Dunwoody faces tapping reserves to fund its budget
Future of paths projects remains dominant topic
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
DUNWOODY, Ga. — The Dunwoody City Council spent four and a half hours Sept. 9 poring over a proposed 2025 spending plan ahead of public hearings next month.
As things stand now, the city estimates revenues from taxes, fees and other sources will fall about $1.2 million short of its anticipated $37 million in spending – a structural deficit that may require dipping into cash reserves.
One of the key elements contributing to the shortfall is last year’s failure of a $60 million bond referendum that would have helped pay for capital investments in amenities like parks and multi-use trails the city has pushed for years. Voters rejected the bond by a 13 percent margin.
The city sent out a request for proposal for phase two of a 12-footwide sidepath on Winter’s Chapel Road the day after the referendum failed. Sidepath, or multi-use trail, is a term designating a paved linear
See RESERVES, Page 16
Atlanta Vibe pro brings skills to Dunwoody girls volleyball
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
DUNWOODY, Ga. —Kacie Evans, an outside hitter on the Atlanta Vibe, is leveraging her professional experience to rebuild Dunwoody High School’s girls volleyball program.
Evans uses her private time to coach a Wildcats team dominated by freshmen and sophomores.
While the Wildcats dropped their Sept. 10 match to the Chamblee Bulldogs, the varsity squad has much to celebrate.
In Evans first year at the helm, the Dunwoody Wildcats girls volleyball varsity team is off to a 12-
14 overall record with a 1-2 regional record.
A group of seniors graduated in the spring, leaving a youthful and energetic squad of underclassmen to continue Dunwoody High School’s storied girls volleyball program.
The young team battled throughout the game, displaying teamwork, talent and tenacity.
The 22-8 Chamblee Bulldogs are undefeated in regional play, competing alongside the Wildcats in Class 5A Region 4 with schools like Woodward Academy and Decatur High School.
See VOLLEYBALL, Page 18
The Dunwoody Wildcats and Chamblee Bulldogs show their sportsmanship at the conclusion of a high school rivalry match. While Dunwoody fell to a more experienced Chamblee team, its coach is bringing a professional player’s expertise to a rebuilding program.
PHOTOS BY: HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA
Two Dunwoody Wildcats rise up to block a Chamblee Bulldog spike during the Sept. 10 high school indoor volleyball match between the DeKalb County rivals. The Wildcats lost the match, dropping three sets and winning one in a best-of-five format.
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Police cite California man in restaurant altercation
DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody Police arrested a 34-year-old California man Sept. 6 after he allegedly punched a man without warning at Eclipse di Luna off Ashford Dunwoody Road.
Officers said they were called to the scene regarding a fight at the restaurant.
The victim, a 44-year-old Dunwoody man, said his girlfriend told him a man had been harassing her while he paid a visit to the restroom.
The boyfriend said he told the man to stay away from his girlfriend because she was crying, and they were trying to have a good time.
Around that time, the boyfriend said the suspect hit him out of nowhere with a closed fist in the face.
Officers said the boyfriend returned a punch to the other’s face, and patrons at the restaurant separated the two men.
The alleged attacker said the boyfriend aggressively approached him because he was talking to a female.
Officers said the suspect’s story matched the victim’s report. They also said both men had facial bruises.
After a witness corroborated the account from both parties, officers arrested the man who threw the first punch and transported him to DeKalb County Jail.
He was charged with misdemeanor simple assault.
Four suspects arrested in apartment robbery
DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody and Atlanta Police worked together to arrest four Metro Atlanta residents for armed robbery Sept. 5 after they allegedly stole around $6,000 in cash and belongings.
Dunwoody officers said the armed robbery occurred around 6:30 p.m. Sept. 5 at
the Heights at Dunwoody apartments off Asbury Square.
When officers arrived at the scene, they found two male victims with lacerations to their faces and a female with a lump on the back of her head. They also said the female victim’s 1-year-old son had two raised red marks on his chest.
Officers said the victims, a 26-year-old Decatur man, a 24-year-old Atlanta man, a 22-year-old Atlanta woman and her 1-yearold infant, were held at gunpoint by the occupants of gray Dodge Charger with a New Jersey license plate.
The Decatur man said he was dropping off the other victims at the apartment when they were ambushed by the occupants of the Dodge Charger.
The victims said they were struck with the suspects’ handguns and described them wearing black masks.
Officers said the four suspects stole $2,000 in cash, two iPhones and the victims’ wallets, which totals just under $6,000.
After emergency medical services responded to the scene to treat the victims, Metro Atlanta officers began looking for the suspects’ vehicle with license plate readers.
Dunwoody officers said Atlanta officers arrested the four suspects on Middleton Road in Atlanta.
Dunwoody detectives then interviewed the suspects at headquarters, eventually transporting them to DeKalb County Jail.
The charges between the suspects include felony robbery, cruelty to children and weapons offenses.
Officers arrest driver in hit-and-run incident
ROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell Police arrested a 25-year-old Florida man Sept. 4 after he allegedly fled the scene of a hit and run at Holcomb Bridge Road and Holcomb Woods Parkway.
The victim, a 24-year-old Roswell woman, said a silver Chrysler sedan with a Florida license plate struck her vehicle around 10:40 a.m. and then drove off.
An officer said he contacted the vehicle’s registered owner who told him her nephew was driving the car.
The officer said the registered owner instructed her nephew to return to the scene
CORRECTION: The Sept. 12 article, “Dunwoody proposed ’25 budget anticipates increase in spending,” incorrectly stated the dollar amount of reserves budgeted in 2024 and 2025.
In the current fiscal year, which ends Dec. 31, Dunwoody budgeted the use of $730,000 of its reserves, but city officials said they did not need to use them.
The article incorrectly stated the city budgeted the use of $2 million in fiscal year 2024. In the proposed 2025 budget, the city anticipates using $1.3 million of reserves.
of the accident near the Holcomb Bridge ConneXion shopping center.
It is not clear how the caller, living in Bradenton, Florida, got the vehicle to her nephew living in Alpharetta.
Officers said the Florida man told them through translators that the victim’s vehicle swerved in his lane and struck his 2015 Chrysler 200.
After reviewing security footage of the incident, officers said the Chrysler crossed over two lanes while turning onto the roadway and hit the woman’s car.
Officers arrested the Florida man and issued him four citations for hit and run, no insurance, instructional permit violation and failure to yield entering the roadway.
Couple sought for theft of $5,000 in store items
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Almost $5,000 in beauty products were reported stolen from a North Point Parkway store Aug. 21.
Police were dispatched to the store where an employee said a man and woman had stolen the items, according to an Alpharetta police report. A total of 41 Dior items valued at $2,286 and 50 La Roche-Posay items valued at $2,201.50 were reported stolen.
The employee said surveillance cameras recorded the man and woman entering the store on Aug. 17 and stealing the items.
The man placed the items into a large black handbag the woman was holding.
The employee said the two have been seen shoplifting from their company’s stores in the past.
Customers paying their taxes at the Memorial Drive tax office will use the UGA Extension entrance located at the front of the building from Sept. 16–30, weekdays only.
EXTENDED HOURS from Sept. 23–30 until 6 PM (North and South offices until 4:30 PM).
Know before you go:
First installment is due Sept 30; second installment is due Nov 15
If paying the total amount due in one payment, it must be paid in full by Sept 30 Bills for City of Atlanta-DeKalb are due Nov 15
Bring your bill stub and valid Georgia ID or Georgia driver’s license
Acceptable payment methods include credit/debit card, check or money order Processing fees apply for credit/debit card payments
Parking is available near the UGA Extension Service lot facing Memorial Drive Disabled customers may use the Property Tax entrance off Northern Ave.
Security screening is required for service.
Payment methods:
ONLINE: Visit publicaccess.dekalbtax.org. Credit/debit card payments are accepted; processing fees apply. There is no service fee for paying by e-Check.
PAY-BY-PHONE: Call 770-336-7500, Monday–Friday, 8 AM–5 PM. Credit/debit card payments are accepted; processing fees apply There is no fee for paying by e-Check
DROP BOX: 24-hour drop box available at all three office locations Payment must be placed in the box by the due date; cash not accepted
IN PERSON: Central Office, 4380 Memorial Dr , Decatur, GA 30032; North Office, 3653 Clairmont Rd , Chamblee, GA 30341; South DeKalb Mall, 2801 Candler Rd , Suite 66, Decatur, GA 30034
MAIL: Must be postmarked by the USPS by the due date to avoid late fees; metered or kiosk postage dates are not accepted as proof of timely payment. Please consider alternative payment methods due to ongoing mail delivery issues.
Local entrepreneur rides landscaping green wave
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
DUNWOODY, Ga. — Battery technology is creating opportunities for landscapers to opt for more sustainable and environmentally friendly practices.
Elon Musk’s effort to build a world powered by solar energy, rechargeable batteries and electric vehicles has led to downstream effects in other industries, such as landscaping.
Dunwoody’s own environmentally conscious entrepreneur, Lloyd Fisher, has capitalized on evolving battery technology.
Fisher’s Oak Avenue Landscaping received the 2023 Sustainability Hero Award for local businesses in April. City officials lauded Fisher for making the city more eco-friendly.
Oak Avenue Landscaping is an all-electric commercial landscaping company with two field employees alongside Fisher and one administrator. It uses state-of-the-art equipment to service the 15-mile radius around Dunwoody and the Perimeter.
Fisher said there’s a lot his team does at residences across north Metro Atlanta, including landscape design, installation, drainage, decks, grading and tree service.
There are some misconceptions about the differences between electric and gas-powered landscaping equipment. Namely, technology has advanced to the point where compact batteries can generate the same level of performance. Not all electric tools match their gas rivals’ torque, but some are out there.
Gas mowers and blowers typically cost less and outperform older and cheaper electric equipment.
On the other hand, Fisher said he saves money and charges his equipment for free using his solar-powered trailer.
Consumer Reports says the benefits of going electric include, environmental and noise concerns, the long-term cost of gasoline, maintenance and storage.
Fisher, along with his journey to the United States, shows that everyone can make a difference in their community, no matter how far from home.
backbone of his landscaping business and his kids motivate his ecofriendly practices.
Oak Avenue Landscaping’s solar-powered trailer sits in front of a Dunwoody residence after wrapping up a plant installation. The solar panels on the roof of the trailer allow landscapers to charge their equipment’s batteries between jobs and on the go.
goals, but it got him to the point where he wanted to do something for himself.
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“I used to work in marketing for a couple of companies,” Fisher said. “Maybe it’s just the nature of the industry since COVID, but I’ve been affected by layoffs multiple times over the last four years.”
The COVID-19 pandemic, shutdown of American society and subsequent economic environment could have discouraged Fisher from pursuing his
“I was helping another landscaper with her marketing and ended up doing more of an operations role with her,” he said. “I felt like, if I’m going to be doing this and I’ve already seen what it’s like, I’d rather do it the way I wanted to.”
Typical landscaping crews, like city contractors at Brook Run Park, work in large teams with gas-powered equipment.
“Guys are wearing equipment
PHOTOS BY: OAK AVENUE LANDSCAPING/PROVIDED Lloyd Fisher, owner of Oak Avenue Landscaping, enjoys the coast during a family vacation while holding his two-year-old son, Jack, and smiling with his wife, Allison, and 4-year-old daughter, Bets. Fisher said his wife is the
OAK AVENUE LANDSCAPING/PROVIDED
Four-year-old Bets, daughter of Oak Avenue Landscaping owner Lloyd Fisher, sits aboard one of her dad’s electric lawnmowers. Oak Avenue Landscaping is introducing Dunwoody residents to electric yard equipment, the use of native plants and other ways to make yard maintenance more eco-friendly.
Landscape:
Continued from Page 4
to look after themselves, like ear and face protection,” Fisher said. “Because obviously they don’t want to get poisoned, but everyone in the community and the environment is suffering.”
Fisher immigrated to New York City from South Africa after meeting his wife, Allison. They have a 2-year-old son and a 4-year-old daughter.
How he and his wife met on a cruise ship is another story. Fisher said his wife is the backbone of his business, and he couldn’t do it without her.
With his children yet to start elementary school, Fisher said there needs to be a change to preserve the natural environment for future generations.
Fisher has a unique perspective on landscaping.
“My whole family growing up … everyone had a green thumb,” he said.
Hailing from South Africa, Fisher said Georgia has a uniquely beautiful natural environment.
Specifically, he cited the trees that visitors notice when they’re flying into Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
Fisher said the whole concept of landscaping has always felt off to him: Many times, when property owners are trying to make their slice of the Earth more beautiful, they’re damaging the natural environment and public health in the process.
“It’s so ironic to me,” Fisher said. “If you’re using a two-stroke gas blower, it releases the same amount of emissions
into the atmosphere that a regular car does when you’re driving from Atlanta to the border of Mexico.”
In other words, operating a single gas-powered blower generates pollutants and carcinogens equivalent to driving a standard vehicle around 1,100 miles.
The statistic is shocking to some, but it’s commonly cited in the world of environmentalism, including on the Ansley Park Civic Association’s webpage about the negative impacts of gas blowers.
Oak Avenue Landscaping and Fisher go a step beyond using electric equipment, they also work with clients to select native species of plants.
He said a lot of his Dunwoody neighbors plant shrubs, flowers and trees in their yards that are non-native and don’t last.
“People are planting a lot of annuals every season and just throwing away healthy plants,” Fisher said. “You could put in some perennials, native to this region, that really support pollinators and make it a thriving ecosystem.”
Fisher said clients usually reach out for a free consultation after getting a referral from past customers or seeing positive testimonials online.
There is information online about the benefits of electric landscaping equipment and how native plants interact with their environment.
Fisher said he and his team at Oak Avenue Landscaping are just a call away to give advice.
If homeowners have a yard project in mind, Oak Avenue Landscape invites them to schedule a free consultation to discuss their needs and determine the best solution.
To learn more visit, www. oakavelandscape.com/.
UNCORKand UNWIND
Statewide organizations join fray in Appen vs. Sandy Springs suit
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Appen Media’s open records lawsuit with Sandy Springs, now in the appeals process, has drawn a new set of players.
Two statewide organizations have submitted amicus briefs in the case, each supporting different sides of the debate over interpretations of the Georgia Open Records Act.
The Georgia First Amendment Foundation has thrown its weight behind Appen Media, arguing that an unfavorable ruling could have statewide implications leaving the public in the dark about crime in their communities.
In an opposing move, the Georgia Municipal Association has filed an amicus brief siding with the City of Sandy Springs. The GMA, which advocates for and provides services for some 536 Georgia cities, argues that local agencies should have authority to interpret ambiguous language, like “initial” in the law requiring release of initial police reports.
Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul has served three terms on the GMA’s Board of Directors and currently serves as its Transportation Chair.
At issue is a December ruling by Fulton County Superior Court Judge Kimberly Adams that cleared Sandy Springs of violating the Georgia Open Records Act. Adams ruled that the Sandy Springs Police Department is not in violation of the act when it withholds information about the crime, the victim, whether an arrest was made or if a danger exists to the surrounding community.
Instead, the city – for the most part – provides one-sentence narratives and places all vital information in a supplemental report it withholds from the public.
The news organization argues that the responses it receives from Sandy Spring Police after filing open records requests are not the full incident reports required for release under state law. Adams ruled that Appen Media failed to prove that it is unlawful for the Police Department to withhold supplemental information about a crime that police include in a second report, even if that information is added at the same time by the same officer.
Even so, the judge conceded “[Appen] may be correct in its assertion that [the Sandy Springs Police Department’s] practice violates the spirit of the Open Records Act.”
Appen Media alleges that Sandy Springs has repeatedly denied access to initial police officer narratives that are
routinely filed during investigations on the same day that the crime incident occurs.
An officer’s full account of a crime incident, which should have been provided in response to every request, has been marked as filed on the same day and at the same time as the skeleton report sent to the newspaper, Appen has argued.
The supplemental full reports exist but are hidden from the public, Appen says.
Initial police incident reports, in most cases, include narratives that allow Appen Media to inform readers with details about crimes. Full incident reports with officers’ detailed narratives are provided by police agencies in Alpharetta, Dunwoody, Forsyth County, Johns Creek, Milton and Roswell.
Things are different in Sandy Springs.
In a May 15 email to Appen Media, Sandy Springs City Attorney Dan Lee claimed some supplemental reports are exempt from release.
“The law clearly allows that initial incident reports are to be disclosed and any supplements to the initial reports,” Lee wrote. “There are no supplements to initial reports that have not been disclosed, [and the ones] you are mentioning in this complaint are the notes and investigative information dealing with open investigations.”
The notes and investigative information, which other police departments provide to Appen Media every week, are also called “initial reports,” and are the crux of the debate.
The pending decision from the threejudge panel of Georgia Court of Appeals could have widespread implications for how records are shared with the public throughout the state.
Guidance from experts
As part of its court case, Appen Media cited guidance from the current “A Law Enforcement Officer’s Guide to Open Records in Georgia,” which states that “initial incident and police arrest reports are subject to the Act’s disclosure requirements, regardless of whether they are part of an active investigation. Additionally, any report, whether entitled a ‘supplemental report,’ ‘narrative report,’ or similar document name that is produced as part of an initial incident report or can be characterized as such, is likewise to be disclosed.”
The guidance booklet was prepared and endorsed by the Georgia Attorney General in conjunction with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Georgia Sheriff’s Association, Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police, Prosecuting Attorneys’ See LAWSUIT, Page 7
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Spalding Drive
Elementary may be shuttering next year, after Fulton County Schools staff recommended its closure due to an aging building and declining enrollment.
The presentation at a Sept. 10 Board of Education work session also recommended that board members consider the closure of Parklane Elementary School in East Point.
Because its enrollment is projected to continually decline past the 450-student threshold the school district identifies as “operationally inefficient,” it is considering consolidating East Point and Sandy Springs
Lawsuit: Spalding Drive Elementary faces board vote on closure
Continued from Page 6
Council of Georgia and Georgia Press Association.
Appen’s suit centered on whether the second document, compiled by and kept out of public view by Sandy Springs Police, is typically prepared by the officers using information obtained at the scene and is considered part of the initial incident report.
In December 2022, Georgia Assistant Attorney General Jennifer Colangelo said it is.
Replying to a request from the media company, Colangelo stated: “A commonsense interpretation of ‘initial incident report’ is that anything written at the same time as the first part of the report is part of the initial incident report.”
Among the hundreds of examples of skeleton reports, one in particular caught the attention of Appen Media.
On Dec. 11, 2022, a Sandy Springs police officer provided the following narrative about a crime incident: “I responded to a person shot at 1208 Cimarron Pkwy.”
This is the only account Sandy Springs Police provided about an incident that took place at an apartment complex.
The document is coded “Person Dead” and includes the name of the victim and two suspects. It also includes the names of two others but doesn’t specify whether they were witnesses, victims or suspects.
The report does not identify the officers who responded to the call and provides no details on whether the incident was a homicide or an accident. It makes no mention of any arrests.
State organizations chime in
In its filing, the Georgia Municipal Association acknowledges “a rare situation” in which if finds itself at odds with the Georgia First Amendment Foundation on interpretations of the Georgia Open Meetings or Georgia Open Records acts.
The GMA filing goes on to say that the
elementary schoolers.
This year, Spalding Drive Elementary School has 349 students and is predicted to have seven fewer next year. The district says the 1960s school building needs extensive repairs based on a condition assessment.
Neighboring elementary schools, like Ison Springs, Woodland and Lake Forest, have capacity to accommodate Spalding Drive’s student population, according to the staff presentation.
Between now and the board vote, Fulton County Schools officials said they
disagreement is over “the inclusion of the word ‘initial’ in the statutory text” and the choice of the Georgia Legislature to use the term in creating this exception in the world of open records.
The brief states that “GMA completely agrees with the GFAF that the ‘Georgia General Assembly has mandated that initial police incident reports are subject to disclosure under the Georgia Open Records Act.’”
The municipal association states that Appen Media has cited outdated statutory language, but the law remains the same. The argument from the GMA questions whether the court should interpret the law and advocates for a local agency’s interpretation of the word “initial” over the judiciary’s ruling.
The GMA cites two recent cases where the Georgia Court of Appeals deferred to an agency’s interpretation of legal text when the language is ambiguous.
On the other hand, the Georgia First Amendment Foundation argues that the General Assembly “recognized the public’s interest in the disclosure of initial incident reports when it mandated that they be disclosed.”
The foundation, which submitted its amicus brief Aug. 29, says its interest in the case is “because the trial court’s ruling will have serious and negative implications for the public’s ability to access open records in the state of Georgia.”
It argues that this kind of “informational shell game is contrary both to the purpose of the Open Records Act and to the weight of authority around the country holding that the nature of the requested information — not the title of the report in which that information appears — is what determines whether or not it is public.”
The foundation further argues that law enforcement agencies could disregard this requirement by putting all meaningful initial incident information in another report.
Instead, its filing states that police already have remedies to protect the city’s interests in safeguarding information about its officers and “active
will host three community meetings in October, November and December.
Fulton County Schools’ student populations have dropped roughly 10 percent over the past seven years.
The district estimates enrollment of 87,272 this year. That’s down 600 students from 2023-24.
Fulton County Schools’ overall cohort, or group of students that enter a program together and remain together throughout its duration, saw its largest decline of 526 students in district history.
The district divides school clusters into
investigations,” like redacting a victim’s identity.
The municipal association argues that the word “initial” is ambiguous, and that it is up to local authorities to determine its meaning.
The First Amendment Foundation argues that the Legislature has been explicit in its definition of “initial” police reports, and that its scope includes crime details that law enforcement agencies throughout Metro Atlanta release to the public. Sandy Springs is the exception, the foundation says.
The Georgia Constitution requires the Court of Appeals to issue a ruling by March 14, 2025.
regions: South, Sandy Springs, North and FAVE, or full-time online schooling.
Atlanta Public Schools, a separate district, is not included in the data and analysis.
The Sandy Springs region, including all feeders to Riverwood and North Springs high schools, forecasts 207 fewer students from the 2023-24 to 2024-25 school years.
With 8,996 students enrolled during the first month of the 2023-24 school year, the Sandy Springs region saw a 2.21 percent drop in enrollment, mostly among elementary students.
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Brookhaven library began on Shows family back porch
The DeKalb County Public Library has announced plans for a new Brookhaven Library. Preliminary building plans are available at the county library website, dekalblibrary. org. This Past Tense article is about Brookhaven’s library history, which began on the back porch of the home of Edna and Weldon Shows.
The Shows moved to 56 E. Brookhaven Drive in 1942. Weldon Shows was one of the mayors who served the municipality of North Atlanta during the years it existed, 1924-1963. (History of Brookhaven, by Mrs. Willig, DeKalb History Center Archives)
Louse Trotti coordinated the DeKalb County bookmobile unit and drove the bus throughout the county. Trotti had certain homes where she could park her bookmobile. In Brookhaven, that was the Shows home. The children of Brookhaven would come to the Shows’ porch, browse the books on shelves they had installed and check out books.
Edna Shows also told stories to the children. Each time they visited the back porch library, she would ask them to name three things they would like to hear in a story next time. This was an added incentive for the children to return.
After a while, the Shows porch and the bookmobile couldn’t manage the demand for books. The closest library was the Ida Williams Library in Buckhead, which charged Brookhaven residents $5 to check out books.
Carol M. Johnson, former society editor for the North DeKalb Record newspaper, suggested the need for a library after seeing children buy books in a drugstore that she believed were inappropriate. She went to the North Atlanta Brookhaven Planning Council to ask for their help.
The American Legion hut was offered to DeKalb County for $1 for the purpose of a library. With the help of DeKalb County Commissioner Scott Candler, the rent-free building was refurbished. In later years, the hut was used as the St. Martin’s School Field Resale Shop.
Maude Burrus, first librarian of the county, shared her knowledge and guided the citizens of Brookhaven toward their goal of having a community library. Donations came in from individuals and businesses, including Rich’s Department Stores.
On Feb. 10, 1951, a formal opening
of the Brookhaven Library, located in the former American Legion hut, was held, and the people who helped make it happen were invited. Nine days later the doors of the library opened to the community.
In the beginning, the library was open three days a week from 1 p.m. until 6 p.m. Local businesses continued to support the library, including Big Apple Grocery Store, DeKalb National Bank and Woolworth’s.
Mattie Dodson was the first librarian in Brookhaven and continued in that role from 1951 until 1972. She had previously worked at McElroy’s Supermarket but was offered the job of librarian with a starting pay of $15 per week.
It soon became apparent a more permanent library building was needed for Brookhaven. A bond issue passed to provide the money needed. Rather than purchase land for the library, land that was already owned by the county was selected. That meant all the funds from the bond issue could be used for construction.
In 1955, plans for a $30,000 library, designed by John R. Edwards, appeared in the Atlanta newspapers. The library was referred to as Fernwood Park Library and described as a building of Roman brick, featuring a 2,475-squarefoot reading room. Plans included a small basement auditorium, kitchen and storage room. Lillian Gregson, chairperson of the Brookhaven Library Board, announced: “We hope to have the building ready for dedication in time for the February 1956 celebration of the fifth anniversary of the Brookhaven Library’s establishment.” (Atlanta Constitution, Sept. 2,1955, “Northside News”)
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/APPEN MEDIA
The current Brookhaven Library, designed by John R. Edwards, first opened in 1956.
VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF Columnist
Celebrated tennis coach partners with local school
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Patrick Mouratoglou, the celebrated tennis coach of Serena Williams, announced a new partnership with Atlanta International School’s Sandy Springs campus this month.
The collaboration launches the Mouratoglou Academy Atlanta at the private school off Brandon Hall Drive.
Atlanta International School says the partnership offers students an exceptional experience in the classroom and on the tennis court.
Mouratoglou, whose expertise helped launch the success of many Grand Slam champions, has developed a philosophy to enhance players’ abilities and cultivate their passion for tennis.
The legendary French tennis coach began to expand his academies internationally at the end of 2020, thanks to the success of the Mouratoglou Academy in southern France.
The initiative marks the first location in Georgia.
Mouratoglou aims to expand his high-caliber instruction internationally, building on his successful centers and academies across the globe.
Mouratoglou visited the campus and its four hard courts Sept. 6 to meet with the Atlanta International School team, including Head of School Kevin Glass.
The head of school said he’s excited to offer exceptional opportunities to talented youth tennis players.
“Whether the student athletes
ATLANTA INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL/PROVIDED
From left, French tennis coach Patrick Mouratoglou and Head of Atlanta International School Kevin Glass take a break from their match Sept. 6 after launching a new partnership — Mouratoglou Academy at AIS’s Sandy Springs Campus.
are coming from here in Georgia or from anywhere around the world, with our new Day and Boarding programs, they will … be part of a welcoming international community of friends,” Glass said.
During the visit, Glass and Mouratoglou discussed the new partnership, explored future
projects and even had the opportunity to get on the court together.
Mouratoglou said he’s proud to bring his coaches and programs to an already outstanding facility and curriculum at Atlanta Internation School’s Sandy Springs Campus.
“This approach empowers
passionate players to excel both academically and, on the court, enabling them to reach their full potential and train hard every day with our guidance,” he said.
For more information about Mouratoglou Academy Atlanta, visit www.mouratoglou.com/en/ mouratoglou-international/.
Longtime friends share experience, tips on dementia caregiving
By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Nancy Treaster struggled to find the information she needed while caring for her husband, who had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia about a decade ago.
Frontotemporal dementia is a cognitive disorder that involves the progressive degeneration of the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain, resulting in symptoms like changes in personality and behavior, loss of speech and language skills as well as physical issues.
Feeling frustrated, the Johns Creek resident turned to her longtime friend Sue Ryan, who had been in the caregiving world herself for 40 years, with an idea to start a blog about the day-to-day challenges of caregiving and how to tackle them.
Ryan, based in Florida, suggested they join forces to start a podcast. And, they did, launching “The Caregiver’s Journey” in August.
“We wanted to be able to have practical tips and candid conversations about the good, the bad, and yes, the ugly, in our caregiving
journeys, and help people get really specific, detailed answers … and also be on the positive side, though, too,”
Ryan said.
Ryan’s husband died last year after a years-long battle with Alzheimer’s disease.
Just the day before, the pair were conducting research for a fourpart series on incontinence. They couldn’t find a detailed instructional video on how to change a Depend on
someone who is mobile, like Treaster’s husband. The only videos they found were too high-level.
“We call it the ‘nitty gritty’…”
DEBBIE FITZGERALD/PROVIDED
Johns Creek resident Nancy Treaster and her friend Sue Ryan host a podcast titled “The Caregiver’s Journey,” offering tips to dementia caregivers. The podcast launched in August.
Caregiver:
Continued from Page 10
Treaster said. “You can’t find this information. People don’t want to talk about it.”
Treaster recalled the grieving she had to do when her husband was diagnosed and the relief she found in support groups on Facebook, wanting to return that to listeners struggling.
In less than a month, Treaster said the podcast has had more than 700 downloads. The Alzheimer’s Association estimates that more than 11 million Americans provide unpaid care for a family member or friend diagnosed with dementia.
In addition to understanding the diagnosis itself, Treaster said caregiving is also about understanding what to expect, wrapping your head around what’s happening.
“Every little thing that happens for the first year or so … is like a punch in the gut,” she said. “They don’t know their ATM code, they don’t know their birthday, they don’t know your birthday. And, these are not things that happen all at once. They’re just one more thing they don’t know.”
Ryan calls it “drip grief.”
“My husband wasn’t killed by a bus,” Ryan said. “He wasn’t hit by a bus, and all of a sudden he’s gone. But, every day there was just a little something. And the same thing with everyone I was caring for — something goes away. You don’t know what it’s going to be, and you don’t know when it’s going to be.”
Ryan’s caregiving journey started when she was in her early 20s, with a neighbor who had dementia. Her father also had dementia, and in retrospect, she said she wasn’t fully accepting of his diagnosis and therefore, not fully present.
Merritt Treaster introduces himself on an episode of “The Caregiver’s Journey,” a podcast hosted by his mother Nancy and her friend Sue Ryan. Merritt, also the podcast’s audio engineer and editor, provides his perspective on the caregiving journey as a child of someone with dementia. His father, Nancy’s husband, was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia nine years ago.
For more information on “The Caregiver’s Journey,” visit https:// thecaregiversjourney.com.
Since then, Ryan said her perspective shifted to “massive acceptance” and “radical presence,” coming to light when caring for her husband.
“...I was able to make really wise choices in very challenging situations and feel at peace with what it was,” she said.
This lesson, and others, like navigating a full-time career while also caregiving, are topics she and Treaster want to offer on the podcast.
The show also features Treaster’s son Merritt, the podcast’s audio engineer and editor, who adds his perspective as a child of someone diagnosed with dementia.
“Nancy and I have a ton of stories of actual experiences we’ve gone through, or where people have shared and … we’ve learned from others, and they’ve been really helpful,” Ryan said. “We want other people to be able to do that, just to learn faster and more easily than we did.”
SCREENSHOT
Land Development team helps raise new ground
By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Inside a conference room at Johns Creek City Hall, Terrence Byrd and others in the city’s Community Development Department sat with a resident for more than an hour, advising her on a small home project.
The process for Catherine Curtiss to make her backyard in St. Ives Country Club more accessible, by adding a few stepping stones, was more than she bargained for.
Byrd, the city’s environmental compliance manager, a role within the department’s Land Development division, explained that her home is in the River Corridor and with that, comes some restrictions.
The River Corridor is defined by its distance to the Chattahoochee River, a 2,000-foot buffer. It’s under the purview of the Atlanta Regional Commission, as part of the Metropolitan River Protection Act, adopted in the mid-’70s to protect a 48-mile stretch of the river between Buford Dam and Peachtree Creek.
“When you have a property in a river corridor, you have impervious calculations,” Byrd told Curtiss.
He later pulled Appen Media along to the new Knollwood subdivision off Parsons Road, turning the designs shown in its land disturbance permit into reality.
Protecting the environment
Each home in the River Corridor is given only so many impervious “credits,” or square footage that can be purchased by homeowners or transferred to them from a next-door neighbor, based on the final plat — the permanent record of a development plan that rests with the county.
Byrd projected the final plat for
DINNER & BINGO!
SEPT. 26
St. Ives to show Curtiss the number of credits she was working with, just above the amount of clearing allowed. She was in the negative and would also have to pay $300 for a minor land disturbance permit, an application pertaining to work on less than an acre.
“We always do everything by the rules, so whatever we need to do, we’ll do,” Curtiss said.
She said her homeowners association requires that an application be submitted before making any landscaping changes. A committee advised her to go to City Hall to see if she needed a permit — and she did need one. The panel also wanted proof of her landscaper’s insurance.
“I’m just kind of jumping through the hoops to make my HOA happy and Johns Creek happy,” Curtiss said. Educating the public
Byrd said that there’s a lot of meetings he conducts like the one with Curtiss.
“The reason why we have people coming in to meet with us before [is]
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so we can share with you all the rules and regulations or whatever you need to do to get your permit or to get a permit to be in compliance,” Byrd told Curtiss.
Land Development Manager Gilbert Quinones, sitting beside a city planner, said impervious calculations are determined by the Atlanta Regional Commission.
A professional civil engineer, Quinones helped design St. Ives before joining the city and that experience was obvious in the knowledge he was able to impart to Curtiss during their conversation.
Now, Quinones’ role is to review all land disturbance permits. He also oversees stormwater management, the system that dictates how much impervious surface a land lot can have.
Quinones explained the agency’s application for developments within the River Corridor, broken up into five “vulnerability categories”: A, B, C, D, E and F. Each was based on a ratio of the percentage of land disturbed to the percentage of impervious surface that could be allowed.
“It’s too complex a formula for me,” he said.
Quinones described the importance of permits in terms of placing a home on the market.
“What’s the first question he’ll ask you — ‘Is there anything out there that’s not permitted?’” Quinones said of a popular area real estate agent, posing a theoretical situation to Curtiss. “If there’s anything out there that’s not permitted, he won’t buy your house.”
Checking compliance
Taking the reins from the city’s land development inspector, who
couldn’t be there that day, Byrd pointed out common issues to look for in an in-progress development, like Knollwood. Things like fallen silt fences and the status of gravel driveways to each of the homes.
The inspector, Byrd said, focuses on erosion and sediment control.
As the city’s environmental compliance manager, Byrd oversees the land development process from beginning to end. He also manages tree removal permits.
Carrying a number of certifications, Byrd said he entered local government after a few years of pouring concrete. For the Thursday site visit, he brought along a large, thick scroll of site plans, which he said is standard practice. Several houses, out of a total of 20 planned for the new community, had already been constructed. A crew worked on the roof of one nearby.
Construction begins only after approval of the land disturbance permit and the final plat.
Byrd said a number of departments and divisions are involved in the process — an arborist and staff from the Community Development Department’s Planning and Zoning and Land Development divisions. The Fire Department must also check for ADA compliance and fire truck accessibility. Staff in the Public Works Department review transportation needs, like sidewalk connectivity.
On the Land Development side, inspectors conduct a pre-construction, on-site meeting to review rules and regulations, speaking to a three-phase erosion control plan required by the state.
One of the most interesting aspects to his job, Byrd said, is the diverse group of people he gets to meet on a regular basis, “the melting pot of America.”
It’s also the education piece.
“The fun part is really educating and helping people to get a greater understanding … the reward of seeing people say, ‘Thank you so much,’ for the things that they didn’t know, that you helped them with,” Byrd said. “That has a lot to do with it.”
AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA
Johns Creek Environmental Compliance Manager, Terrence Byrd, points to construction work in the new Knollwood subdivision off Parsons Road. Working out of the Community Development Department, Byrd oversees the land development process from start to finish.
CIVIC DUTIES: In a new series from Appen Media, Civic Duties will take readers behind the scenes of local government. Senior Reporter Amber Perry and her colleagues will shadow employees across different city departments and turn those experiences into original reporting, so residents get a closer look at what exactly local governments provide the community.
Sandy Springs schedules food-focused fall festival
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Sandy Springs is rolling out OktoberFEAST — a two-day festival Oct. 19-20 at City Springs with cultural offerings from Bavaria, Germany.
The free family-friendly celebration runs from 3-9 p.m. Oct. 19 and 20. It will feature authentic German culture with live music from the Swinging Bavarians and Auf Geht’s and a selection of Prussian beers and cuisine.
City staff said the Swinging Bavarians, donning traditional Lederhosen and Dirndls, will
captivate guests with authentic music and dance, offering a diverse selection of tunes to entertain all ages.
If the six-piece Auf Geht’s group inspires OktoberFEAST patrons, polka dance lessons are available during the festival.
Bavaria, a southeastern state of Germany, celebrates the world’s largest Volksfest in Munich, featuring a beer festival and traveling carnival from late September through the first Sunday of October.
Johns Creek Symphony to hold audition concerts for its new music director
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra’s 2024-2025 season will spotlight three world-class conductors as they bring their strengths and passion to the podium in hopes of becoming its next music director.
The season, beginning Oct. 5, comes almost one year since the death of J. Wayne Baughman, the organization’s founder and former maestro, who died last November.
“Three Maestros, One Podium” will feature concerts from conductors Henry Cheng, Howard Hsu and Paul Bhasin.
Throughout the season, they will be joined by renowned instrumental and vocal soloists, including BrittonRené Collins, David Fung, Tom Hooten, Johns Creek Chorale, and Bethany Mamola, to present concerts that emphasize the power of human connection, the vibrancy of different music genres and the impact music has
on communities.
The first concert is Oct. 5 at 7 p.m. at Newtown Park, and it will feature Cheng as he leads the orchestra into a classical rendition of chart-topping K-pop hits.
Audience members will be invited to complete surveys after each concert, providing invaluable feedback that will help choose the next artistic leader of the orchestra. At the end of the season, the organization will announce the new music director.
The five-concert season ticket package for “Three Maestros, One Podium” is on sale now, ranging in price from $85 to $215. Single tickets range in price from $22 to $55. To buy individual concert tickets, season tickets or explore sponsorship opportunities, visit johnscreeksymphony.org or call 678748-5802.
Cities across the world hold Oktoberfest celebrations to pay tribute to the original Munich event, held since 1810.
Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul said the inaugural event’s incredible lineup establishes the city as a hub for entertainment and culture.
“OktoberFEAST will enhance our vibrant event calendar, offering residents and visitors the chance to celebrate autumn with local crafts, seasonal foods and lively entertainment,” Paul said.
Food takes center stage with
harvest favorites and Bavarian specialties, including pretzels, German sausages, potato pancakes and apple strudel with caramel sauce.
For patrons 21 and older, a curated selection of specialty beers will be on offer, including Hefe Weissbier from the world’s oldest brewery, Weihenstephaner.
Additional brews include Festbier from Tucher Brewery and Benediktiner; Oktoberfest Lagers from Goat Island Brewery; and The Brooklyn Brewery.
East Roswell pumpkin patch to open Sept. 30
ROSWELL, Ga. — In its 15th year, the annual Bridge to Grace Covenant Church Pumpkin Patch will open Sept. 30.
The East Roswell patch, located at 2385 Holcomb Bridge Road, will feature a number of activities for families and all ages in the North Fulton community. It will be open Monday through Friday from 2-7 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. and Sunday from noon-5 p.m.
Many families return to the church each year to choose pumpkins and take photos in front of the colorful fallthemed photo areas. The church’s large green space will be full of games and activities for all ages, like hula hoops, corn hole, tic-tac-toe and Jenga.
“Our patch is not only a fundraiser for mission outreach, but an annual
Experience Matters.
tradition,” co-organizer Amanda Reed said. “We love this opportunity to meet and engage with so many wonderful people and families in our community. We also appreciate the opportunity to pray for those people who come and share any needs they have. It is a very special month for our church.”
Highlights include a “Blessing of the Animals,” a Girl Scout bake sale, a petting zoo, a family fun day with costume contests as well as a bonfire with s’mores and a sing-along.
On weekends, there will be children’s story time, and every Wednesday through October, community prayer will be held from 7-7:30 p.m.
For more information, visit b2gcc. org.
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DUNWOODY HOME TOUR
Spruill Gallery & Gift Shop part of the Dunwoody Woman’s Club 51st Annual Home Tour
Provided by the Dunwoody Woman’s Club
Exciting news! Included on this year’s tour is an extra stop at the fabulous Spruill Gallery & Gift Shop which is located at 4681 Ashford Dunwoody Road. A docent will be on hand to welcome you.
This is part of the 51st Annual Home Tour set for Wednesday, Oct 9, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. and is hosted by the Dunwoody Woman’s Club. All profits from the home tour are used to fulfill the club’s charitable initiatives. Home tour tickets can be purchased several ways, as outlined below at the end of this article.
Spruill Gallery features Kate Burke and Aineki Traverso September 19 through October 31, 2024. The two award-winning Atlantabased artists explore contemporary themes through the traditional mediums of painting, ceramics, and needlepoint in fresh and unexpected ways.
Check your home tour ticket for a discount coupon on purchases at the gift shop.
Past and Present
“Around 1842 James Spruill and his wife moved to Dunwoody and had a son named Thomas. They built a log cabin and smokehouse on their property on Ashford Dunwoody Road. The smokehouse still stands today. The log cabin had to be torn down in 1905 due to termite infestation. An addition was built on the log house before the termite infestation. Four rooms and a hallway were added to the front of the home and Victorian trim was added later.” (Excerpt from Past Tense by Valerie Biggerstaff)
Be sure to check out the exciting raffle on the day of the tour for a chance to win one of three prizes. All prizes valued at $500 or more: a shopping spree at Lauderhill’s Fine Jewelry, a Woodhouse Spa basket and gift card, or a 2-hour design consultation with Linda Rickles Interiors. Both cash and credit cards are accepted to enter the raffle.
Tickets are $35 in advance and $40 on tour day. We look forward to seeing you at the home tour and appreciate your support. Remember, profits of the tour help fund our charitable projects. Buy your tickets today! For more information about the Dunwoody Woman’s Club go to www. dunwoodywomansclub.com.
More information
Home Tour tickets are available now and can be purchased:
• To buy tickets online go to www.dunwoodywomansclub.com/ event-tickets/
• WILL CALL for tickets purchased online – Pick up on October 9 tour day beginning at 9:30 am – at Spruill Center for the Arts, 5339 Chamblee Dunwoody Rd., Dunwoody.
• To buy tickets in person go to The Enchanted Forest in Dunwoody Hall Shopping Center.
• You can buy tickets from any member of the Dunwoody Woman’s Club
• Scan the QR Code at right.
Reserves:
Continued from Page 1
walkway wider than a sidewalk. Now, it looks like elected officials are wrapping their heads around a funding problem. Finances are a concern, especially after December 2025.
The city has abundant cash reserves – $26 million in budget surpluses accumulated over the years – to satisfy small shortfalls in revenues, but the city charter requires it must maintain some of that money to cover four months of spending. Right now, it can cover more than eight months.
Zooming out, the financial landscape is less rosy.
Because the city funded some of
its nine new police officer positions with one-time grants from the federal government, it is looking for additional revenue streams to cover officer salaries in 2026 and beyond.
City Councilman John Heneghan has repeatedly questioned the use of pandemic-era funds for recurring operational expenses.
“Many of the additional police personnel expenses in 2025 are being paid for with American Rescue Plan Act funds that will not be available in the future and with city expenses escalating faster than revenue,” Heneghan wrote on his blog. “I understand that the city is facing an issue in the coming years in order to maintain the same level of service, especially as all city service contracts will be renegotiated with expected large increases.”
Because the city is using grant
Before Spaces, After Showcases
money to pay for some operational costs, it is hunting ways to generate revenue to cover the dwindling amount of ARPA funds after fiscal year 2025.
Combining that with contract inflation and employee pay raises means the city’s operational costs are outpacing its revenue.
The city will be on the hook for more than $600,000 in salaries funded with grants and another $420,000 in salaries paid for with savings from unfilled officer positions.
Because city officials have instructed staff to not use terms like “reserves” and “structural deficit,” some residents expect the city to maintain its current level of service while also constructing new paths and parks.
During the Sept. 9 budget workshop, City Councilman Tom Lambert expressed frustration over the failure of the 2023 bond referendum while talking about the Peachtree Middle School field replacement.
Lambert said the failure of the bond referendum impacted the project.
The turf field replacement was not a project identified in the bond referendum, and it has already been funded in the 2024 budget.
“Everything we did, assigning projects to certain areas, was done with the assumption of a successful bond referendum,” Lambert said. “So that basically resets the clock, I believe, on where funds are allocated.”
Throughout the year, city officials have said the city’s finances are “strong.”
The city has strong reserves, and the impacts of the structural deficit may not be felt for another couple of years.
There were several themes of the special-called meeting, including future revenue shortages, potential cuts to budgeted projects and how to fund all city operations.
Property taxes are a primary source of funding for Dunwoody and account for around a quarter of the city’s revenue, according to the city’s website.
However, more than 80 percent of residents have a permanent freeze of their home’s taxable value, so the city cannot expect new revenue from that source. In addition, 84 percent of homeowners qualify for the city’s 1-mill homestead exemption.
It means Dunwoody is relying heavily on commercial properties for revenue.
Some residents expect the city to cut park and path projects to save funds, while others want to see elected officials follow through on their commitments.
There are also concerns outside of the city’s general fund, which covers operational expenses.
The city’s fund for capital projects in the proposed 2025 budget, estimated at around $20 million, has most money dedicated to street paving and intersection improvements. Some funded projects include around $3 million for multi-use paths, $1.8 million for a design of a new bridge over I-285, $1.7 million for new police vehicles and $1 million for the Dunwoody Nature Center expansion.
Some solutions to address revenue shortfalls are to cut funded projects like the turf replacement at Peachtree Middle School or to delay projects slated in upcoming years.
Only City Councilman Heneghan spoke in favor of initiating a formal bid process for the new field for middle schoolers and available to residents outside of school hours.
Mayor Lynn Deutsch said the school is not city property, and she has concerns about the security of people using the field if they decide to turf it.
At one point, when mentioning the Veterans Park Memorial, Deutsch said she doesn’t know if the city has any funding to pay for any additional projects.
Some solutions to the looming deficit, mentioned this year at city meetings, include raising the capped property tax rate through a citizen vote, floating another bond referendum or implementing a special tax district somewhere in the city.
Whether a resident wants to see more parks, police or paths, the city is struggling to fund it.
Earlier this year at its retreat, elected officials decided against another bond referendum.
During the two-day retreat, elected officials acknowledged the financial situation of the city.
Councilman Lambert and other proponents of 12-foot-wide sidepaths said misinformation in the community about the referendum led to its failure. They advocated for another try.
The audio and visual recordings from the retreat are no longer publicly available online.
Because of the failed bond referendum, some public money has gone toward multi-use paths and park projects this year.
There are discussions among Dunwoody residents about whether the city’s financial situation is due to poor fiscal management or the restrictions in the city charter that cap property taxes for many residents.
The city is holding a second budget workshop Sept. 16. There are two public hearings Oct. 15 and Oct. 28.
Final adoption of the proposed 2025 budget follows the public hearing during the Oct. 28 City Council meeting.
OPINION
Friends of Dunwoody Library to host book sale
What better time for a library book sale than when the days are turning cooler? Take this opportunity to stock up on books to get you through the fall and on into the winter. Can you picture yourself snuggled up by the fire with a soft blanket, reading to your heart’s content? Then this sale is for you.
The FODL library sales are a fact of life here in Dunwoody, but unless you are one of the organization’s volunteers or a regular attendee, I predict you’ll find some of these fun facts surprising.
• The most popular genres at the adult sale are fiction—including mysteries, thrillers, romance—history, and cookbooks; and these are also the genres with the largest number of books in the sale.
• Nonfiction genres at the sale include art, religion, history, drama, poetry, science and math, music and show business, travel, health, sports, gardening, and more.
• Also available are reference sets,
puzzles, and DVDs.
• Book donations arrive daily at the library, and the FODL finds their four plastic bins full each morning. Weekends see even more books come in the door.
• Library visitors can purchase books, puzzles, and magazines in the lobby during library hours—on the honor system. These purchases are cash only and require correct change.
• On average, 100 items are sold weekly from the lobby.
• Volunteer hours per week=30.
• Setting up and hosting the adult sale takes 570 volunteer hours—eight days for setup, four days for the sale, and one day to clear the Williams room.
Volunteer: Susan Edmondson
I’ve been frequenting these sales since I moved here in 1999, and in those early years, I had the pleasure of meeting Susan Edmondson. She started volunteering in 1984 and is the FODL’s longest serving volunteer. It’s
hard to believe that book sales were held at the Shops of Dunwoody when she started her volunteer career. She has long been responsible for the literature, literary fiction, and philosophy genres, and you can most often find her at the library on Tuesdays sorting and organizing the latest donations. One of her favorite FODL memories is from1989 when she took part in the symbolic Book Brigade—a 300-person human chain that moved a sample of books from the Nandina Lane library location to the current building at 5339 ChambleeDunwoody Road.
Susan tells me she mainly reads “fiction and more mysteries than anything else…lots of cozies, especially in recent years.” If you’re in search of an author to try, you can’t go wrong with this list of those she particularly enjoys: Linda Castillo, Nevada Barr, Diane Mott Davidson, Rita Mae Brown, J. A. Jance, Margaret Maron, Louise Penny, Kathy Reichs and Karin Slaughter.
I always look forward to seeing Susan’s smiling face at the FODL sales, and I hope to see her this time. If you catch a glimpse of her on your visit, take a moment to stop by and say hello. I know you’ll be greeted with
Book sale details
Location: 5339 Chamblee-Dunwoody Road
Schedule:
• Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024 – 1-4 p.m. (members only)
• Thursday, Sept. 19 – 4-8 p.m. (open to all)
• Friday, Sept. 20 – 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Saturday, Sept. 21 - 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Monday, Sept. 23 - 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Bag Day, fill a grocery bag for $7. Payment: Cash, credit/debit cards accepted Prices: Hardbacks $2, paperbacks $1; Some books and materials specially priced by value
a smile.
Happy book hunting and reading!
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/.
Hope for the Braves, but none for the Irish
All I need is someone named Lucy to goad me into attempting to kick a football. Give me a goofy sweater, let me moan “Good Grief”: a few times and I’ll be as close to Charlie Brown as I can possibly be.
I’ve been a Notre Dame football fan for as long as I can remember. John Huarte to Jack Snow for a constant staccato of touchdowns was a thing of magic on a Saturday afternoon. Listening to Lindsay Nelson describe the beauty of South Bend, The Golden Dome and The Grotto left an indelible mark on me and cemented my ordeal as a fan for many subsequent years. Being at the LA Coliseum on a night in 1974 when Notre Dame was waxing USC 24-0 in the first half, only to lose 55-24 was a message that being an Irish fan would mean a lifetime of needing Maalox. I should
have taken heed way back then.
Like a prudent gambler who cashes in his casino chips before trying to chase that one more big hit only to have his winnings disappear, it looks like Notre Dame has played Lucy to my Charlie Brown.
After being touted as a potential College Football Playoff team thanks to the softest schedule imaginable, the Irish did it to me again. They whiffed, the football was pulled away and I, along with so many other suckers, was left muttering and stuttering.
A 16-14 loss would be respectable if it was to a school with a solid football pedigree. But Northern Illinois? Suffice to say it ruined my Saturday and furthered my appreciation of Southeastern Conference football.
Never have I seen a more illprepared lot than this current Irish team. The blame for the confusion falls squarely at the feet of current coach Marcus Freeman. Perhaps Morgan, not Marcus, should be the Freeman at the team’s helm. At least then there would
be some wise words imparted.
I’m not sure how the season will turn out, but right now, my beloved Irish are in fine fettle (that’s sarcasm):
A quarterback ND rented from the vaunted football powerhouse Duke; receivers who can’t catch; and an offensive line whose play has been “offensive.”
After a Week 1 win over Texas A&M that is now but a faint memory, I was ready to proudly fly my car flags. Thankfully, oldest son Chris was in town, and he absconded with my car for much of his visit. The flags will remain tucked away. At least I can resist the urge to burn them.
The rest of the season could be like watching a horror movie where I hide my eyes and can’t bear to watch.
Watching the Braves these days is akin to going to a Broadway play only to find the show being presented is made up of primarily understudies. I have found myself asking “Who are these guys?”
But as I write this, there are 17
games left in the regular season and the scrapping team has a shot at making the post season.
It must be an adventure when manager Brian Snitker fills out a lineup card every night. “Anyone who can play tonight, take one step forward.”
Forget about the area around Truist Park being The Battery. With all the injuries that have befallen the Braves, the area would be better labeled “The Infirmary.”
Maybe it’s the belief that anything can happen, something keeps telling me with a cast of no-names, maybe, just maybe, these Braves could get hot and make a memorable October run.
I’m banking on that taking my mind off what will likely happen in South Bend.
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.
KATHY MANOS PENN Columnist
EDMONDSON
MIKE TASOS Columnist
Georgia’s love/hate relationship with deer
BOB MEYERS
As we approach the October to December breeding season for whitetailed deer, it is useful to study the history and current status of this magnificent animal.
The peak rut in Fulton County is the second week in November. That is when the behavior of male deer is overtaken by the urge to mate. It is a time when drivers should be particularly aware because deer will cross roads with no regard to their surroundings when bucks are chasing them.
During the breeding season male deer will fight one another to gain the attention of female deer. After mating, females will give birth to one to three fawns next spring.
White-tailed deer are the only deer found in Georgia. Their undersides and tails are white. The tails are held erect when the deer feel threatened.
In addition to being a popular game animal, white-tailed deer help the balance of nature by spreading seeds and controlling certain weeds. They can also be a pain to gardeners even though deer are selective about what they eat because they can reach vegetation up to five feet above ground level. They prefer gardens and landscaping that are fertilized and irrigated because the plants provide more nutrition.
Today there are an estimated 1.1 million white-tailed deer in Georgia. In the late 1800s and early 1900s the once plentiful animal almost disappeared due to land-clearing by farmers and commercial hunting for
Volleyball:
Continued from Page 1
Chamblee fields a more experienced and older lineup with five seniors and just six underclassmen.
Like with so many things, young teams benefit from playing more seasoned competitors.
The Dunwoody Wildcats girls volleyball team also profits from Evans’ expertise and guidance.
Prior to the 2024 inaugural season, Evans, a Wadsworth, Ohio native, signed as an undrafted free agent on the Pro Volleyball Federation’s Atlanta Vibe team. She took the court in the first match in
This juvenile button buck fawn shows his “buttons” or pedicles where antlers will erupt. Since just a few spots remain on his body, he is probably about five to six months old. The photo was taken in early November.
the deerskin trade.
Deer made a comeback thanks in large part to Arthur Woody a forest ranger with the U. S. Forest Service from 1912 to 1945. Woody is credited with helping to build the Appalachian Trail through Georgia, for introducing rainbow and brown trout and for restoring brook trout in Georgia’s streams and for restoring threatened turkey and black bear populations. Perhaps his most noted accomplishment was saving deer from extinction and reintroducing them through his purchase and release of white-tailed deer from the mountains
league history as an outside hitter, or player who hits and blocks on the front left side of the court.
The Atlanta Vibe, playing out of Gwinnett County’s Gas South Arena, went on to a league-best 19-5 regular season record.
With participation in youth sports declining in the United States, a cousin of indoor volleyball is bucking the trend.
Gabriela Sarmiento, sophomore varsity player and outside hitter, is a Dunwoody High School student behind a grassroots effort to get a beach volleyball court at Brook Run Park.
Sarmiento, speaking to Appen Media after the Sept. 10 Chamblee match, said she fell in love with beach volleyball during a trip to San Diego.
of North Carolina.
At the turn of the last century there were an estimated 5,000 deer in Georgia. Slowly the deer population recovered.
Charlie Killmaster, State Deer Biologist with the Wildlife Resources Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources says, “The federal Wildlife Restoration Act of 1937 played an important role by establishing a program of matching federal grants to the states for wildlife restoration projects.” He notes that the state reopened the hunting season in 1941.
Killmaster said he thinks
In coastal cities with more temperate climates, beach volleyball courts are ubiquitous. Beach volleyball, like its indoor variation, is a popular Olympic sport but with two teams of two players. Sarmiento said many indoor players train on sand courts because it helps build muscles for running and jumping on the hardwood.
As a part of her passion for all things volleyball, Sarmiento and her teammates are lobbying the Dunwoody City Council to construct sand volleyball courts.
Because of plans at Brook Run Park for a sand volleyball court near Adventure Treetop Quest, elected officials have begun mentioning the students’ request at meetings this fall.
Sarmiento said the health benefits of
restoration of white-tailed deer in the Southeast is one of the greatest successes in wildlife management in history.
Deer play an important economic role in Georgia. Deer hunters spend an estimated $1.5 billion every year in the state for travel, hotels, restaurants, hunting license fees and hunting equipment including firearms, ammunition and bows and arrows. A group of hunters or a hunting club may lease hunting rights from private landowners or timber companies. Nearly 300,000 deer were harvested in Georgia in the 2023-24 season.
There are more than 200,000 deer hunters in Georgia who play an important role helping control the deer population in the state. Without a plan to control the number of deer the population would grow exponentially. Hunters are the dominant predator of deer today unlike in the distant past when Native Americans, mountain lions and red wolves helped keep the population in check.
You may find deer in your backyard. The reason is that deer like to congregate in open areas because they are not well suited for a forest environment. They are called an “edge species” because they tend to hang out along the edges of the woods. The most nutritious plants for deer grow in direct sunlight.
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.
being outside and playing a demanding sport make the beach volleyball court a community asset for everyone.
Because turfing fields and building new facilities is more expensive than dumping sand and constructing a beach court, city councilmembers and Mayor Lynn Deutsch said it may be possible to get the project completed in the next year.
The Dunwoody Wildcats have just a few regular season games before the regional tournament begins.
The varsity squad will face off against regional opponents, the Arabia Mountain Rams and Shiloh Generals, at home Sept. 24.
The Wildcats final regular season game is at Milton High School Oct. 3.
Columnist
BOB MEYERS/APPEN MEDIA
Four tips to show your lawn some love
Those of us that enjoy our lawns are thrilled to have the warmer weather here in north Georgia! We are once again seeing our warm season grass at its peak beauty!
Below are a few pieces of advice I would like to suggest to help maximize and maintain the appearance of your lawn now and throughout the year.
Test your soil.
While the best time to test your lawn soil is actually the fall, it is never too late and never a bad time to test. This low cost, potentially high impact activity can provide dividends to improve your lawn’s appearance. The actual results could save you money by providing a road map for exactly what fertilizers, or lack thereof, is needed to improve the overall health of your lawn. For more information on this, contact your county Extension office at http://extension.uga.edu/ about/county or call 1-800-ask-uga1.
Manage tree coverage.
The common thinking on lawns over the years has been that you cannot have a nice warm season lawn and trees at the same time. Further, as the thinking goes, it is nearly impossible for the two to coexist. I am here to tell you that it IS possible, BUT it may take some work. The first thing to evaluate is the location of tree limbs and lawn coverage. For most deciduous trees, you will want to limb up as high as possible. It is usually recommended that you leave the top two thirds of the tree canopy to maintain a healthy tree. This will not only allow for sunlight to reach your warm season grass, but it will also vastly improve air circulation on your lawn. We all know that to have a healthy lawn, good sunlight is necessary. Equally, without good air circulation, we are setting our lawns up for the ideal site for fungus growth. The damage to warm season grasses due to fungus growth is potentially catastrophic. I would suggest that one of the best things we can do for our lawns is limb up and thin out tree branches. It may be necessary to contact a local arborist for extensive tree work.
Manage site drainage.
Most people do not understand
that too much water and/or poor drainage is a surefire way to damage our turf lawns. If your lawn has low spots where water tends to pool after a good rain, now is the time to fill those spots and allow your turf time to adjust. Managing water runoff is equally important. Your lawn may be challenged by water from gutter downspouts and or other runoff points. If so, the necessary nutrients normally provided by topsoil that your lawn needs will not be there to support
About the author
This week’s “Garden Buzz” guest columnist is Ed O’Connor, a 2024 Master Gardener intern and member of the North Fulton County Master Gardeners. Ed is a graduate of the University of Tennessee with a degree in business administration. Ed is an avid gardener, hiker, camper, backpacker and all things outdoors.
lawn to need more water resources and will actually increase your mowing frequency. Under normal circumstances, clippings should be left on the lawn. Returning the clippings will provide additional nutrients to the soil and eliminate yard waste. Summer is such an exciting time of year for your warm season grass! There are lots of little things we can do to ensure we maximize their beauty!
Happy gardening!
growth. Managing that excess runoff through underground drainage pipes may be necessary. This simple activity can pay dividends on improving the appearance of your lawn.
Remember mowing rule 101.
When your warm season grass needs to be trimmed, never cut more than one-third of the leaf canopy in a single mowing. Cutting more than that amount can cause your lawn to stress, require your
North Fulton Master Gardeners, Inc. is a Georgia nonprofit 501(c) (3) organization whose purpose is to educate its members and the public in the areas of horticulture and ecology in order to promote and foster community enrichment. Master Gardener Volunteers are trained and certified by The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension. Learn more at nfmg.net. Previous Garden Buzz columns are featured at: https:// appenmedia.com/opinion/columists/ garden buzz/.
ED O’CONNOR Guest Columnist
Proper management of stormwater can be critical to protecting turf lawns.
PHOTOS PROVIDED Limbing up and thinning out tree coverage allows for sunlight and air circulation on turf lawns.
Managing water runoff sometimes requires underground diversion of excess rainfall.
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Stephen Arnott Lindabury In Memoriam
Roger Wise Jr.
Colt Whittall
Stephen Arnott Lindabury, 82, of Dunwoody, GA, passed away peacefully at his home on August 13, 2024, surrounded by his family.
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He was born in Bernardsville, NJ to Harrison Phillip Lindabury, Jr. and Marjorie Ludlow Lindabury on April 30, 1942. Steve graduated from Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ in 1964. Upon graduation, he entered active duty with the Army National Guardfollowing in the footsteps of his namesake, Stephen Arnott, Jr. - where he served as a Tank Commander. He carried forward in life the spirit of a proud patriot who loved his country. His professional career spanned 32 years with Western Electric/Bellsouth/ATT. After retirement from the corporate world, he ventured into a new career in Real Estate. Steve married Paula Pitchell on October 2, 1965, and they had been together for nearly 60 years. During those years, they raised three children, nurtured seven grandchildren, volunteered in the community, sailed on many waterways, journeyed across the country on their Harley, and traveled halfway around the world to visit friends. Their life together was a true Love Story written just for them. As a husband, father, and friend, he was honest, generous, loving and loyal, always steadfast in his Christian beliefs with a twist of fun and
adventure. He personified the term Family Man, dedicated to keeping a work-life balance and always making his decisions based on what was best for the family. He was a great supporter of his children’s activities both as a spectator and a coach, be it soccer, tennis, or sailing. He even supported Paula in her Real Estate career and became her business partner. Steve was predeceased by his parents, his older brother, Harrison Phillip Lindabury III, and an adopted cousin, Christopher Goes. He is survived by his devoted wife Paula, his children David Lindabury (Leslie), Janice Norment, Stephanie Jenkins (Neff) and seven grandchildren, Brittney, Sara, Harrison, Drew, Evan, Cate, and Ryan. The family wishes to extend our sincere thanks to Compassus Hospice and Trusted Hands Senior Care for their care and compassion.
A Memorial Service will be held on October 5, 2024 at 2:00pm at St. Barnabas Anglican Church, 4795 N Peachtree Road, Dunwoody, GA 30338. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Barnabas Anglican Church at the address above. Immediately following the service, friends and family are invited to a reception celebrating Steve’s life with them at the Lindabury residence.
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