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Pelosi, Fauci head lineup for annual book festival
DUNWOODY, Ga. — The lineup for the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta’s 33rd annual Book Festival is star-studded this year.
The festival, which runs from Nov. 2-17 at the Community Center off Tilly Mill Road, has a diverse roster of noted speakers, bestselling authors, and international thought leaders.
Former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is scheduled to close out the festival that Sunday with a presentation of her newly released memoir “The Art of Power.” The book recounts her
Dunwoody Police officers, residents, city staff and City Councilman Rob Price, right, chat in the Perimeter Mall parking lot Oct. 22.
Perimeter Connects, a program of the community improvement district, hosted a community ride for “Biketober” on key trail segments in Dunwoody and Sandy Springs.
HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA
historic career, from housewife to House speaker, offering a personal view of her legislative successes and political battles.
In addition to Pelosi, the festival will have appearances from Noa Tishby, two-time New York Times bestselling
author and former Special Envoy for Combating Antisemitism and Delegitimization, as well as Lior Raz, a celebrated Israeli actor and co-creator of the movie “Fauda.”
Perimeter Connects celebrates
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
DUNWOODY, Ga. —
Perimeter Connects led a group of Metro Atlantans from Perimeter Mall to a completed segment of PATH400 Oct. 22 in celebration of “Biketober.”
Perimeter Connects is an arm of the Community Improvement Districts that consults with employers and property managers on transportation solutions to alleviate commutes and grow the business district.
The route took cyclists
from the mall down the new Ashford Dunwoody Trail to Hammond Drive where the group maneuvered cycletrack gaps, parking lots and bike lanes before crossing the roadway to Perimeter Center Parkway.
Johann Weber, program manager for Perimeter Connects, said the initiative’s goal was to receive feedback on existing path segments, discuss what comes next and understand how the regional network could be improved. See BIKETOBER, Page 10
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Alpharetta man arrested for role in Capitol attack
By DAVE WILLIAMS Capitol Beat
ATLANTA — A Georgia man has been arrested in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol that disrupted the counting of electoral votes from the 2020 presidential election.
Cylester Maxwell, 42, of Alpharetta was taken into custody in Georgia Oct. 18 and charged with assaulting law enforcement officers with a dangerous weapon and civil disorder, both felonies. He also faces misdemeanor charges of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds and engaging in physical violence in a
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.
Man accused of using shovel to embark on damage spree
DUNWOODY, Ga. — Police charged a 50-year-old Canton man with robbery, burglary and criminal damage to property near Perimeter Mall around 3 a.m. Oct. 16.
Officers said they were initially dispatched to the Hyatt Place hotel off Hammond Drive for a burglary.
Capitol building or grounds. According to court records, Maxwell was identified in video footage marching with a crowd of rioters away from the “Stop the Steal” rally at the Ellipse toward the Capitol building. Maxwell then entered the restricted grounds of the Capitol and positioned himself near the front of a crowd confronting a police line on the West Plaza.
A short time later, he joined others in the crowd in shoving a giant metalframed “TRUMP” sign into the line of police like a battering ram. A few seconds later, he let go of the sign and pulled a barricade away from the police line.
Shortly after, officers received a second call from the hotel manager of Le Meridien off Perimeter Center West about the suspect shattering a window of a black Toyota Prius.
The hotel manager said the suspect left after a short verbal altercation.
Officers said a third call came from a motorist on Ashford Dunwoody Road who saw the suspect standing in the closed Bank of America.
When they arrived, officers said they saw shattered front doors and searched the site.
While clearing the bank, an officer said he noticed the suspect walking with a shovel across the street from the bank in the Perimeter Mall parking lot.
Maxwell later joined the front of the mob as it broke through the police line. He then remained on or near the West Plaza as rioters flooded the Capitol’s Lower and Upper West Terraces.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Atlanta and Washington field offices and is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Justice Department’s Counterterrorism Section.
This story is available through a news partnership with Capitol Beat News Service, a project of the Georgia Press Educational Foundation.
horn at the blue SUV.
Shortly after, the victim said the motorist pulled up next to her car at the Chamblee Dunwoody Road stoplight and allegedly tapped her windshield with a handgun.
An officer said the victim was unsure if the suspect directly pointed the weapon at her, but it scared her.
After the victim provided the motorist’s license plate, the officer said a crime database search showed it registered to a rental company.
Officers did not identify any suspects in the aggravated assault.
— Hayden Sumlin
Two victims, a 45-year-old Texas woman and a 40-year-old Snellville woman, told officers that a man had asked to be let into the hotel lounge while they were having drinks with work colleagues.
After the suspect entered, the victims said he took out a shovel, lunged at them and demanded they give him their money.
The victims said two of their work colleagues fended off the suspect by hitting him with a chair and pushing him out the door.
Another victim, a 63-year-old Pennsylvania man, said the suspect tried throwing rocks to break to hotel lobby window, then left after he failed.
While searching for the suspect at the hotel, officers said dispatch alerted them that a suspect with a matching description was smashing car windows in the Perimeter Mall parking lot off Ashford Dunwoody Road.
An officer said he identified the suspect with security footage from the mall, which shows the man shattering the front driver’s side and rear passenger’s windows of a gray Nissan Versa.
Officers arrested the suspect without incident and transported him to DeKalb County Jail.
Later, officers said they secured warrants for five felonies, including robbery, burglary and criminal damage to property.
Police said the bank doors are valued at $10,000. The report did not include the value of damage to vehicles.
— Hayden Sumlin
Driver reports gun pulled during road rage incident
DUNWOODY, Ga. — A 72-year-old Dunwoody woman reported a motorist threatened her with a handgun Oct. 16 at Mount Vernon and Chamble Dunwoody roads.
The victim said she merged into the left-turn lane on Mount Vernon Road attempting to take Chamblee Dunwoody Road northbound.
While making the turn, the victim said a blue SUV turned directly in front of her vehicle intentionally.
After pulling up to a stoplight at Chamblee Dunwoody Road and the Village, the victim said she honked her
Planet Fitness patron reports stolen wallet
ROSWELL, Ga. — A 56-year-old patron of Planet Fitness off Ga. 9 reported a thief took his driver’s license, three credit cards and $300 cash from his gym locker Oct. 15.
Officers said Planet Fitness employees gave them the victim’s contact information.
The victim, a 56-year-old orthopedic surgeon, said someone stole his wallet from an unsecured locker at the gym around 11:30 a.m.
Officers said the victim reported two fraudulent charges on one of his credit cards at Walmart and Journeys following the theft.
The victim said he only saw one other person while he was in the locker room, a man not dressed in traditional workout clothes.
Gym employees provided officers with a name of a Stone Mountain man based off the victim’s account of the incident.
Officers said they took no further action after listing the financial transaction card fraud charge.
— Hayden Sumlin
Customers paying their taxes at the Memorial Dr. tax office will use the UGA Extension entrance located at the front of the building from Nov. 4–15, (weekdays). EXTENDED HOURS: Nov. 12–15 from 8 AM until 6 PM. Clairmont Rd. and South DeKalb Mall until 4:30 PM. Closed Nov. 11 for Veterans Day.
Know before you go:
Second installment is due Nov. 15. The first installment was due Sept. 30. Bills for City of Atlanta properties 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.
Payments made in the office, by phone or online are posted same day; checks, including e-checks, are posted in 5 business days Before cancelling a payment, please contact the office with payment concerns to avoid NSF and/or late fees.
To view and pay your bill online, or for more information, visit the Tax Commissioner's Office website: Follow us! @DeKalbTaxGA
404-298-4000 | proptax@dekalbcountyga.gov
Regional agency pushes aid plan for homebound to area counties
By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com
ATLANTA — An Atlanta Regional Commission trial program reduced long waitlists for in-home care by allowing those in need to hire their own staff, the agency said.
If implemented by counties, the consumer-direct model could reduce backlogs and give caregivers more autonomy and flexibility, said Cara Pellino, access to services unit manager for the ARC.
In Fulton County, waitlists for all in-home services extend more than one year, with many on the sidelines several years, Pellino said. Many on the waitlists are people in immediate need.
“These are vulnerable individuals, some of whom have limited or no caregiver support in the community or may even be caregivers themselves,” she said. “The help is not there when they need it.”
The Atlanta Regional Commission is a regional planning agency. Its Area Agency on Aging serves 10 metro counties, including Fulton and DeKalb.
Often, homebound senior clients who seek in-home services through the 1965 federal Older Americans Act are placed on waiting lists while a case manager determines which services and resources are needed, Pellino said. The act provides funding to allow local and state agencies to provide care for older adults. Its services include homedelivered meals, health and wellness programs, in-home care, transportation, elder abuse prevention, caregiver support and adult day care, according to the nonprofit USAging.
Through the ARC’s consumerdirected model, those seeking aid can bypass the normal process and directly hire their own care staff or request help from an agency.
“The assumption is that the person knows better about what they need,” Pellino said. “It’s about preference and choice.”
During its four years of operation which ended in September, the ARC program served 68 clients and seniors in all 10 counties its Area Agency on Aging covers. About 75 percent chose to hire their own employees or family members. About 20 percent opted for finding care through an agency.
The ARC used federal COVID-19 funding to start the program, hoping it would serve as a “proof of concept,” said Becky Kurtz, manager of ARC’s Aging & Health Resources Division.
“We were like, ‘Let’s show the value of
JON WILCOX/APPEN MEDIA Cara Pellino, access to services unit manager for the Atlanta Regional Commission, gives a presentation on the organization’s consumer-direct program for caretakers and older adults at the ARC office in Downtown Atlanta Oct. 23.
this,’” Kurtz said.
Studies on consumer-direct care programs have shown no increase in fraud than traditional models, Pellino said.
Next, the ARC plans to apply the consumer-direct model to services offered by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
ARC officials will visit veterans who need services and help them complete the necessary paperwork to enroll and hire their own caregivers.
Consumer-direct service models could and should be applied at locallevel Area Agencies on Aging, Pellino and Kurtz said.
“They’re the ones that get the funding to pull people off the waiting list, to provide the homemaker personal care,” Pellino said. “So, if they had the consumer-directed model, they could probably really further reduce their waitlist.”
The ARC is ready to work with county governments to show them the benefits and how they can be implemented, Kurtz said.
“We’ve had experience with it over the last few years,” Kurtz said. “We can coach you through it. We really want you all to be trying this at the county level.”
Georgia ranks 47th in the nation for access to consumer-directed programs, Pellino said. Local governments may be wary of trying out a model that is unfamiliar, but she said there’s nothing to be afraid of.
“Try it,” Pellino said. “Instead of having people on multiple waitlists, they could use the same dollar amount … and be more efficient.”
Theatre program prepares students for the big stage
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Collegiate musical theater programs from around the country travel to Sandy Springs to audition local youth talent developed by the City Springs Theatre Conservatory.
Tucked within the Northridge Commons office park in north Sandy Springs lies the City Springs Theatre Company and its Studios.
While some Metro Atlantans are familiar with Broadway-quality productions at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center, fewer know about the City Springs Theatre Conservatory.
After just two performances during its 2018 inaugural season in the Byers Theatre, the local nonprofit launched its Conservatory to develop the next generation of performers and technicians in musical theater.
The Conservatory offers prospective students options through its arts education programming, allowing a middle schooler to try out an acting lesson or take a high school junior stepby-step through the college audition process.
acting specialists.
It also offers a traveling competition team, 10-week classes on skill-based techniques, one-on-one lessons and summer programs.
The programing offers performance and training opportunities, both essential to music theater, to meet prospective students of all ages where they are.
While the professional theater company performs at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center, the magic would not happen without rigorous, weekly training in Suite 136 at 8601 Dunwoody
NOTICE OF PROPOSED CHARTER AMENDMENT
Pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 36-35-3(b)(1), notice is hereby given that the City Council of the City of Dunwoody, Georgia will consider amending the Charter of the City of Dunwoody, Georgia for the purpose of permitting certain gifts or donations without limitations from individuals, charities, and benevolent or philanthropic organizations: (1) to provide aid and support of law enforcement; or (2) to provide aid and support of city personnel facing hardships due to a serious health condition of the employee (or immediate family member defined as spouse, child, or parent) within Article II, Section 2.13(a)(4).
The proposed amendment will be considered at the City Council’s regular meetings on November 12, 2024 and November 25, 2024. Meetings of the Dunwoody City Council are held at 6:00 p.m. in Dunwoody Hall, Dunwoody City Hall, 4800 Ashford Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody, GA 30338. A copy of the proposed amendment is on file in the office of the City Clerk and in the office of the Clerk of Superior Court of DeKalb County for the purpose of examination and inspection by the public.
Place, a state-of-the art training facility.
With renovations completed in late August, there are three new private lesson rooms with soundproof walls for acting and voice training.
More importantly, the addition of two new dance studios allows students and professional actors to train at the same time.
Students get flowers
Studio rehearsals for productions like September’s “The Music Man” ran from around 5-11 p.m.
Natalie DeLancey, executive director of the City Springs Theatre Company, said a problem arose because students
with the Pre-Professional Company, the Conservatory’s flagship theater program, get out of school and are available for rehearsals at the same time as the professional actors were using the facility.
“We were competing, so whenever we would rehearse a mainstage show, we’d have to tell the kids … ‘hold on a minute,’” DeLancey said. “Well, that’s like the worst message ever for kids who want to train in this field.”
DeLancey gave special thanks to the Zeist Foundation, which donated funds needed to renovate the City Springs
See PROGRAM, Page 8
NOTICE OF PROPOSED CHARTER AMENDMENT
Pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 36-35-3(b)(1), notice is hereby given that the City Council of the City of Dunwoody, Georgia will consider amending the Charter of the City of Dunwoody, Georgia for the purpose of permitting members of the city council to be employed by other governmental entities except Dunwoody, Georgia or Dekalb County, Georgia within Article II, Section 2.13(e).
The proposed amendment will be considered at the City Council’s regular meetings on November 12, 2024 and November 25, 2024. Meetings of the Dunwoody City Council are held at 6:00 p.m. in Dunwoody Hall, Dunwoody City Hall, 4800 Ashford Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody, GA 30338. A copy of the proposed amendment is on file in the office of the City Clerk and in the office of the Clerk of Superior Court of DeKalb County for the purpose of examination and inspection by the public.
From left, City Springs Theatre Company
Executive Director Natalie DeLancey and Education Director Jenna Gamerl stand inside the recently renovated City Springs Theatre Company studios at Northridge Commons office park in Sandy Springs.
PHOTOS BY: CITY SPRINGS THEATRE CONSERVATORY/PROVIDED
Grace Arnold, instructor for the City Springs Theatre Conservatory, checks in students for a Pre-Professional Company dance class. Arnold is one of 15 instructors on the Conservatory’s faculty, which also includes voice and
PAST
TENSE
Brookhaven Veterans Hospital #48 was a haunted house site
Veterans Hospital #48 was at the corner of Peachtree Road and Osborne Road in Brookhaven and was in use until 1966 when the current Atlanta Veterans Administration Hospital was built on Clairmont Road. The address was 4158 Peachtree Road. Today, the DeKalb Services Center and Brookhaven Park are located on this corner.
The hospital began in 1919 in buildings previously home to the Cheston King Sanitarium. The U.S. government purchased the property for $90,000 to care for veterans of World War I and the Spanish American War. (Atlanta Constitution, Dec. 24, 1919, “King Sanitarium, beyond Buckhead, purchased by U.S.”)
In 1929, the hospital was rebuilt on the same site and continued to be Atlanta’s veteran hospital until the Clairmont Road hospital opened. Franklin Garrett’s “Atlanta and Environs Volume II” indicates Veterans Hospital #48 was demolished in 1969, but readers who lived in Atlanta in the 1970s recall it still standing in 1973 and all the way up to 1976.
The hospital was located on property of the U.S. government until 1972 when it was part of “surplus government land” turned over to local government. In this case, it was turned over to DeKalb County. (Atlanta Constitution, June 27, 1972, “U.S. will give up VA hospital, 2 other sites”)
Still standing and abandoned, the hospital was the setting of “Scream in the Dark” haunted house in 1973, a project of the Atlanta Youth for Christ
Festival:
Continued from Page 1
Other keynote festival authors and entertainers include:
• Dr. Anthony Fauci, former chief medical advisor to the president and author of “On Call: A Doctor’s Journey in Public Service”
• Emily Giffin, bestselling author of “The Summer Pact: A Novel”
• Michael Richards, “Seinfeld” actor, comedian and author of “Entrances and Exits”
• John Quiñones and Maria Elena Salinas, journalists and co-authors of “One Year in Uvalde: A Story of Hope
U.S. Veterans Hospital #48 once sat at the corner of Osborne Road and Peachtree Road. By 1973, it became the ideal setting for a haunted house.
Campus Life Division. The haunted experience was “guaranteed to chill the blood in your veins.” The Atlanta Constitution announced the haunted house would be open through Oct. 31. (Atlanta Constitution, Oct. 27, 1973, “Eeek, Screech, Scream”)
The event was also advertised on local pop/rock radio station WQXI 790 Atlanta, likely by popular morning disc jockey Gary McKee.
One reader who visited the haunted house remembers an operating room set up with ghoulish doctors and nurses and fake blood. Three years later, working with DeKalb County on a summer job, that reader returned to Veterans Hospital #48 site to check out a pollution source in a nearby stream.
Both in 1973 and 1976, the hospital was overgrown with trees, shrubs, vines and weeds. In 1976, there were still metal hospital beds, metal cabinets, light fixtures, window blinds and curtains in the building.
Furniture was thrown about on the outside of the property. Whether the actual hospital beds were used as part
and Resilience”
• Mitch Albom, bestselling author of “Tuesdays with Morrie” and “The Little Liar: A Novel”
• Amir Tibon, journalist and author of “The Gates of Gaza: A Story of Betrayal, Survival, and Hope in Israel’s Borderlands”
• Stuart Eizenstat, former U.S. Ambassador to the European Union and author of “The Art of Diplomacy: How American Negotiators Reached Historic Agreements that Changed the World”
• Joan Nathan, renowned chef and cookbook author of “My Life in Recipes: Food, Family, and Memories” For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the official MJCCA Book Festival event page.
of the frightening hospital scene in 1973 is uncertain.
“Scream in the Dark” continued to be an Atlanta tradition through the 1970s. In 1975, it was held in buildings scheduled for demolition at E. Court Square and Sycamore Street in Decatur. MARTA had purchased the property but had not begun construction yet. (Atlanta Journal, Oct. 29, 1975, “DeKalb students Scream in the Dark”)
The haunted house was set up during the years 1978 through 1980 in the empty space of a former Grant’s department store at Belvedere Plaza on Memorial Drive. It continued to be a fundraiser for Atlanta Youth for Christ Campus Life. The 1979 Atlanta Journal promotion of the event describes it as the ninth year of “Scream in the Dark,” an event which offers “an alternative to Halloween vandalism.” (Atlanta Journal, Oct. 24, 1979 “Scream in the Dark”)
The relocation of DeKalb Services Center from Glendale Road in Scottdale to Peachtree Road in Brookhaven was planned in 1977, with an expected completion date in 1978. (Atlanta Constitution, Feb. 17, 1977, “School needs a new home”)
If you remember “Scream in the Dark” at any of these locations or another location, write me at pasttensega@gmail.com.
Award-winning author Valerie Biggerstaff is a longtime columnist for Appen Media and the Dunwoody Crier. She lives in Atlanta. You can email Valerie at pasttensega@gmail.com or visit her website at pasttensega.com.
VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF Columnist
PRIVATE COLLECTION OF VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF
Program:
Continued from Page 6
Theatre Studios.
“They do everything in here,” DeLancey said. “Now we have two studios, which is a big deal.”
The main stage actors, like vocal teacher and competition team director Haden Rider, often teach classes at the Conservatory.
“It’s that crossover, which is really cool to see,” DeLancey said. “Because then the kids get to see their teachers doing what they’re telling them to do.”
The Conservatory’s Pre-Professional Company is an audition-based, yearround program that requires middle and high school students to tape their vocal, acting and dance auditions.
The idea is that a Pre-Pro Company student will get a taste of everything musical theater, so if a skill is required down the road, they will have it.
Once accepted, students are placed in training classes based on talent level, experience, age, maturity and professionalism.
In just six years, the City Springs Theatre Conservatory and its programming has collegiate musical theater programs flying into HartsfieldJackson International Airport for a chance to audition Metro Atlanta high schoolers.
DeLancey said the Pre-Pro Company is unique.
“Since we started doing college process, we have an 85 percent callback rate,” DeLancey said. “From there, we have been able to place kids at the top musical theater programs in the country.”
This past year, students received $7
The Conservatory’s private lessons and weekly elective classes are not a part of the Pre-Pro program, but its students are encouraged to take them.
In-person auditions for the 202425 Pre-Pro Company are closed with a waitlist, but interested students must prepare vocal, acting and dance videos for consideration.
The nonprofit is still looking to continue expanding its mainstage musicals and education programs, which have served more than 175,000 patrons and 135,000 students.
Excelling program has origins
Jenna Gamerl, education director of the City Springs Theatre Company, brought the idea of creating a Pre-Pro Company to DeLancey’s attention in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
DeLancey said she initially thought it was a bad time with the world shuttered, but Gamerl convinced her of the demand for youth activities.
million in college scholarships.
“They want our kids so bad, they’re coming here,” DeLancey said.
Kaitlin Hopkins, founder of the top-ranking musical theatre program at Texas State University, said the Conservatory consistently turns out exceptional students.
Programs create professionals
Bob Adams, Kristine Reese, Billy Tighe and Katie Berger Wood serve as directors for the Pre-Pro Company, also overseeing the college audition process.
Reese and Tighe have performed on Broadway, and their faculty is required to have a college degree in some aspect of musical theater education.
Tony Award-winner Shuler Hensley is the theater company’s artistic director, bringing Broadway talent and expertise to City Springs productions in the Byers Theatre.
He’s the first one to laud the talent coming out of the Conservatory’s youth training programs, which he said simply didn’t exist a generation ago.
The Pre-Pro Company has increased its class size 50 percent since accepting about 50 students its first year.
It divides students into classes based on their skill levels first.
Because the Pre-Pro Company has students ages 12-18, instructors say it’s beneficial for younger students to see and understand the program’s trajectory.
Last fall, the Conservatory announced the creation of its Pre-Pro Tech program for students interested in set design, lighting, sound and stage management out of the City Springs Theatre Company’s new production facility in Marietta.
Both programs come together to put on the Pre-Pro Company’s end-of-year showcase in the summer.
“She couldn’t have been more correct, [and] we had no idea where it was going to go,” DeLancey said.
Coaching and developing the next generation of actors, singers and dancers on the mainstage is the focus of the City Springs Conservatory
“We had high expectations going into it, and I think those expectations have always been maintained through the years,” she said. “Seeing over 100 students come out and audition every year to be a part of the program, that’s the moment.”
As the Conservatory increases the size of its Pre-Pro Company, it must also balance the value of one-on-one coaching, individual development and artistic quality.
Gamerl meets with students and parents at least twice a year to go over their progress, changes to their voices or bodies and help planning their careers.
“And they’re theater kids, they’re naturally dramatic,” Gamerl said. “You want to be careful, cautious, sensitive and push them at the same time, so it’s kind of balance of that.”
DeLancey seconded Gamerl’s perspective on training middle and high schoolers in the performing arts. She said the only drama allowed is on stage. Both described the Pre-Pro Company as a tight knit family. There won’t be any reality TV shows depicting drama-filled dance classes and squabbling parents filmed at the theater company’s studios.
Even if Pre-Pro Company students or class participants do not pursue a career in musical theater, Gamerl and Delancey said they’re still getting skills like public speaking, teamwork and discipline.
“Ultimately, we want a triple-threat, well-rounded performer who can walk out of here and feel like they can go to any audition with confidence,” Gamerl said. “We have success and enjoy that, but it’s really about the student.”
CITY SPRINGS THEATRE CONSERVATORY/PROVIDED
City Springs Theatre Conservatory students are all smiles after an intensive class covering musical theatre dance during the Pre-Professional Company’s 2023 fall semester. The objective of the Pre-Pro Company is to provide students with weekly training from highly qualified industry professionals.
Mount Vernon School, neighbors battle over athletic field lighting
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — The Mount Vernon Woods and Aria West neighborhoods are fighting a nearby private school’s effort to install field lighting in central Sandy Springs.
The process to allow lighting on the athletic field requires The Mount Vernon School to amend the conditions of its special use permit through the City of Sandy Springs.
When the school was preparing to move to its current location at 510 Mount Vernon Highway more than 20 years ago, it agreed with a neighborhood to not install lighting on its main athletic field.
The terms of the agreement, signed in 2003 between the school and neighborhood, expires in September 2025.
The school’s 40-acre Upper Campus abuts Mount Vernon Highway and Glenridge Drive in central Sandy Springs.
Head of School and CEO Kristy Lundstrom said the push to have field lighting is about enhancing the studentathletes experience and expanding programming.
“We are not compromising on the need for lights because they are a critical part of providing a full athletic and extracurricular experience for our students,” Lundstrom said. “However, we are open to exploring ways to minimize the impact on the community, such as limiting usage hours, adjusting brightness levels or incorporating other measures to address concerns.”
From January through May, Mount Vernon School held talks with representatives of the neighborhoods.
“They did not believe further discussions would be productive and, in a letter, demanded the school withdraw its application or else they would instruct their attorney to commence formal dispute resolution proceedings,” Lundstrom said.
The Mount Vernon Woods Community Association says it opposes field lighting because of its proximity to homes and the impacts of nighttime sporting events. For one neighbor, the main field is less than 150 feet from their property line.
The debate over installing lights on The Mount Vernon School’s athletic field predates the city’s incorporation.
Before the school purchased the original 30-acre property in 2005, it signed an agreement with the Mount Vernon Woods Community Association to adhere to certain development and use conditions. The community association agreed to support The Mount Vernon School’s request for a special use permit with some neighbors allowing sewer easements.
The tradeoff was The Mount Vernon School agreed not to install field lighting on its property with other conditions concerning noise levels and restrictions on
MOUNT VERNON COMMUNITY ASSOCATION/PROVIDED
Opponents of a bid by Mount Vernon School to add athletic field lighting don red T-shirts at a community meeting Sept. 16. The City of Sandy Springs will hold another public meeting on the topic Oct. 24.
field use. In return, neighbors supported necessary permitting for the school.
Kimberly Oliver, president of the Mount Vernon Woods Community Association, said her three children attended the school.
“During that time, we didn’t think about putting that agreement in a 20-year perpetuity with automatic renewal,” Oliver said. “We trusted the school, we trusted the Glenns and we knew that they had their contract in 2005.”
Oliver takes issue with how The Mount Vernon School is presenting its effort to have lighting allowed on its main field. She says staff have not reached out to neighboring public schools about sharing facilities because they want lighting for sporting events on school grounds.
Because the school purchased an additional 10 acres from the Glenn family in March 2016 for future development of recreational fields, Oliver said there’s room for additional athletic fields if school programs need them.
In June 2016, the 10-acre parcel consolidated with the original 30-acre tract to create a single, 40-acre lot for the Mount Vernon School’s Upper Campus.
On the school’s dedicated webpage, it says plans are to break ground and develop two practice fields at the property, provided its fundraising goals are met.
“The school’s athletic program is thriving,” Oliver said. “Not having Friday Night Lights is not causing the school not to excel.”
After negotiations with neighborhood representatives stalled, the school resubmitted its request for a conditional use permit to add lights to the Upper Campus’ main field Aug. 22.
Topics discussed during the first half of 2024 include sound impacts, the use of technology to limit light pollution, restrictions on hours and days of the week, buffers with neighboring residential properties and security for large events, like high school football games.
Oliver said the school’s application
places no restrictions on field lights, allowing their use seven days a week until 10:30 p.m. She also said the school is looking to rent out the field to private groups to generate revenue for its athletic programs.
“It’s kind like they’re talking out of both sides of their mouth,” Oliver said.
On the other hand, The Mount Vernon School says its more than 60 athletic teams will be able to get more use out of the field with lights extending hours in the evening.
When asked about using a neighboring school’s facilities, like an agreement between Riverwood International Charter (Fulton County Schools) and Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School (private), Head of School Lundstrom said Mount Vernon’s circumstances differ.
“Having our own facilities allows us to create a consistent and cohesive environment for our athletic programs, fostering team spirit and community among our student-athletes,” she said.
“Our goal is to ensure that our students have access to high-quality athletic experiences that reflect our commitment to their growth and development.”
Lundstrom also said the school is committed to seeking a resolution that works for all parties and open to exploring ways to minimize the lightings impact like
limiting usage hours and brightness levels.
After the initial Sept. 16 community meeting, the Community Development Department scheduled a make-up Oct. 24 at the Mount Vernon School’s Upper Campus to gather public feedback and answer questions.
Neighbors at the meeting wore red T-shirts to symbolize their opposition to field lighting, but the school did not allow them to ask questions or voice their concerns. Instead, nearby residents were asked to scan a projected QR code and submit comments online.
Head of School Lundstrom said the intention was not to stifle public comment.
“This approach aimed to give everyone a fair chance to have their voice heard, especially those who might not feel comfortable speaking out in a crowded room,” she said. “We encourage our neighbors to participate and submit comments using all available avenues so we can better address the community’s concerns moving forward.”
The third and final community meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Oct. 30 at Sandy Springs City Hall.
Mount Vernon School has a webpage dedicated to the effort to install field lighting on its main field. To review, visit mvcampusproject.org/.
Ready for those weekend getaways?
Continued from Page 1
Weber said the sketchiest part of the bike ride was the path gap on Hammond Drive between Ashford Dunwoody Road and Perimeter Center Parkway.
The Park Center development and SYNC at Perimeter apartments have options for cyclists, but the eastern half of Hammond Drive in Dunwoody is lacking multi-use paths or trails.
After stopping at the Perimeter Center Parkway bridge over I-285, riders continued south to Lake Hearn Drive where PATH400 eventually ties in at the intersection with Peachtree Dunwoody Road.
About 20 people turned up for the community bike ride, including some Dunwoody Police officers with their e-bikes, Perimeter Connects staff, Dunwoody staff, City Councilman Rob Price and 2023 Sustainability Hero Jason Metzger.
Chris Burnett, economic development director for Sandy Springs, also attended the ride to his city’s portion of PATH400, just a couple blocks from the Dunwoody city limits.
For public infrastructure projects in Central Perimeter, the Perimeter Community Improvement Districts can supplement local funding in Sandy Springs and Dunwoody with its own from commercial property tax collections.
For path projects on Ashford and Peachtree Dunwoody roads, the PCIDs have split project costs, making them more feasible for both city governments.
The first phase of the Ashford Dunwoody Trail is complete with the Peachtree Dunwoody Trail slated for construction in 2027.
Dunwoody and Sandy Springs are prioritizing connections to the Village and City Springs. To connect the two counties, the PCIDs fund path connections at the Perimeter district.
Multi-use paths, shared-use trails or side paths are wider than the typical 5-foot-wide sidewalk, so they accommodate the movement of pedestrians and cyclists.
The Atlanta Regional Commission’s 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan has $3.9 billion in funding for the completion of the regional trail network, spanning from Cherokee to Fayette County.
For communities to take advantage of the initiative, they need multi-use connections to major corridors in the regional network like PATH400.
The cities representing each side of the Perimeter Community Improvement Districts have turned a focus to developing their own Master Trail plans with Central Perimeter as a connection point between the two.
Sandy Springs is constructing two of
A look north from PATH400 in Sandy Springs shows two cyclists riding toward the King and Queen buildings in Central Perimeter. The ride began at Perimeter Mall in Dunwoody, following the Ashford Dunwoody Trail to the completed PATH400 segment at Ga. 400 and I-285.
three segments needed for the completion of PATH400 through its city limits. Atlanta is wrapping up their portion of PATH400, which will be constructed up to the Sandy Springs border at Nancy Creek.
From Lake Hearn Drive, Brookhaven plans to continue the Ashford Dunwoody Trail south of I-285 and inside its city limits.
Like the Perimeter Community Improvement Districts, the regional trail vision for north Metro Atlanta is split between Fulton and DeKalb counties.
One resident, Christine Thomas, said she heard about the bike ride in the city’s monthly newsletter. She said she doesn’t bike around Dunwoody often because she knows two people who have died riding on Georgia roads. Instead, Thomas prefers going on mountain biking trails or the Big Creek Greenway in Roswell.
When asked what stood out about the existing multi-use path, Thomas said she loved how wide they were.
“I felt totally safe and wasn’t worried about the cars at all,” she said. “I would have no concerns about riding on the trails with my children.”
When asked about plans for the regional trail network, Thomas said she’s very excited.
“I really appreciate all the advocacy work that has taken place behind the scenes to make this happen,” she said. “This will have a big impact on the quality of life in Dunwoody.”
CHRISTINE THOMAS/PROVIDED
Kemp announces income tax rebate
By DAVE WILLIAMS Capitol Beat
ATLANTA — A For the second time in three years, Gov. Brian Kemp is giving Georgians a tax rebate worth more than $1 billion.
Kemp said Tuesday he will include the rebate in the midyear budget he introduces to the General Assembly in January. He said the extra money will come in handy, particularly for Georgians who suffered losses from Hurricane Helene.
“We all know that even if inflation has fallen, high prices haven’t,” he said. “Families see that every day when they go to the grocery store or the gas pump. … People shouldn’t have to deal with that added burden, especially in the wake of tragedy.”
The Oct. 22 announcement was the second tax relief measure the governor has issued in recent weeks. Kemp temporarily suspended collection of the state sales tax on gasoline and other motor fuels shortly after Helene struck large portions of South Georgia and the Augusta region.
The governor proposed a similar tax rebate two years ago worth about $1 billion. The General Assembly approved that rebate during the 2023 legislative session.
Under the new tax rebate, single tax filers will receive $250. A single filer who is the head of his or her household will get $375, and married couples filing jointly will receive $500.
Kemp said the state can afford the rebate because conservative budgeting has helped the state build up a huge budget surplus. He said he’d rather send that money back to taxpayers instead of pouring it into new government programs.
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
“This is one-time money … a way for us to use our excess surplus to get it back to the people we believe know how to use it best,” he said.
“The worst mistake the state could make would be to grow government with one-time money.”
This story is available through a news partnership with Capitol Beat News Service, a project of the Georgia Press Educational Foundation.
The City of Dunwoody City Council will meet Monday, December 9, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Dunwoody City Hall, which is located at 4800 Ashford Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody, Georgia 30338 for the purpose of due process of the following: RZ 24-02, 2480, 2526 Mount Vernon Road & 2495 Jett Ferry Road: Branch Mount Vernon Associates LP requests a rezoning from NS (Neighborhood Shopping) to C-1 (Local Commercial) to increase the number of allowed uses within the existing shopping center. Should you have any questions or comments, please contact the City of Dunwoody Community Development Department at 678-382-6800. Staff is available to answer questions, discuss the decision-making process, and receive comments and concerns.
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Election chaos has historical precedent
HAYDEN SUMLIN Staff Reporter hayden@appenmedia.com
With the 2024 election just days away, I can’t stop thinking about the time the U.S. House of Representatives chose the president.
The four-candidate race for the 1824 presidential election yielded no one with a majority of the Electoral College. It’s only happened once in American history, almost exactly 200 years ago.
Today, both presidential candidates and their supporters claim that American democracy and the future of the republic is at stake. This history nerd is doubtful, especially given an interesting case study from two centuries ago.
All four presidential candidates in 1824, Andrew Jackson, John Quincy Adams, William Crawford and Henry Clay, were members of the DemocraticRepublican Party.
Crawford, whose poor health throughout the election resembles contemporary times, was a nonfactor.
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Jackson received the most popular and electoral votes but fell short of the threshold to secure a clear victory.
The 12th amendment excluded Clay, who received the fewest electoral votes, from the House runoff.
Clay, speaker of the House at the time, famously backed Adams, who named him as secretary of state once elected to the White House.
Jackson and his supporters denounced Adams’ election and Clay’s appointment as a corrupt bargain.
The 1824 presidential election ended the Era of Good Feelings, a term associated with unity, the end of bitter partisan disputes and the presidency of James Monroe.
Jackson would go on to serve two terms, centering his 1828 run on accusations of the corrupt bargain.
This also reminds us of today, and an easy comparison can be made between the two populists, Jackson and former President Donald Trump.
Both leveraged nontraditional political backgrounds to win over votes in an era of political realignment. Both have accused the political establishment of working against them.
Regardless of how you feel about this election’s candidates, there’s no indication that a chaotic election will spell the end of American democracy and civil liberties.
I think it’s all normal and a part of the game.
There have been two presidential elections in the United States since I received my driver’s license.
After elections in 2016, 2020 and even the 2018 Georgia gubernatorial election, whichever political party lost the election spent months challenging the results, telling their supporters it was stolen and blaming everything but themselves.
Republicans and Democrats are both doing it, repeatedly, when politically expedient.
There’s nothing unusual about this election. Stop buying “your” party’s line.
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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
The presidential election of 1824 serves as a reminder of the resilience of the United States after none of the four candidates received a majority of Electoral College votes.
President Andrew Jackson
President John Quincy Adams
In Memoriam
Mark Douglas Welsh
August 22, 1956 – October 14, 2024
Mark Douglas Welsh, age 68 of Dunwoody, passed away October 14, 2024. He was a devoted husband, father, brother, and valued member of the community.
Mark was born August 22, 1956, in Richmond Virginia, to the late Norman and Patricia Welsh. He attended Chamblee High School before receiving his bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia and his law degree from the University of California, Berkeley.
Mark briefly practiced law in Virginia before moving back to Atlanta. He worked for Weekes and Candler before becoming a solo practitioner. His passion for assisting others was realized in his personal and professional lives. Mark served as the attorney for Partners in Education for the DeKalb County School System before dedicating his latter years to elder law.
Mark was an avid swimmer, baseball fan, and youth sports leader. Mark swam
competitively with the Dynamo Swim Club in Chamblee before swimming at UVA as a first-year. Mark first served as a community coach at Murphey Candler Little League before serving on the Board of Directors and coaching his son.
Mark is survived by his wife of 36 years, Theresa; son, Nate; brother, Scott; mother-in-law, Geraldine Meiners; and sister-in-law, Debbie Meiners.
Funeral services will be held on Monday, November 11, 2024, 11 A.M. at All Saints Catholic Church. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the American Heart Association or a youth program of your choice.
On-line condolences may be expressed at www.crowellbrothers.com Arrangements entrusted to Crowell Brothers Funeral Homes & Crematory, 5051 Peachtree Industrial Boulevard, Peachtree Corners, GA 30092. 770-448-5757.
NOTICE OF PROPOSED CHARTER AMENDMENT
Pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 36-35-3(b)(1), notice is hereby given that the City Council of the City of Dunwoody, Georgia will consider amending the Charter of the City of Dunwoody, Georgia for the purpose of permitting certain gifts or donations without limitations from individuals, charities, and benevolent or philanthropic organizations: (1) to provide aid and support of law enforcement; or (2) to provide aid and support of city personnel facing hardships due to a serious health condition of the employee (or immediate family member defined as spouse, child, or parent) within Article II, Section 2.13(a)(4).
The proposed amendment will be considered at the City Council’s regular meetings on November 12, 2024 and November 25, 2024. Meetings of the Dunwoody City Council are held at 6:00 p.m. in Dunwoody Hall, Dunwoody City Hall, 4800 Ashford Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody, GA 30338. A copy of the proposed amendment is on file in the office of the City Clerk and in the office of the Clerk of Superior Court of DeKalb County for the purpose of examination and inspection by the public.
In Memoriam
Sara Ames Allen (Sheahan)
July 1, 1974 – August 1, 2024
Sara passed away peacefully in her sleep August 1, 2024 after a long battle with chronic pain and additional health challenges. Sara was born July 1, 1974 in New Rochelle, New York, to James and Anne Sheahan. Sara was a very loving and compassionate person, feeling the pain of those hurting or in need. When she wasn’t suffering too badly, she still tried to spread her love around the world to the people she’d meet up until her passing. Sara moved with her family to Dunwoody, Georgia in 1977. She attended Dunwoody and Vanderlyn Elementary Schools, Peachtree Middle School and Dunwoody High School where she graduated in 1992. Sara went on to study Criminal Justice at Georgia State University graduating Magna Cum Laude in 1996. After college, Sara completed an internship at the Forsyth County prosecutor’s office. Once completing the internship, Sara went on to work at Regal Chemical Co. in Cumming, GA before retiring to become a full-time Mom in 2003.
they made a multitude of friends and wonderful memories. In 2000, Sara and Craig were married at All Saints Catholic Church in Dunwoody, GA where Sara attended CCD school and Mass throughout her youth. In 2004, Rachel Ames Allen was born (Sara’s proudest day). One year later in 2005, they relocated to Peachtree Corners, GA to be closer to her parents.
Sara is survived by her parents James and Anne Sheahan of Dunwoody, GA, her husband Craig Allen and daughter Rachel Allen of Peachtree Corners GA, her sister Cary Sheahan of Brookhaven, Georgia, Mother and Father in-law, Joseph and Camille Cashin, Brother and Sister in-law, Brett and Barbara Allen and niece Sophia Allen; along with many Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, and friends that she missed in her later years and loved very dearly. May her memory bring you peace and happiness.
In 1992, Sara began dating Craig Allen, the love of her life and husband of 24 years. In 1996, they purchased their first home in Cumming, GA where
A private graveside service was held on Wednesday, August 21, 2024 at Arlington Memorial Park in Sandy Spring, GA.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Furkids Rescue, Shelters & Sanctuary @furkids.org
NOTICE OF PROPOSED CHARTER AMENDMENT
Pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 36-35-3(b)(1), notice is hereby given that the City Council of the City of Dunwoody, Georgia will consider amending the Charter of the City of Dunwoody, Georgia for the purpose of permitting members of the city council to be employed by other governmental entities except Dunwoody, Georgia or Dekalb County, Georgia within Article II, Section 2.13(e).
The proposed amendment will be considered at the City Council’s regular meetings on November 12, 2024 and November 25, 2024. Meetings of the Dunwoody City Council are held at 6:00 p.m. in Dunwoody Hall, Dunwoody City Hall, 4800 Ashford Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody, GA 30338. A copy of the proposed amendment is on file in the office of the City Clerk and in the office of the Clerk of Superior Court of DeKalb County for the purpose of examination and inspection by the public.
Donor Operations Associate The Donor Operations Associate greets and removes donations from vehicles and then sorts the merchandise in a designated area. They are responsible for keeping the merchandise secure, all areas free of debris, and the donor door area neat and clean. This position is the face of NFCC, so they are expected to provide excellent customer service and treat each donor, volunteer, and staff member professionally and with a friendly demeanor.
Work is performed both indoors and outdoors in extreme hot and cold conditions. Must have the ability to work in extreme temperatures, ability to lift up to 75lbs and or use a lift aid, ability to push and pull items, and be able to stand for up to 8 hours.
To apply, please submit a resume to Marten Jallad, Director of Thrift and Donor Operations, NFCC, mjallad@nfcchelp.org
Childcare Associate: The NFCC Childcare Associate has the critical role of providing a safe and welcoming environment for children from the ages 2 to 11 while their parents attend classes in the NFCC Education Programs. Contract position with competitive hourly rate, Evenings 5 – 8 pm. Contact Carol Swan at cswan@nfcchelp.org to apply.
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