanish National Honor Society and Spanish Club, Elite Honor Society, Peachy Corners Cafe, and the Dunwoody High School Orchestra.

The night began with a “Passport Around the World,” where students visited each booth and completed an activity to get a faux passport signed.

Afterward, they turned in the completed passport to enter into a raffle, hosted by Peachy Corners Cafe.

The evening concluded with several dance performances, including a Russian-inspired jive, homages to Bollywood films and traditional Indian choreography.

“The cafe was a wonderful sponsor alongside the adults and the clubs who made the night possible,” Bergquist said. “Everyone remarked that their tea really brought people together.”

Across

1 Mouth piece

4 Stout relative

7 Hot springs

10 Understood

13 Citrus drink

14 Kipling novel

15 Fond du ___

16 North Yorkshire river

17 Ocean

18 Teenagers

21 Cummerbund

23 Small amount

24 Surrealist Max

25 Bread spread

26 Church bench

27 Agile

28 God of war

30 Lease

31 Blubber

34 Magical drink

37 Golf peg

38 Honest one

39 Mouse relative

40 Change places, like a bird

43 Hoodwink

44 College major

45 Mode

46 Caught, like a fish

48 Articulate

49 Lulu

50 Nuisance

51 Web journal

53 Dejected

54 Very, in Versailles

58 Parting word

60 In favor of

61 Pledge

62 Ice cream flavor

66 Chinese tea

67 Bran source

68 Modern (Prefix)

69 Long, long time

70 Moray, e.g.

71 Bag thickness

72 Sparkler

73 Animal house

74 Sp. girl (Abbr.)

Down

1 Riata

2 Perfect

3 Porridge ingredient

4 Alias inits.

5 Cover

6 Plays a role

7 Winter toy

8 ___ de deux

9 Consent

10 Burlap bag

11 Crumbs

12 Dry run

19 Bar topic

20 Go astray

22 Chicanery

26 Peruke

27 Churned

29 Border

30 Pasture

32 Slender reed

33 Curve

34 Historic periods

35 Zhivago’s love

36 Minuscule

See solution Page 15

37 Attempt

41 Hiatus

42 Dawn deity

47 Director Preminger

49 Modeling

50 Separated

52 Auction unit

53 Old French coin

55 Speed contests

56 Early anesthetic

57 Fissile rock

58 Above

59 Twofold

60 Gift tag word

63 Charge

64 Foot part

65 Lodge

Solution on next page

workshop cost $25.

For more information, visit https://www.sandyspringsga.gov/ lanternparade.

STEVE EBERHARDT/PROVIDED

An overhead shot of the 2023 Sandy Springs “Take it to the River” Lantern Parade shows some of the makeyour-own designs. Participants in this year’s parade are encouraged to make a lantern before pre-parade activities begin at 6 p.m. April 13.

DUNWOODY HIGH SCHOOL/PROVIDED

From left, Ikuyo Yamaoka, Mei Stallard and Kay Stallard host a presentation on Japanese culture March 21 at Wildcat International Night. Yamaoka, with her daughter and granddaughter, attracted a large crowd at Dunwoody High School to try on kimonos and sample Japanese snacks.

There’s one simple key to success in business

RAY APPEN Publisher Emeritus ray@appenmedia.com

I took the leaf blower back to the big box store. It stopped working. I bought it five months ago – paid like $275 for it. I was not happy, but since my big box always accepts returns, I was not worried. Yet, when I got to the returns desk, the clerk saw my leaf blower and pointed to the sign behind her that gave the number to call for returns for the brand.

“We don’t take returns for Craftsman products without an ‘AR’ or some sort of code from Craftsman,” the clerk said.

“No bueno” I thought. You guys sell their brand, along with hundreds of other brands. I have never not been able to return something I have bought from you, but, with Craftsman, there is an exception?

You probably know the rest of this story. I call the 888 number which is answered by a machine. The machine prompts me multiple times. It wants my name, address and my first-born great grandchild. In huge letters it informs me that all this information they can use as they please, more or less. Then, after about 15 minutes of this, it informs me that I can call another 888 number to contact a service company somewhere which is contracted out to repair Craftsman leaf blowers. Right.

At this point, I fold. They win. Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, shame on you. No, Craftsman, you cannot have another single minute of my personal time to fix the problem you created and which I paid good money for.

I have driven to the big box twice. I have spent by now about an hour on the phone and on my computer trying to jump through their hoops. Plus, I think the probability of there actually being a service company that is willing to fix a $275 leaf blower is slim. Check and mate.

This is wrong on so many levels.

The first level of wrong is the fact that Craftsman was the main Sears brand of tools. For decades. The Craftsman brand meant that you could return a craftsman tool forever, no questions asked. Then Sears essentially went into bankruptcy and some hedge fund bought the Craftsman “brand” and relaunched it through the big box store. The reason they were able to do this was because the brand, to consumers, meant you could trust it, that it was reliable and well-made, and the warranty was there to back it up.

Until it was not.

To make matters worse, Craftsman still markets itself as having the best warranty in the business – like it used to have. Yes, they have a warranty. My leaf blower had a two-year limited warranty that was included free with the purchase of the product. Good luck using it.

The cost of using that warranty is high, really high. The cost is your time, something the company behind Craftsman obviously does not appear to value. The reason that I have never been able to talk to a human being so far in the warranty process is that people are expensive. The company has to pay those employees for their time, no? Their solution? AI. They can field all the warranty calls with automated systems, so they don’t have to pay people to do it. But they are not compensating you for your time. In effect, you are voluntarily stepping in for an employee – for free –by allowing a company to use your own time so they can save their own (payroll) time. It seems that “time” actually s valuable when they have to pay for it.

But Craftsman is not the only one out there using people’s time or resources and not compensating them. Most companies do that now. Google’s entire business is based on searching online content that Google does not pay a red cent for and makes billions. Same deal with all the social media companies. Any company that uses AI/ auto-services for things like billing, banking, warranties, reservations, etc., is consuming your time and not paying for it.

Time, however, is a double-edged sword. If you don’t like being forced to donate your time or your resources to a corporate bottom line, don’t do business with them when you can. Reward those who do value your time, like a local restaurant that actually answers the phone with a person, or a local service company that shows up when they say they will.

One of the biggest companies in the world gets it and values your time more than almost any other company. Using that business model, they have won and will continue to win. When there is a problem, one call or one email fixes it almost every time. No BS. No unnecessary routing. No “prove that you are in the right.” No donating your time for free to fix a problem not of your doing.

The customer – and the customer’s time is the absolute priority – the core business model of this company. It ain’t rocket science. They respect their customers and their customer’s time.

The company? Amazon, of course.

Do you remember S&H Green Stamps?

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF Columnist

I grew up with S&H Green Stamps and other saving stamps around the house. There was a drawer in the kitchen where all the saving stamps were kept. My brother and I helped stick stamps in books until each book had the required number. The stamps were not self-adhesive. Filled books were collected until there were enough to make a purchase, usually a household item.

The only purchase I recall making for my own home with S&H Green Stamps was a coffee pot in 1982. Saving stamps continued to be part of shopping through the late 1980s.

S&H stood for the Sperry and Hutchinson Company, which began in 1896. There were several saving stamp companies. Top Value and Gold Bond stamps were also popular.

Different grocery stores gave out different stamps, and along with the

product price they advertised how many stamps were given with the purchase. The program encouraged customer loyalty, as shopping decisions were often influenced by the type of saving stamps offered. The best strategy was to primarily collect one savings stamp brand, and at my house it was S&H Green Stamps.

Advertising encouraged shoppers to plan around these stamps. The September 1960 LIFE magazine features an advertisement showing a mother and son along with the line, “Merry Christmas in September,” and “I’m starting right now to save more S&H Green Stamps than ever for extra gifts to give at Christmas.”

Women were the primary advertising target of S&H Green Stamps. S&H claims, “No wonder four out of five women who save stamps save S&H Green Stamps.” They also appeal to women with these words, “Be smart. Be thrifty. Join the 20 million thrifty women who save S&H Green Stamps.”

Saving stamps was so much a part of shopping and culture in the 1960s,

PROVIDED

The S&H Green Stamp Ideabook of 1966 celebrated the 70th anniversary of the company.

musical humorist Allan Sherman wrote a song called “Green Stamps.” He is best remembered for his song “Camp Granada,” which he performed on the Ed Sullivan Show.

In 1962, there were five redemption centers in Atlanta and the surrounding communities. The S&H Green Stamp Redemption Center on Columbia Drive in Decatur opened that year. There were also redemption centers on

Piedmont Avenue, Peachtree Street in downtown Atlanta, Perkerson Road in southwest Atlanta, and Roswell Street in Marietta. A larger store on Peachtree Street was built in November 1962, just in time for Christmas shopping.

Redemption stores advertised the brand name of products they carried. These included General Electric, Samsonite, Spalding, Kodak, Bulova and Kodak. The company also published a catalog of items available for purchase with stamps. The catalog had different names through the years but is best remembered as the “Ideabook.” In addition to household products, S&H stamps could be used to buy toys.

If this article brings back fun or not so fun memories of saving stamps, contact me at the email address below to share your stories.

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.

Real

Landscaping

EDEN

Maintenance,

sod, planting, and designing.

Clean ups small or big.

Text or call 404-454-7701

Flooring

LVP

H’WOOD

Moving Sale

MOVING SALE IN SANDY SPRINGS

All furniture in new condition

Dining Table & 4 chairs. Pub Style $300 retailed $729

Bar stools 2 for $100

TV Stand solid natural wood $50

Sectional Grey L shape $300 (Good condition)

Coffee Table & 2 side tables. Greyish/brown. $125 for all

2 Grey Solid Ceramic Lamps