6
The Dunwoody High School graduating class of 1994 will be holding its 30-year class reunion on November 30th, 2024.
Please email Amy Lutz Hurewitz at amydlutz@yahoo.com for more information!
Edge City conference keys on housing gap
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
DUNWOODY, Ga. — Elected officials, business leaders, urban planners and developers held their second meeting Nov. 7 to discuss evolving suburban housing options in Central Perimeter.
The cities of Dunwoody and Sandy Springs split most of the business district, one of the nation’s largest edge cities with around 29 million square feet of commercial office space.
Commercial districts across the country are facing an oversupply of older, and often vacant, office buildings and an undersupply of housing options.
The second stop in the seminar series, “Edge City 2.0: Reshaping Tomorrow’s Perimeter,” was held at Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse off Perimeter Center Parkway.
With the 2024 presidential election over, investors and developers are
anticipated to increase activity assuming lower market volatility.
Sam Shenbaga, managing director of the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Community Development Department, moderated the panel alongside a regional real estate analyst, a master planner from the New Urbanism school and one of the region’s top residential housing developers.
All four panelists addressed the question: How can the public and private sectors work together to provide needed housing options that are congruent with a city’s economic development plans?
Geoff Koski, president and owner of KB Advisory Group, went over current conditions in Metro Atlanta’s housing market.
Missing middle housing, which includes a range of options like
See HOUSING, Page 18
Dunwoody Police Department launches ambassador program
DUNWOODY, Ga. — The Dunwoody Police Department officially launched its Public Safety Ambassador program Nov. 5, a new initiative to enhance public safety and improve response times.
Dunwoody’s public safety
ambassadors are civilian employees who support the Dunwoody Police Department by responding to nonemergency calls, assisting stranded motorists and addressing traffic hazards.
Police Chief Mike Carlson said his
department is excited to launch a key part of its commitment to enhancing service and safety in Dunwoody.
“By integrating ambassadors into our operations, we’re able to keep more sworn officers available for serious calls, thereby improving our response
times and strengthening the quality of service we provide to our community,” Carlson said.
While the Police Department’s requests for more officers during the
See PROGRAM, Page 18
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Jewelry heist convicts sent to prison
DUNWOODY, Ga. – The U.S. District Attorney’s Office said four felons failed to rob a Dunwoody jewelry store and are now headed to prison.
A south Georgia prison inmate led the interstate robbery crew, which attempted a smash-and-grab armed robbery of the jewelry store, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
“These defendants posed a significant threat to public safety when they terrorized innocent victims during their crime spree,”
U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan said in a statement. “The successful prosecutions of these armed career criminals resulted from the tenacious and collaborative work of our federal
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.
Police arrest suspect in shoplifting incident
DUNWOODY, Ga. — Police arrested a 40-year-old Vidalia woman for shoplifting and obstruction Nov. 1 after she fled from security and officers at Perimeter Mall’s Von Mauer.
AAPPEN PRESSCLU B
Police said they were dispatched to a specific area of the mall parking lot to search for the woman. Eventually, they saw the suspect walking toward the Perimeter Center West and Parkway intersection.
Officers said the suspect told them that she showed her bag to mall security when they first pulled up next to her for questioning along the roadway.
After the suspect continued walking, officers cut her off in front of the AC Hotel before she took off running.
Officers said they found her underneath a vehicle and detained her after she came out.
Police spoke with Von Mauer’s loss prevention about the initial incident.
The employee said security footage showed the suspect selecting multiple undergarments but exiting the fitting room with just one item. The employee told officers that the suspect was initially cooperative but fled security on foot after they confronted her.
The allegedly stolen merchandise totals $60.
During an identity check, officers said they discovered the suspect
and state law enforcement partners who disrupted the defendants’ violent activities and helped to prevent them from targeting other members of our communities.”
FBI special agents in 2023 began probing jewelry store robberies that were happening throughout the South. The agents learned that Deuntria Lyons, a Valdosta State Prison inmate serving six life sentences for planning other robberies while incarcerated, was orchestrating these robberies, too.
The FBI intercepted phone calls and text messages between Lyons and his partners in crime: Melvin Asbury, Mark Oliver, and Santino
had an active warrant out of Clayton County for failing to appear for another shoplifting charge.
Officers trespassed the suspect from Perimeter Mall and transported her to DeKalb County Jail.
Hayden Sumlin Three women arrested after invading kitchen
DUNWOODY, Ga. — Police arrested three women in their late 20s at Eclipse di Luna off Ashford Dunwoody Road Nov. 3 after they allegedly broke into the kitchen and attacked employees.
Dispatch said three women were inside the restaurant and arguing, swearing, grabbing food and refusing to leave.
When officers arrived at the restaurant, employees told them three women were beating up their manager and security guards.
Officers said they detained the first suspect, a 26-year-old Kennesaw woman, who was seen slapping one of the restaurant’s security guards when they arrived.
An officer said the Kennesaw woman kneed him in the head after exiting the patrol car while she was handcuffed.
Officers said the second suspect, a 28-year-old Atlanta woman, pushed one of them in the back as they were apprehending one of her accomplices.
The third suspect approached officers after the first two women had been detained in a patrol car and asked where they would be taken.
Officers said they detained the third suspect after she ignored their commands and aggressively approached them.
A security guard told police the women became irate after he told them they could not make food inside
Parks.
The conspirators communicated about the specifics of a plan to rob the Dunwoody store. The scheme called for two robbers going into the store with handguns while a third waited in a getaway car.
The agents set a trap on Dec. 1, 2023, watching the three park their car near the jewelry store and arresting them at the scene. The crew had masks, gloves, trash bags, sledgehammers, two loaded Glock pistols and a loaded high-capacity magazine in their vehicle, the press release says.
See HEIST, Page 20
the restaurant.
They said the security guard had a busted lip from the encounter.
Officers transported all three suspects to DeKalb County Jail for obstruction with additional assault and battery charges for the two who were violent.
Hayden Sumlin
Officers charge man with weapons offenses
DUNWOODY, Ga. — Police arrested a 52-year-old Dunwoody man Oct. 29 for public drunkenness, unlawful possession of a firearm and altering his pistol’s serial number.
An officer said he detained two men reported sitting on the curb near 6890 Peachtree Industrial Boulevard. An anonymous caller said suspects were residents of the Lacota Apartments.
When initially speaking with a suspect, officers said he provided them with three incorrect dates of birth.
Officers said they were able to confirm the man’s identity with his Guatemalan passport.
While speaking with the suspect, officers said the man appeared intoxicated with glossy eyes, slurred speech and alcohol on his breath.
During a pat down, the suspect brandished a loaded .22-caliber revolver and tossed it on the ground. He was then detained, placed in handcuffs without incident and transported to DeKalb County Jail.
They charged him with public drunkenness, unlawful possession of a firearm, giving false date of birth, criminal use of a firearm with altered serial number and loitering.
Officers said warrants are pending.
Hayden Sumlin
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Local wine expert reviews ‘Tuscany in Dahlonega’
DUNWOODY, Ga. — Anita LaRaia, Dunwoody resident and wine educator, is back from her Oct. 24 excursion to Montaluce Winery & Restaurant in Dahlonega.
In her 33 years running her wine school, LaRaia graduated more than 2,000 people – young adults in the hospitality industry, trade professionals and anyone interested in understanding the process of selecting a quality wine.
LaRaia, longtime Dunwoody resident, kicked off 2024 with the rollout of her YouTube channel, Winegroceries.com, which combines LaRaia’s six years studying in London, her time answering questions posed from around the world for CNN.com and 33 years of teaching in Atlanta.
Now, she wants her neighbors to know about an easy day trip that she thinks fellow wine enthusiasts will love.
LaRaia said it’s a romantic spot, great for a marriage proposal or couples retreat.
“Just 40 miles north on GA400 thru lovely country roads, Montaluce — meaning ‘mountain of light’ in Italian — is literally a Tuscan estate,” she said. “With beautiful vineyards planted in rolling hillsides and the heavenly line of Blue Ridge Mountains in the background, Montaluce Winery & Restaurants is a perfect destination for our suburban residents.”
In 2018, the Dahlonega Plateau became Georgia’s first officially recognized American Viticultural Area for its unique climate, soil quality and sun exposure.
The recognition means that wine brands in the region, stretching from western Lumpkin County to eastern White County, get a serious advantage.
To receive the AVA label on wine bottles, at least 85 percent of it must be derived from grapes in the designated viticultural area.
Montaluce Winery & Restaurant is one of several within the Dahlonega Plateau region. Just last year, Atlanta’s metropolitan statistical area added Lumpkin County.
LaRaia said the recently harvested 2024 vintage at Montaluce turned out to be a blockbuster in both quantity and quality.
“It is expected that they will be able to bottle up to 1,800 cases over the next two years,” she said. “The grapes varieties planted here range from Merlot to Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot with Chambourcin and Sangiovese, which can also be blended into reds or rosé.”
LaRaia said one of her favorite parts of the trip was a guided tour through the “immaculate” production area and “pristine” barrel room with French Bordeaux oak and American white oak
WINEGROCERIES.COM/PROVIDED
A balcony overlooking Montaluce Winery & Restaurant in Lumpkin County shows rolling hills of vineyards at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains on top of the Dahlonega Plateau, an official American Viticultural Area. Dunwoody resident and wine educator Anita LaRaia traveled to Dahlonega Oct. 24 to check out the winery and give a review.
from Virginia casks.
“We shared a divine bottle of Montaluce Merlot 2018 labeled with their Dahlonega Plateau AVA that had a depth and richness seldom found in that grape variety,” she said. “Since their entire wine production of hand-picked and hand-crafted wines is only 800 cases per year, prices are necessarily about $60 per bottle.”
While prices in Dahlonega are typically higher than at local grocery stores, the 40-mile trek up Ga. 400 is cheaper than flights to revered wine regions.
Montaluce Winery & Restaurant features two restaurants — Le Vigne and Trattoria.
“Anchored by a fabulous Tuscan villa, it is a top wedding and special events venue that is also home to an elite small production winery and market store,” LaRaia said. “The Trattoria serves delicious wood fired pizzas, fine Italian specialties from Burrata to Risotto with huge shrimp, spare rib with polenta and local organic mushrooms including gray and blue Oysters.”
Head Winemaker Collin Lilly has extensive experience crafting top-rated California wines from his time at Napa Valley Wine Academy.
LaRaia said Lilly is sending his assistant to the two-year program next year. She also said Montaluce is hosting a film crew Oct. 30. as evidence of the winery’s beauty.
“A most wonderful day trip to Montaluce,” LaRaia said. “You will definitely come back again and again as I plan to.”
Hayden Sumlin
Owner John Hogan & Designer Bobbie Kohm
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Young entrepreneurs serve up authentic Indian cuisine, hospitality
By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com
DUNWOODY, Ga. — At 32, Prudhvi Allam is the eldest of some six family members who own and operate two Indian restaurants and a food truck in Metro Atlanta.
Over a small table in Andhrawala Café in Dunwoody’s North Shallowford Plaza, he and his 25-year-old brother Amsh Ashrith described the authenticity found in not just the food, but the hospitality. Together, those ingredients produce regulars at the cafe which opened just six months ago.
Allam, Andhrawala Cafe’s manager, said a common problem among many Indian restaurants is the service.
“Most of our guests … they would come back to us and say, ‘Yeah, food, we can get it anywhere. The service with the food, this is the only place,” Allam said.
The word “Namaste,” a tradition rooted in “humble love and attention, has proliferated throughout the community, Allam said.
Manager Prudhvi Allam and Head Chef Harish Kumar, center, are primarily responsible for operations at Andhrawala Cafe, an Indian restaurant in North Shallowford Plaza owned by Allam’s family. Allam’s brother Amsh Ashrith, left, manages a food truck called StopEatRepeat, and Pavan Sai helps the family by serving food to customers at the cafe.
Andhrawala Cafe boasts an eclectic menu of traditional Indian breakfast favorites, like vada, or doughnut-like fritters made from a lentil batter; dosa, or a buttery crisp South Indian crepe; and idly, or soft, steamed rice cake made from a batter of rice and lentils.
It’s advised that these items are dipped, maybe even drenched, in the accompanying tomato- and peanutbased sauces, or with vada, the chutney.
Allam said the cafe quickly became popular because it features cuisines found all over India.
“I think everybody says that for the restaurant business, you need at least six months to one year for the break even,” Allam said. “We never faced these kinds of issues from the last two, three years.”
The family’s food truck StopEatRepeat was launched in 2022, a test of the waters before focusing on scalability.
Allam also said they intentionally moved away from Americanizing the food at Andhrawala Cafe.
“Every item, after coming here, they’ll fusionize because that way they can attract more customers, like more people,” Allam said.
Allam, who has been in the states for about a decade, said some customers who had been unfamiliar with the more traditional, smaller dosa have continued to return because they say it’s the best they’ve ever had. In some restaurants, the crepe can almost cover the entire table.
“If you bring the authentic food, everybody likes it,” he said.
The cafe’s walls are splashed with an inviting yellow as well as hand-
AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA
At left is vada, or doughnut-like fritters made from a lentil batter, and onion masala karam benne dosa, or a buttery crisp South Indian crepe made with ghee, red chili paste, potato masala and chili powder. At right is ghee karam idly, or soft, steamed rice cake made from a batter of rice and lentils, topped with special chili powder.
Cuisine:
Continued from Page 6
illustrated murals, painted by one of Allam and Ashrith’s sisters. On one side, you can see a host of the cafe’s team members, each with a name tag, and on the other side, a painting of farmers using bulls to do their work, layered over a mandala.
An awning made of dried grass hangs over the front counter, which Ashrith said hearkens to the clay homes found in South Indian villages.
Tradition is threaded throughout the establishment, including the technique of cooking rice in clay pots. Harish Kumar is the head chef at Andhrawala Cafe.
“There is a history behind the clay pot,” Allam said. “You know, back in the ancient days, most of the culture says that if you cook anything in a pot, that gives a lot of benefits.”
A wall by the door features an outline of a heart filled overflowing with handwritten compliments, from “GOOD FOOD GOOD SERVICE” to “Food is really damn tasty :).”
The family’s second restaurant, a
fine dining spot in Suwanee, will soon be rebranded to Dosti Tap and Grill, “dosti” meaning friendship.
The food truck StopEatRepeat was their first entry into the restaurant industry, though, at least in the United States. They had also owned a series of restaurants in Goa, a coastal state in India.
“We are Atlanta’s first Indian food truck, and we can proudly flaunt that every time,” said Ashrith, StopEatRepeat’s manager. “That’s our baby.”
All the food operations exist under the home brand TOT, or “Trails of Taste.”
With a full-time career in IT, the restaurant business is Allam’s side gig. He and Ashrith, a college student who has helped Allam create foodrelated phone apps, volunteer their time.
Ashrith said money is less important.
“Every day we do something, we try to make sure that it makes a difference, not more money,” Ashrith said. “To make money, you can do anything, but to make a difference, there are only certain things that you can do.”
Ready for those weekend getaways?
PHOTOS BY: AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA
Andhrawala Cafe, in North Shallowford Plaza, boasts an eclectic menu of traditional Indian breakfast favorites.
From Sandy Springs to Buckhead in a buggy, 1916
In the April 5, 1984, issue of the Dunwoody Crier, Dode Templeton tells the story of Fred Hamrick riding to Buckhead from Sandy Springs in a horse-drawn buggy with his dad, Bud Hamrick. Templeton wrote history articles for the Crier in the 1970s and 1980s, sometimes under the subtitle The Southern Wanderer.
Fred Hamrick was born in 1908. His mother was Ida Bell Lewis Hamrick and his father Bud, whose full name was George Everett Hamrick Sr., operated Wilson’s Mill on Marsh Creek. Hamrick remembered the road to the mill as Old Mill Road, but years later when the mill became Brandon Mill the road’s name became Brandon Mill Road.
The old mill burned in the 1940s, and the mill stones broke in the fire. The land was purchased by Ed Dodd, creator of Mark Trail comics. Lost Forest Subdivision was built on a portion of that land beginning in 1978.
A trip to Buckhead or downtown Atlanta meant Fred Hamrick and his father rode along Roswell Road in a horse-drawn buggy. Fred remembered the trip as an 8-year-old in 1916.
“The buggy had one long seat, rubber tires, and a cover in case of rain,” he recalled. The road was “tar poured over a gravel bed, rounded so that water would run off into a ditch.”
His father complained that it was hard to keep the buggy on the road, and drivers often ended up in the ditch.
There was no traffic along the road. They might pass one other buggy on their journey.
There was a wagon yard where Roswell Road meets Peachtree Road, at
the location today of Buckhead Theatre. Hamrick and his dad parked their wagon and put their horse in a stall to feed and rest for the return trip.
In a V-shaped area across from the theater where is now a park, Hamrick recalled Jacobs Pharmacy, where they served delicious ice cream sodas. Residents of Sandy Springs got their medicine from Jacobs Pharmacy or they went to Dunwoody where medicine was brought in on the Roswell Railroad by a local doctor.
Fred and his father took the streetcar from Buckhead to downtown Atlanta and stopped at the post office near Walton and Lucky streets. Fred Hamrick had fun visiting the dime stores and other stores in the city. He also remembered, “…how exciting it was to look over the open bridges at the huge trains passing under the bridge.”
He and his father had lunch at the National Lunch Counter near Five Points for 20 to 30 cents for a plate and five cents for a fountain Coke.
At Christmas, the stores were decorated with bright, colorful lights, and the Salvation Army singers performed on street corners. Then,
they would take the trolley back to Buckhead, hitch up the horse to the buggy and make their way back to Sandy Springs.
By 1917, the trolley was extended to Oglethorpe University, near World War I encampment Camp Gordon.
When Fred’s father received jury duty notice, he would make this same trip every day for a week, “taking great pride in fulfilling his civic duty.”
Hamrick also shared his memories of the heart of Sandy Springs during his youth. In the area where Johnson Ferry Road and Mt. Vernon Road meet, there was Mr. A. C. Acree’s Store, a blacksmith shop and Hammond School. From 1892 until 1903 the post office was in Acree’s Store.
Fred Hamrick died in 1993, but thanks to Dode Templeton his story is preserved in the archives of the Dunwoody Crier newspaper.
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
Importance of skin checks for mature skin
Brought to you by - Dr. Kehinde Olumesi of Epiphany Dermatology - Brookhaven
As skin matures, it undergoes various changes that necessitate regular skin checks to ensure overall skin health. Differentiating between age spots, healthy moles and potential skin cancers is crucial. Age spots, often appearing as flat, brown, or black spots on sun-exposed areas, are generally harmless but can be mistaken for more serious conditions. Early detection of skin cancer, including melanoma, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, significantly increases the chances of successful treatment. Therefore, routine skin examinations are essential for mature skin to maintain health and catch any issues early.
Addressing skin conditions and rejuvenation procedures
Dermatologists can assist with a
variety of skin conditions and rejuvenation procedures for mature skin. Common issues such as dryness, age-related pigmentation and conditions like rosacea, psoriasis and eczema, which can persist or develop with age, are also addressed with specialized care plans.
In addition to treating conditions, dermatologists offer rejuvenating procedures to enhance the appearance and health of mature skin. Treatments such as chemical peels, laser rejuvenation and injectable treatments like BOTOX® Cosmetic and dermal fillers can reduce the appearance of wrinkles, improve skin texture and promote collagen production. These procedures not only rejuvenate the skin but also boost confidence and overall well-being. Establishing a relationship with a dermatologist ensures that your skin receives comprehensive care tailored to its evolving needs, promoting long-term skin health and vitality.
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Taking a moment when confronted with change
The holiday season is almost upon us and, as we gather with older loved ones, warm memories of the past can be tempered by the realities of the present. When we get to spend more time together, changes in our lives as we age are more apparent.
Whether it’s the unexpected condition of their home, personal grooming or signs of slowing down physically and mentally, it can be a shock to the system to realize that help is needed. It’s natural to try and attribute changes to “holiday stress” or move quickly and “fix” things. This is when it’s also important to take a moment and try to understand the full scope of the issues your loved one is facing.
ADLs, or activities of daily living, are those activities that you don’t think much about until you or your older loved one has trouble with them. These are activities like walking safely around the house, being able to perform basic grooming, bathing, dressing, toileting and move safely from one space to another.
Perhaps you’re seeing signs that may indicate concerns about more serious emerging health issues. It’s important to work with your loved one and consult their health care professionals to determine what the issues are and what the prognosis is for the short and long term.
care can give you the time to take a breath, giving you a moment to stop and assess the true degree of assistance needed. Reacting to a potential medical prognosis or the aging process too quickly can add to the stress level of you and your older loved one. We know staying in the safety and comfort of home is the preference of most seniors. A skilled caregiver can help balance their needs with respect for their dignity and honor their desire to maintain as much independence as possible.
There are times when extra help is needed recuperating from an accident or surgery. Should fall risks emerge, your caregiver can add security and peace of mind. A dedicated Home Helpers caregiver can make life and nights easier if your loved one is starting to wander. For couples, this also makes sure a good night’s rest happens for their partner.
A Home Helpers caregiver can assist with all personal care, help around the house, accompany you on doctor’s visits and provide specialized care for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, etc. With a heart centered approach and positive spirit, they can also help pursue a hobby, enjoy outings and community activities, and build relationships that make for a longer and better life in the comfort of home.
We have a team with depth and skill that can provide the care you need from six hours a day, several days a week to 24/7 care. For a free consultation, please call Home Helpers of Alpharetta and North Atlanta Suburbs at (770) 681-0323.
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Make colon health your habit
Brought to you by - Dr. Ashish Zalawadia,
gastroenterologist at Wellstar
Being proactive with your preventative care can help catch colon cancer early— before it becomes a bigger problem. Your Wellstar care team can help you evaluate your colon cancer risk and create a screenings plan. Here’s an overview of what you can expect when you get a colonoscopy at Wellstar.
What is a colonoscopy?
A colonoscopy is a medical procedure that allows a gastroenterologist to visually examine the inside of the colon (large intestine) using a flexible tube with a camera and light on the end called a colonoscope.
Why is a colonoscopy performed?
Colonoscopies are a screening for colon cancer and polyps. They are considered the gold standard for colon cancer screening because they are the most effective way to identify and diagnose colon cancer. The United States Preventive Services Task Force recommends that patients start getting screened for colon cancer at age 45.
The procedure can also be used to investigate symptoms such as abdominal pain, blood in stool or a change in bowel habits and to monitor inflammatory bowel disease.
How frequently do I need a colonoscopy?
You need a colonoscopy every 10 years starting at age 45. You may need colonoscopies sooner and/or more often depending upon your medical history, family history or results from previous testing.
How do I prepare for a colonoscopy?
Preparing for a colonoscopy involves several steps to ensure a safe and effective procedure.
Tell your gastroenterologist about your medical history, including your previous colonoscopy results, allergies and medications, including over-thecounter medications. You will be asked to stop blood thinning medications before your colonoscopy.
Avoid nuts, seeds and popcorn and stay on a low-fiber diet one week before the procedure.
You will be asked to stay on a clear liquid diet (such as water, clear broth
and electrolyte-rich beverages) the entire day before your colonoscopy. Avoid red, orange or purple liquids, which may interfere with visibility.
What is colonoscopy prep, or bowel prep?
You will be given a strong laxative (bowel prep) to clean your colon. A clean colon allows your gastroenterologist to better view the inside of your colon. Your gastroenterologist can then more easily find polyps or early signs of cancer. You will start taking laxatives the day before your procedure. After taking the laxative, you will have diarrhea. Over time, your stool will get more and more watery and turn a yellow or clear color as the medicine cleans out your colon.
What should I expect on the day of my colonoscopy?
The test is often done in the
hospital or surgical center on an outpatient basis. Please arrive one hour before the scheduled time. Remove all jewelry, makeup and contact lenses. Wear comfortable clothing and bring someone to drive you home.
What should I expect during the colonoscopy?
During the procedure, you will lie on your left side. You will be sedated with IV medication. The colonoscope is inserted through the rectum. Air is inserted to expand the colon for better visibility. The procedure typically takes 30 minutes. Biopsy, polyp removal or other treatments may be done during the test.
What should I expect after a colonoscopy?
After the procedure, you may experience bloating, gas or mild discomfort. You can go back to normal
eating and activities after the test. Drink plenty of water but stay away from alcohol. You may be tired from sedation and need to rest for the day. Don’t work or drive after the procedure. Ask your gastroenterologist when you can resume taking your regular medication, especially blood thinning medication. Your gastroenterologist may talk with you about the results right away or you may need to schedule a follow-up visit to talk about the results.
What are the complications of a colonoscopy?
Colonoscopies are a very safe procedure. Rare complications include bleeding, perforation (hole or tear) or sedation medication (anesthesia) reaction.
To schedule an appointment with Wellstar Gastroenterology in Roswell, call (470) 267-1520.
ZALAWADIA
The steps to completing the Stress Cycle
Brought to you by - Summit Counseling Center
There is no denying we live in a stressful world. Stressors include external things like work, family, finances, friends, discrimination, and societal expectations, as well as internal factors such as selfcriticism, identity, memories, the future. Stress is a normal human response to these difficult situations. Stress is neurological and physiological sift that happens in our bodies when we experience stressors. Stress in not wholly a negative experience. Low to moderate levels of stress motivate us to take actions and perform tasks. However higher levels of stress or difficulty coping with stress can overwhelm us leaving us paralyzed, unable to act. Stress leads to the activation of the bodies stress response prompting the release of neurotransmitters and hormones that creates a kind of energy in our bodies prompting us to act I order to dispel this energy. Stress is cyclical, and so it is important to learn how to complete the Stress Cycle to move this energy through our bodies to return to a state of rest and relaxation in preparation for the next stressor.
Sisters Drs. Emily and Amelia Nagoski discuss ways to complete the Stress Cycle in their book Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle. They say, one of the most effective ways to complete the Stress Cycle is to move our bodies for about 20-60 minutes a day. Movement can include running, swimming, or dancing. Because we experience stressors every day it is important to intentionally move our bodies daily. Here are other ways to complete the Stress Cycle:
• Deep Breathing. Taking slow
deep breaths relaxes the body allowing the release of stress. Deep breathing is most effective with low to moderate levels of stress. It is characterized by inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth where the exhale is longer than the inhale.
• Positive Social Interactions. Casual social interactions with friends and acquaintances help us to see the world as safe. Innocuous chit chat with strangers like telling the grocery store clerk to have a nice day or giving someone a compliment helps us to know that there are sane people in the world.
• Laughter. Laughter releases a flood of feel-good chemicals in our brains. Deep belly laughs with others increases our social bonds. When we laugh like this, we realize there is good in this life.
• Affection. When casual social interaction is not enough, we need deep connection from a loving person help us to feel safe and validated. Affection does not have to be physical although a 20 second hug
or a six second kiss can do wonders to release stress. A deep connective empathic conversation also helps us to feel seen and heard thus reducing our stress. Affection can also be spiritual by connecting with our higher power through prayer or meditation we feel close to a being bigger than ourselves.
• Crying. Crying helps to release pent up emotions leaving us with a sense of relief from the weight of the stressor. Whether you’re on the
verge of tears and need to find a quiet place to let them out or you artificially create a situation that will lead to crying like watching your favorite tearjerker movie or pet adoption commercials, crying helps us to complete the Stress Cycle.
• Creative Expression. Creative outlets encourage big expressions of emotions. From love songs, to dance, to paint and poetry, creative expression is a socially acceptable way to express ourselves without having to adhere to such strict social norms like being “nice” or not creating waves. Creative expression allows us to process emotions we may not have words for.
In our world today we are constantly being bombarded with stressors. If we do not complete the Stress Cycle, we can experience higher rates of mental and physical health problems that lead to burnout. But it doesn’t have to be that way. By listening to our bodies and giving ourselves permission to intentionally use these skills we can move through the Stress Cycle more quickly to experience the joys of life.
ISTOCK
Each
Atlanta
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Every doctor you will meet is focused on your needs as a patient and works with every manufacturer to provide a personalized fitting.
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We accept all major insurances for patients who have a hearing healthcare benefit that they are eligible to use.
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DeKalb School Board considers $42.6 million budget increase
By JAEDON MASON newsroom@appenmedia.com
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — The DeKalb County School Board was scheduled to meet on Nov. 11 and consider an amendment to increase the FY2025 General Fund Budget by $42.6 million.
It will be a 3% increase to the district’s $1.6 billion budget.
The meeting was set to occur after this week’s Crier went to press. Find the final coverage online at appenmedia.com.
The budget amendment has also been anticipated for a while. According to the meeting agenda, in FY2024, the district added over $100 million to its fund balance, so this amendment attempts to allocate some of this to FY 2025 needs.
Some new programs in FY 2025 were initiated given this anticipated increase, and Superintendent Dr. Devon Horton has spoken before about this outlay, saying the district needs to balance the goals of maximizing the way the district uses its resources to provide programs for students and the goal of being responsible financial stewards.
The money will be spent as follows:
— $6.2 million for various items detailed by the Division of Student Services and summarized below:
o Pre-K3-Early Learning – $60,000
o Exceptional Education –
$3,940,000
o Gifted Instructional Resources –$1,000,000
o Gifted Assessments – $1,000,000
o English Learners – $183,136.97
— $15 million to the district-wide contingency to fund potential unforeseen and non-budgeted expenses
— $21.5 million as a transfer out of fund 100 and into 300, the district’s capital improvement fund. This transfer consists of:
o $15 million to provide additional cash flow for capital-related projects identified in the attached document “Fund 300 Project List.”
o $6.5 million as a transfer out to fund 300 to provide cash flow for purchasing buildings and/or land.
Other items on the Board’s agenda are:
— An easement request involving the city of Doraville for a walking trail at Sequoyah Middle School
— A $399,000 contract with Hellas Construction, Inc. for artificial turf and track maintenance at the William “Buck” Godfrey Stadium Athletic Field.
— A $600,000 contract renewal for district-wide moving services with Atlanta Cargo Transportation Co., Atlanta Peachtree Movers, Beltmann Relocation Group, AVS Lines Services Inc., and The Armstrong Group.
— An $8 million contract renewal with NAPA Auto Parts
— A $342,448 contract with Hershey Creamery Company for ice cream products
— A $223,770 contract with Sanitech Systems for school nutrition training services and materials
— A $990,000 contract award to Chapman Griffin Lanier Sussenbach Architects for architectural and engineering services.
— A $1.2 million contract with Goodwyn, Mills, Cawood, LLC
— A $332,193 change order to a
contract with Centennial Contractors Enterprises for a new security vestibule at Henderson Mill Elementary School.
— A $793,276 change order request with Centennial Contractors Enterprises for a new security vestibule and added roof insulation at Briar Vista Elementary Middle School
— A $1.2 million change order with Evergreen Construction for work at Midvale Elementary School
— A $344,416 change order with Evergreen Construction for an early learning center HVAC replacement.
— A $684,789 change order with Evergreen Construction for work at DeKalb High School of Technology
— A $1.4 million change order with Evergreen Construction for work at Laurel Ridge Elementary School
— A $1.3 million change order with Evergreen Construction for work at Woodridge Elementary School
— A $806,624 change order with Evergreen Construction for work at Chestnut Elementary School
— A $268,398 contract amendment with SSOE| Stevens & Wilkinson for
work at Kingsley Elementary School
— A $335,365 contract amendment with SSOE| Stevens & Wilkinson for work at Nancy Creek Elementary School
— A $1.8 million contract amendment for a new Dresden elementary school
— A $500,000 contract with Convergint Technologies, LLC. for physical security services
— Renewal of a $300,000 real estate advisory services agreement with Dudley Thomas Spade SPE
— Renewal of a $750,000 agreement with various firms — including 22nd Century Technologies, Inc., Abacus Corporation, COGENT Infotech Corporation, Corporate Temps, Inc., Howroyd-Wright Employment Agencies, Inc. dba AppleOne Employment Services, Robert Half, Tryfacta, Inc., and US Tech Solutions, Inc. — for temporary staffing services
— A tentative approval to opt out of House Bill 581, also known as the Save Our Homes Act.
— A $144,000 contract with Dentons for professional services.
DeKalb County School District Administration and Industrial Complex on Mountain Industrial Blvd. in Stone Mountain.
Program:
Continued from Page 1
2025 budget process was denied, there are still fully funded and vacant positions remaining to be filled.
Carlson sat down with Appen Media over the summer to discuss his transition to head of the Dunwoody Police Department and the challenges facing law enforcement in the Perimeter area.
The Dunwoody City Council approved the ambassador program in May, with funding for four positions coming from the city’s remaining American Rescue Plan Act funds.
Housing:
Continued from Page 1
duplexes, bungalows and townhomes, are often more affordable for working class families and young professionals. Missing middle housing is typically more affordable and denser than single family homes. Mid-rise apartments don’t qualify as missing middle.
“Our financial system is set up to build large apartment buildings and single-family homes … and that’s what our zoning codes have also been focused on,” Koski said. “That’s fine … it’s just that it’s a mismatch, and if we’re trying to house more people, then we’ve taken away a quarter of our ammunition.”
Before World War II, missing middle housing was common in American cities. With racially and class-motivated zoning in the early 20th century and Civil Rights Movement, the housing types are still illegal in some districts within Metro Atlanta cities.
Central Perimeter is unique to north Metro Atlanta cities because of its abundance of commercial real estate and office buildings and proximity to traditional neighborhoods with singlefamily homes.
Panelists argued that missing middle
Two ambassadors, half of the funded positions, have already completed the program’s training, which includes 40 hours of classroom instruction and several weeks of on-the-job instruction with a sworn officer.
Dunwoody Police are recruiting candidates to fill two additional positions.
The city says ambassadors operate specialized vehicles — Ford Maverick pickup trucks — equipped to provide critical roadside assistance, direct traffic, manage vehicle lockouts and administer first aid.
To learn more about the program or to apply to be a public safety ambassador, visit dunwoodyga. applicantstack.com/x/openings.
housing in Central Perimeter would serve as a buffer between the business district and neighborhoods. They also pointed out that it’s hard to find rents below $1,000 in Dunwoody and Sandy Springs.
Many workers in Central Perimeter, like Jeffery Middleton who served attendees during the seminar, do not live near where they work.
Middleton listened intently during the presentation, especially as panelists were discussing conditions in the housing market and the need to fill the gap.
“[They’re] right, missing middle housing has been gone,” he said. “There’s nothing if you’re making inbetween $40,000 and $125,000, but I’m optimistic.”
Paul Corley, regional president of residential developer Empire Communities, pointed to a examples of denser, missing middle housing developments that he’s recently built, like Chastain Park’s Buckley townhomes.
Corley said many Metro Atlanta homeowners do not understand the concept of missing middle housing, that they aren’t traditional mid-rise apartments. Many homeowners also do not recognize the increasing need for attainable housing, he said.
CITY OF DUNWOODY/PROVIDED
From left, the Dunwoody Police Department’s first two public safety ambassadors, Paul Chastain and Skylar Lewis, stand next to their specially equipped Ford Maverick trucks at City Hall Oct. 30.
HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA
From left, Sam Shenbaga, managing director of the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Community Development Department, leads a panel Nov. 7 discussing housing options in Central Perimeter with Geoff Koski, president and owner of KB Advisory Group; Lew Oliver, Atlanta-based urbanist and master planner; and Paul Corley, regional president of residential developer Empire Communities.
We are stronger, better together
I have circles of friends and family that run deeply down both sides of the aisle, who work in the media world and far from it.
I shared a message of optimism with all of them early on Election Day. I told them I was in a Slack channel – basically, a digital workspace similar to a group text – with about 100 election experts and 425 journalists around the country. Participants were sharing resources, lining up sources for interviews, answering questions and generally lending a hand.
Experts ranged from professors and researchers, to attorneys, policy advisers, cybersecurity engineers and former elections officials. Reporters represented organizations big and small, from Hearst and the Associated Press to Pennsylvania’s Bucks County Beacon.
The group also offered media-specific safety resources for physical, legal or psychosocial concerns.
A brainchild of the folks at Votebeat and Knight Election Hub, the project was a collaborative approach to combat disinformation. As I excitedly told those around me, its goal was to make sure solid information was being spread as reliably, quickly and loudly as it could.
One national reporter found resources to fact-check an untrue claim about voter fraud that was spreading rapidly across social media. There were offers from research universities to help parse and analyze data. A weekly newspaper in the mountains asked if someone could call them a few hours later with turnout numbers from their precinct. Not only was that request fulfilled, but another person took it upon themselves to turn the information into a data visualization the paper could publish with the story.
Large and small, helping hands went around.
Down in the Atlanta suburbs, we had a different kind of optimistic teamwork.
In August, the small-but-mighty Appen Media bought the smaller-but-mighty Decaturish, joining together two newsrooms of reporters and editors. We’ve been melding systems, beats and styles since then, but the election was the first chance to really operate as a unified force. Decaturish founder and editor Dan Whisenhunt led that charge.
Managing Editor Pat Fox, Senior Staff Reporter Amber Perry and I stepped back, focusing on our weekly print products as Dan orchestrated the election coverage. Dan, Jon, Hayden, Annabelle, Zoe and Dean, along with help from Jacob and Dionna, dove into the work, swarming across metro Atlanta to make sure our readers got the reliable information they needed. It was also a helpful respite for us all.
It can be isolating when you’re on a small team, even more so when tasked with a large job. Elections coverage is simply easier, more fun and stronger when you get to do it with others.
Late Tuesday night, I dialed into a media briefing from CISA, Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Non-credible bomb threats had been made at several polling places throughout the country, leading to some evacuations and voting hour extensions. DeKalb and Fulton counties were both targeted, which we had covered earlier in the day.
Throughout the call, CISA officials referred questions to the FBI and local law enforcement from reporters about the threats. CISA was trying to be helpful, but they were also limited in what they could offer. Part of the conflict is that while the FBI has pointed to foreign actors for the scare attempts, the only support they or CISA could give was that the emailed threats came from a .ru domain.
At one point a national reporter said something about how “none of us have actually seen these messages.”
Well, a few of us have, I thought.
Much earlier in the day, Dan sent an alert to the newsroom. He had just gotten an email, sent to him, a generic Fox News mailbox, a county official and several polling places, warning that certain locations were under attack and should be evacuated immediately. The sender had a .ru
domain address.
At the time, we contacted law enforcement, covered the story when some polls were evacuated and then later when they received the “all-clear.” Articles about the threats, and similar others around the country, made headlines for hours.
It was not until the CISA call that I realized, “we might be the only newsroom with this document in-hand.”
What did we do? Well, alert the Slack channel of course.
I thought it would be a useful primary document. The scares were a story, but more important in my eyes would be following the thread of whether these messages were coordinated. Now, reporters across the country will have one more clue to unravel that knot.
I take two main lessons away from Election Day.
Everyone has faced challenges these past few years. The key in my mind is how you respond to them. I felt like the media world learned from the past and had at least one new system in place to help facilitate the spread of good information. Seeing it makes me proud and optimistic for the future.
Collaboration is important. By that I mean helping each other and spending time together. Whether it’s a crossnational Slack channel or reporters having pizza. Two minds are better than one, and everything is harder when you’re doing it alone.
Here are two tried-and-true mystery series
Quite often I hear from Crier readers that they’ve enjoyed a book they discovered in my columns. Recently, though, I received an email from a reader with a request:
“Please consider reviewing books that take place elsewhere. Not everyone is infatuated with the dark, dreary, depressing world of the UK. It’s a big world out there! Maybe try a sunny destination with great food, like Italy.”
My reply?
“Thanks for taking the time to drop me a line. I’m not sure whether to laugh or be defensive — perhaps a bit of both. Let’s just say I consider myself very fortunate to be able to write about books I enjoy. Are they more often than not books set in the UK? Yes, though I do,
on occasion, branch out.
“My most recent haul from the library includes one book set in Washington, DC, one set in California, and another in some coastal town. Perhaps reviews of them will show up in the paper down the road. “
It’s quite often the luck of the library draw as to what I read. Do I put mostly British mysteries on my Hold list at the library? I must confess I do, so those show up in the paper more frequently than anything else. It’s pure chance that three of my last four reads were set elsewhere, and now I’m returning to my favorite locale.
“Murder Takes the Stage” by Colleen Cambridge
This is Book IV in the Phyllida Bright Mystery series, and it’s the best one yet. Of course, I’m biased because it’s set in London in the 1930s and Phyllida is Agatha Christie’s housekeeper—everything
I could want in a murder mystery.
The author did a masterful job of dropping hints about Phyllida’s background in the first three books, and finally readers get some answers — not everything by any means, but enough to keep us coming back for more. We know she and Agatha were nurses together in the Great War. We know Phyllida’s not happy about being in London. She’d much prefer to be in the Devon village where Agatha Christie and her husband Max Mallowan spend most of their time. What we don’t know is why Phyllida is concerned about visiting the city.
The plot centers on murders at three London theaters, but the subplots are as intriguing as the main one. Nearly the entire household shifts to London for a few weeks, so the usual cast of characters is back. The maids, the butler, and the chauffer enjoy London to varying degrees, but as always, it’s Phyllida who gets involved in solving the murders.
I suspect Book V won’t come out for another year, so I’ll be champing at the bit to get my hands on it. I have to know what the future holds for Phyllida.
“The Detective Inspector Skelgill Mystery Series” by Bruce Beckham I discovered this series when a Crier reader wrote to thank me for introducing her to the Ruth Galloway series, and she told me about this one. I try to read books set where I’m vacationing, so the Skelgill mysteries fit the bill for my trip to the Lake District that year. The two of us met for coffee to exchange notes, as she was planning a trip to the Cotswolds, where I’d spent a week in 2018, and subsequently set my mystery series.
She tells me she’s jealous that I’m still working my way through the Skelgill stories since she’s long since finished them. I’m on 14 of 24 and have a ways
CARL APPEN Director of Content and Development
carl@appenmedia.com
THE INK PENN
KATHY MANOS PENN Columnist
100 most influential people
People and things that have impacted our world, #11-20
RAY APPEN Publisher Emeritus ray@appenmedia.com
No. 11 Tylenol Poisonings. In 1982 someone laced Tylenol with potassium cyanide and a number of people died. After the poisonings, tamperproof packaging for over-thecounter drugs and many other consumables became standard world-wide. Small acts by individuals can have world-wide impact.
No. 12.
The girdle and its evolution. The evolution of the girdle is a great example of “change” and the cyclical nature of life! Girdles and corsets have been around since ancient times and were used for body management, fashion, health and protection (The Romans used leather girdles during war as body armor). Over time, the function – and form of the “girdle” – evolved from the historical “analog” form (canvas, cloth, draw strings, etc.) to more modern “digital” forms, including gastric bypass surgery, high-tech diet foods, synthesized diet drugs, and most recently, diet injections (Ozempic, Wegoby, and others). And while all this “digital” evolution was going on, the girdle was reinvented as “analog” yet again – by a woman named Sara Blakely who became a billionaire with her analog invention of a several thousand-year-old product. She called it Spanx. And the cycle keeps turning. Whatever happened to fruits, vegetables and exercise?
No. 13. Keith Richards. Now that Rolling Stone Keith has turned 80 in spite of his lifelong (since he was a toddler?) consumption of scotch, heroine, Marlboros, and who knows what else, and noting that he has also outlived fitness guru Richard Simmons, we can all forget everything that our doctors have told us!! Kidding.
No. 14. The Whistleblowers. As society grows, becomes larger, more complex, more networked,
and less transparent, who or what has had greater impact than the whistleblowers? From people like Mark Felt who helped bring down a president (Watergate’s “deep throat”), to Frank Serpico (corruption in New York City Police Department) to Ron Ridenhour (Mai Lai Viet Nam massacre) to Karen Silkwood (toxic conditions and contamination at a Kerr-McGee nuclear plant), to Ralph Nader (who took on car safety and GM) to Rachael Carson (whose book “Silent Spring” helped end the use of DDT) the whistleblowers too often function as the only remaining check to organizational malfeasance and societal suicide.
No. 15. Harry Potter. What can you say –- more than 600 million copies sold worldwide, movies, theme parks, plays and more. The Harry Potter franchise, including merchandising, is estimated to have taken in over $35 billion to date. So, is Harry Potter important though? Money is not always “the” measure of value. Perhaps Harry Potter is important and impactful because it shines a spotlight on what most of us collectively value, need and long for – membership, justice, loyalty, love and joy. The scale of the dollars taken in by the Harry Potter franchise perhaps reflects the degree of our need and desire for these things.
No. 16. The internet. It “is” information and approaches “all” information. However, we humans have a very finite capacity to use/ process information. Yes, the internet has changed everything for everyone, but what it has not changed is our needs, something that it cannot provide (See No.15). What it cannot provide is a constant that will never change. That is the danger of the internet as we collectively incorporate it deeper and broader into our lives.
No. 17. Art. Art is also a “whistleblower” –humanity’s whistleblower. Kurt Vonnegut, Gunter Grass, Alexander Solzhenitsyn, Pablo Picasso, TS Elliot, WH Auden, Bob Dylan and so many more. Art impacts our lives in so many ways. It shines a spotlight on the past; it preserves history; it warns about the future; it is part of our “check and balance” for the human race.
authorities said in the statment.
Continued from Page 2
“At the time of their arrests, Asbury, Marshall, Parks, and Oliver were all on probation or parole with the state of Georgia following convictions for violent crimes,”
“Asbury was granted parole in 2022 after serving nearly 17 years of a 20-year sentence for armed robbery, kidnapping, aggravated assault, burglary, and weapons-possession offenses. Marshall was on probation after having been imprisoned for burglary, aggravated assault and weapons-possession offenses.
Honorable Mention: Woodstock. Three days of peace, love and music Aug. 15-18 in 1969 on Max Yasgur’s 700-acre farm. Changed the world! Nope. Didn’t change anything. I had a friend who was there. He always carried his ticket to Woodstock in his wallet and for the next 40 years (or more) would bring it out and show anyone and everyone who would listen to him (usually drunk). That about sums up Woodstock. Other than a hell of a party with a ton of great – and later iconic music – it didn’t move our needle, not even a little.
No. 18. Social media. I hate including this. But it is low-hanging fruit. It reminds me of a fruit that has almost no nutritional value, like maybe watermelon. It reminds me of opium and alcohol, too, things used as weapons – the former, against the Chinese (1839 and 1856 Opium Wars) by the British and the French who forced the Chinese to legalize opium and the opium trade (into China), and the latter by “society” in general against the native Indian populations in the frontier West/Inuits in Alaska. Social media seems fundamentally to be corrosive, toxic and with minimal relative redeeming value of any kind to any society.
No. 19. Mr. Musk. Well, he is for sure hard to ignore, and it would be hard to deny his impact on us or the world, at least in relative terms during this miniscule infinitesimally tiny span of time that we call “our life.” Perhaps, however, his new product, the self-driving rideshare Teslas, may be representative of a bigger, greater than a drop-in-the-bucket impact on “us.” AI-driven, I think we are seeing in live time what AI is really going to be like. When a self-driven rideshare Tesla gets into an accident, who does the cop give the ticket to? Who goes to jail? Whose license is suspended? Extrapolate these issues to the AI-driven robots and systems that are and will be running just about everything – now and soon. Buckle up.
No. 20 The billionaires. We are now dealing with companies owned/controlled by billionaires that are functioning, for all practical purposes, like nation states, above and basically outside the jurisdiction / reach of country-specific laws and norms. This is a situation that will fundamentally drive macro change soon. Government and corporations controlled by billionaires functioning as nation-states are incompatible. One or the other will have to go away or at least submit. Buckle up.
Similarly, Parks was on probation for robbery by force, aggravated battery and burglary. Oliver was on probation for robbery and acts of violence while in prison.”
Asbury, 39, was sentenced to five years, three months in prison followed by three years of supervised release after a guilty plea. Marshall, 29, of Johns Creek, got eight years,
four months in prison followed by three years of supervised release following his guilty plea. Oliver, 23, of Atlanta, was sentenced to five years, three months followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty. Parks received a seven-year sentence, followed by three years of supervised release following his guilty plea.
OPINION
Stocking trout at the Whitewater Unit
STEVE HUDSON Columnist
It’s the first day of November, and there’s a crowd of wader-clad anglers gathered at the Whitewater Unit of the Chattahoochee River National Area. Are they fishing? Not yet. Instead, they’ve gathered to help stock trout into the Chattahoochee on the much-anticipated opening day of Georgia’s Delayed Harvest trout fishing season.
“Delayed Harvest” (often called simply “DH”) is an approach to managing streams that are too warm for trout during the warmer months but that become good trout habitat through the colder days of late fall, winter and early spring.
Here’s how it works. During the warmer months, DH streams are managed as warmwater fisheries and provide good angling for bass, sunfish and other suitable species. But as temperatures drop in the fall, those same waters eventually become cold enough to support trout. They are then managed as trout fisheries (under special DH regulations) until things warm up again with the coming of spring.
In Georgia, the DH season begins Nov. 1 and continues through May 14. During that time, fishing in designated DH waters is restricted to artificial flies or lures and single-hook lures only. It’s strictly catchand-release, too, and all trout caught must be immediately returned to the water.
One particularly neat thing about the DH season is how it actively involves the fishing community. Several times during the season, volunteers help the Department of Natural Resources stock trout into the state’s DH streams – and on this day, one of those volunteers is me.
I arrive at the Whitewater Unit of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area early and grab a parking place. Others are already there. The stocking truck is there, too, and I ask fisheries technician Kinsey Girard what’s inside the truck’s holding tanks.
“This load is all rainbow trout,” she says, adding that the total is about 1,600 fish. “About 1,400 of them are in the 10inch range,” she says, “but another 200 are 14 inches or bigger.”
Helping Kinsey is fisheries technician Kyle Trenda, who earlier in the morning put an additional 1,600 fish into the river at nearby Akers Mill. At that location, the truck can get close to the water and stock the fish directly. But here at Whitewater, there’s no close approach to the river. That’s where the volunteers come in.
More folks arrive. Soon there’s a large cadre of wader-clad trout enthusiasts, each carrying a 5-gallon bucket with which to
transport fish from the truck to the river, and conversation turns to practical matters like fly choice and tackle. There’s general agreement that patterns such at the Y2K or 3D Sucker Spawn egg imitations as well as the ubiquitous Woolly Bugger should work well.
But then it’s time to get to work. Kinsey thanks everyone for coming and gives a quick rundown of how DH stocking works.
Then, as folks line up, she climbs onto the truck and opens the first holding tank. She picks up a net and scoops up a load of trout and dumps them into a waiting bucket. The bucket brigade has begun!
For the next hour or so, volunteers move hundreds of buckets of trout from the truck to the river. Most fish, as expected, are in the 10-inch range. But there are some giants, too, including many of 16 to 18 inches range. Are one or two even bigger?
Then comes the big question: Where in the river should the fish be placed?
Some of the stocking volunteers, including dad Richard Mohr who’s there with his 2-year-old son Miller, don’t go
much farther than the river’s edge before placing the fish into the water. Debbie Ambroze, Miller’s grandmother, cheers them on, while Miller is for his part just having a grand old time with the whole thing. But others wade on out into the cold river, going farther (sometimes much farther) from the bank before pouring out their offering of trout.
How does one decide which way to do it?
“Well, we like to tell ourselves that we will put them in our own secret places, so we’ll know where they are when we fish later on,” says Matt Westborn, a trout fishing enthusiast from Atlanta and a veteran of many such stockings. “But the reality is that the fish will quickly spread out.”
The hope, he adds, is that they’ll eventually spread out enough to provide good DH trout fishing over a big section of the designated DH water.
Among those helping this morning are student members of the Georgia Tech Five Rivers Fishing Club, part of a nationwide initiative targeting college students and
jointly sponsored by Trout Unlimited and Costa. Some are experienced trout anglers; for others, this is their first trout experience. All are having fun.
Sid Wilson, who serves as TU’s advisor for the Georgia Tech Five Rivers Fishing Club, is no stranger to helping young people discover the fun of fly fishing. He was asked to help start the group at Georgia Tech, and the Five Rivers club was the result. He adds that the club has been a great way to introduce these students to cold-water conservation and to the lifelong joys of fly fishing, and events such as volunteer stocking on Delayed Harvest water provide “an excellent opportunity for them to catch a trout too.”
What makes someone give up a day to come carry heavy buckets of trout down a slippery path to the Hooch? Volunteer Malik Wilder, who operates FishProCo.com, a guide service and fishing school, puts it this way.
“It’s just a way of giving back,” he says. “It’s just a way of helping others. That’s the main goal.”
Meanwhile, the stocking continues. The old saying that many hands make short work certainly applies to stocking a river with trout, and in less time than you’d think, the entire load of 1,600 trout has been relocated from truck to river. Their work done for the moment, the DNR team closes up the truck’s compartments and then heads back to the hatchery. And that’s when the focus turns to fishing. You’d be surprised how little time it takes enthusiastic fisherfolk to get ready when they know that trout are waiting, and in no time at all several are knee-deep in the river, casting flies and hoping for fish. Soon, excited shouts echo across the water as rods bend and fish are brought to net, where they are admired and then carefully released.
Delayed Harvest fishing has begun, and it’s looking like it’ll be a good year.
Would you like to help stock the Chattahoochee Delayed Harvest water too? Your next chance is Tuesday, Nov. 26, again at the Whitewater Unit of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. This date, which falls just two days before Thanksgiving, coincides with the Thanksgiving holidays for many folks and provides a perfect opportunity to get your kids or grandkids involved in stocking some trout.
Check it out. They’ll have a blast – and you will too!
To learn more about fishing Georgia’s Delayed Harvest streams, check out Steve Hudson’s book “Georgia Delayed Harvest Trout Guide.” It’s available from many area fly shops, and signed copies are available direct from the author at flybooks.net.
PHOTOS BY: STEVE HUDSON/APPEN MEDIA
Volunteers line up to carry trout from the hatchery truck down to the river.
John Yang, a member of the Georgia Tech Five Rivers club, with his first Chattahoochee River Delayed Harvest Trout.
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to go.
Skelgill is a rough-around-the-edges detective inspector who’s an outdoors guy. He can spend endless hours fishing, and that solitude on the water is often where he works out puzzles in his cases. He’s also a fell runner and a member of the mountain rescue squad. A fell is a hill or mountain with steep slopes and rocky terrain. And believe it or not, fell runners run up and down the mountains in the Lake District.
Part of the fun in reading these
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books is learning a new language. It may be British English, but the Lake District has its own dialect, so much so, that there’s a glossary in the front of the books. The author also does an outstanding job of bringing the setting to life—the water, the mountains, the weather. I feel as though I’m there as I read.
These are police procedurals, not cozy mysteries, so if you don’t care for cursing, steer clear. The cast of characters includes Skelgill’s two detective sergeants—one a married man with kids, the other a young woman in her twenties—both from London. Of course, he has a nemesis too—a sharp-dressed DI from Manchester—who would like noth-
ing better than to get the best of Skelgill. Though the books are described as standalone mysteries, I suggest you start at the beginning with “Murder in Adland.” As in any good series, you learn more about Skelgill and his team as the books progress. I only just found out his first name, but I’m not telling. Happy 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 and Johns Creek Books. Contact her at inkpenn119@gmail.com, and follow her on Facebook, www.facebook.com/KathyManosPennAuthor/.
