Efforts bloom
City council talks paths, rezoning plans
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody residents turned up at the Dec. 9 City Council meeting to give input on a rezoning of a shopping center and a planned multi-use path along Peeler Road.
While some public meetings in
Dunwoody pass without comments from residents, 16 people spoke to open the meeting. Most were either supporting the rezoning of Branch Properties’ Mount Vernon shopping center or advocating for the city to keep working on its Trail Master Plan. There was one comment expressing concern about the proposed path’s impact on homes abutting Peeler
Adopt-A-Stream gives residents tools to pitch in with water quality
DUNWOODY, Ga. —
Dunwoody’s Public Works Department is inviting volunteers to its new Adopt-AStream program with options for monthly or quarterly water quality checks.
In coordination with the statewide program, the city will provide free training and supplies to those interested in joining.
The city says volunteers can choose to monitor a creek or stream in their backyard or selected locations across Dunwoody. Participants of all ages are welcome.
Javier Sayago, stormwater capital projects manager in
Dunwoody, said the goal of the program is to keep the city’s waterways clean and healthy by checking for anything out of the norm.
“We look forward to building a team of volunteers for this simple but serious work,” he said.
After registering, volunteers start with a four-hour training session to become certified in how to monitor a creek or stream in their neighborhood. They can seek training in one or all three types of monitoring, including chemical, bacterial and
Road, and the resident asked for transparency from the city as the project progresses.
The planned multi-use path along Peeler Road has been in the works since October 2021, when the City Council approved the original contract with Practical Design Partners for design of a 12-foot-wide path for pedestrians and cyclists from Winters
Chapel Road and Lakeside Drive.
The idea is the path segment will connect the Winters Chapel commercial area to neighborhoods on the north side of Peeler Road and Windwood Hollow Park.
Most of the residents speaking in favor of the path live in the Four Oaks
See REZONING, Page 12
Pictured center, Dunwoody Stormwater Capital Projects Manager Javier Sayago
students about water quality. The city announced the rollout of its Adopt-A-Stream program Dec. 10 asking volunteers to monitor the water quality of local streams. See STREAM, Page 4
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Shoplifter allegedly hits Target back-to-back days
DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody Police arrested a 59-year-old Atlanta woman Dec. 7 after Target loss prevention stopped her with more than $1,100 in merchandise.
Officers said they spoke with loss prevention who showed them security footage of the suspect loading a shopping cart and then transferring the merchandise into a large storage bin.
Target employees said the merchandise totaled $1,166 but did not describe the specific items she allegedly stole.
After hiding in a restroom, the suspect tried to exit the store but was stopped by loss prevention.
During the investigation, officers said an employee recognized the suspect from a shoplifting incident the prior evening, where the suspect allegedly stole $275 in merchandise.
Officers said they transported the suspect to DeKalb County Jail after reviewing footage of both incidents.
According to DeKalb County Jail records, the suspect was charged with felony and misdemeanor shoplifting and bonded out Dec. 10.
Hayden Sumlin
Off-duty officer arrests repeat shoplifter
DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody Police arrested a 40-year-old Lithia Springs man Dec. 7 after an off-duty officer stopped him from allegedly shoplifting at the Perimeter Mall Dillard’s.
An officer said he was working an agency-approved security detail at
Dillard’s when loss prevention notified him about a suspect concealing clothes in the changing room.
Loss prevention said the suspect entered the room with seven pieces of clothing and put them on.
The officer said he stopped the suspect at the store’s exit where he stalled and waited for back-up to arrive. Because of the suspect’s body language and early sign of aggression, the officer said he did not detain the man.
After a brief conversation, the suspect said he knew where the clothes were and headed back to the changing rooms.
Officers said he locked himself in a fitting room and began shedding clothes he selected from the store. They said the male went from fully clothed to just wearing pants and a black tank top.
After retrieving the clothing items and their severed security tags, the suspect told officers he wanted to return the items.
Officers said they arrested the suspect for felony shoplifting because the merchandise he attempted to conceal was more than $500.
After conducting a background check, officers said the man had more than five “theft cycles.”
DeKalb County Jail records show the suspect left the facility Dec. 9 with an unsecured judicial release.
Hayden Sumlin
Officers catch alleged shoplifter with meth
DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody Police arrested a 30-year-old Lawrenceville woman Dec. 4 after Target loss prevention reported her for allegedly shoplifting.
Employees said security footage shows the suspect concealing merchandise totaling more than $700 in a black bag and then “skip scanning” at the selfcheckout.
Law enforcement uses the term skip scanning when patrons do not pay for all merchandise when checking out without
a cashier.
Officers said footage corroborated accounts of the incident from Target loss prevention.
After arresting and searching the suspect, officers said they found 0.5 grams of methamphetamine in the woman’s possession.
They transported the suspect to Dekalb County jail for felony shoplifting and misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance.
DeKalb County Jail records show the suspect was bonded out Dec. 8.
Haim Haviv Owner
Hayden Sumlin
CRIER NOTES
Wesleyan football players sign letters of intent
DUNWOODY, Ga.
— Two seniors from Wesleyan School in Peachtree Corners signed their letters of intent Dec. 5 at Morty’s in the Dunwoody Village Courtyard. Both students live in the Dunwoody/Sandy Springs area.
Connor Roush has committed to play tight end for Georgia Tech and Matthew Wright has signed to play defensive end/ outside linebacker for Army West Point.
— Annabelle Reiter
Tell the Crier: Send your photos, announcements and letters to newsroom@appenmedia.com.
Continued from Page 1
macroinvertebrate.
Chemical monitoring involves the use of handheld field equipment to test dissolved oxygen, conductivity, temperature and acidity.
To monitor macroinvertebrates, like insects and crustaceans living in Wildcat Creek, volunteers learn collection techniques for rocks or muddy streams and how to identify the critters.
Bacterial monitoring, perhaps the most important for public health, involves the study of E. coli levels, as well as possible sources of pollution and how to mitigate them.
While macroinvertebrate monitoring is performed quarterly, chemical and bacterial tests are conducted each month. To register, visit dunwoodyga.gov/ adoptastream.
— Hayden Sumlin
PROMPT APPOINTMENTS NOW
WESLEYAN SCHOOL/PROVIDED
Seniors at Wesleyan School Matthew Wright, left, and Connor Roush, right, celebrate signing to play football at the collegiate level with their coach Franklin Pridgen at Dunwoody Village Courtyard Dec. 5.
Margaret and Z.W. Jones envision Brookhaven school
According to census records, Z.W. (Zack Willis) and Margaret Jones were living in LaFayette, Georgia, in 1920, along with their daughters Marguerite and Ora Sue. Zack was working as a merchant. He was also LaFayette’s superintendent of schools and Margaret was principal of a girls’ school.
They both taught at the Georgia Baptist Home for children in Hapeville in 1921, before moving to Brookhaven. (Walker Messenger, October 7, 1921)
In 1922, the couple purchased building lots along University Drive in a new development in Brookhaven. The lots were surveyed before World War I, but not offered for sale until after the war ended. The Joneses realized there was not a school close to their new home, but since they both had experience teaching, they taught their daughters at home. (History of Brookhaven School, Margaret Jones)
As other families bought lots and built homes in what was known as Fernwood Heights, they asked the Joneses if they would instruct their children. The Joneses moved from teaching in their own house to teaching in a separate house. Another teacher was hired to help.
A PTA was formed for Brookhaven School, and efforts to build a permanent school facility began. The group was told by DeKalb County School
Superintendent E R. Carroll funds were not available to build the school.
The only option was to raise funds through a bond. Z.W. and Margaret organized the citizens to fight for school bonds. While the community waited for the $30,000 bond to pass, the school moved again to a four-room house on Pine Grove Avenue. Parents shared the rental cost of the house.
The permanent school building for Brookhaven opened after Thanksgiving in 1924. It was built on a less expensive piece of land, near the railroad tracks. The children each brought a chair from home, and Margaret Jones used a crate as her desk. More
teachers were added, but Jones was the only trained teacher. Each teacher was paid between $50 and $60 per month.
Z.W. continued to be active in the community and efforts towards the education of Brookhaven children, but he no longer worked as a teacher. He began to work as an office clerk and tax accountant for the government.
When a new school building opened in 1948, a garden was installed, dedicated to Jones. That school was located at 1330 North Druid Hills Road.
When interviewed in 1958, Margaret Jones said, “I was asked to be principal by the county board. We had about 300 pupils who are served by Brookhaven, Jim Cherry, and Ashford Park. Most of this section then was woods and cow pasture.”
She recalled that school was first through ninth grade, taught by five teachers. (North DeKalb Record, Feb. 20, 1958, “Brookhaven School Founder Proud of 26 Years Growth”)
Margaret Jones was principal of Brookhaven School from the early days when students met at the Jones home through multiple moves, when the school building opened in 1924, and through 1938 when she retired.
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
CORINNE DODD/PROVIDED
Margaret Jones at Brookhaven School, honored by students and teachers on her birthday.
Locals join effort to change state flower
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
NORTH METRO ATLANTA — The Georgia Native Plant Society is supporting an effort during the 2025 General Assembly to change Georgia’s state flower to the sweetbay magnolia.
The Cherokee rose (Rosa laevigata) has been the state flower for more than a century.
Several organizations and leaders across the state are advocating to change Georgia’s state flower from the invasive species to the native sweetbay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana).
The Georgia Native Plant Society encourages all citizens to contact their state legislators and encourage them to support the change.
When state legislators and Gov. Nathaniel Harris approved the state’s official “floral emblem” in the summer of 1916, it was believed the Cherokee rose was indigenous to Georgia.
In fact, the Cherokee rose is indigenous to China and southeastern Asia. It was introduced to North America sometime in the 1700s.
Cherokee legend incorporates the flower into the 1838 Trail of Tears, where elders said the flower would grow where tears fell during the march to Oklahoma. You can still find the roses along the route the tribe took.
The Georgia Native Plant Society views the current state flower differently than Georgians did a century ago. They say Cherokee and other Native Americans relied on Georgia’s native plants to survive.
The myth that the rose was special to the Cherokee people was popularized years after the tribe was forced to leave the state during the infamous Trail of Tears and has no basis in fact, the Georgia Native Plant Society says.
Furthermore, the Georgia Cherokee Community Alliance supports
removing the rose as the state flower and encourages a native plant that was known by their people for the thousands of years they lived in Georgia.
Additional organizations are also supporting the change including Birds Georgia, the Georgia Invasive Species Council and the University of Georgia’s Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health.
Statewide organizations want to rectify what they call a century-old mistake and join the 80 percent of U.S. states with an indigenous state flower.
Michael Cowan, who serves as the society’s advocacy chair, is a Dunwoody resident and a recipient of the city’s 2022 Sustainability Hero award. He helped overhaul the city’s Sustainability Plan, initiated Dunwoody’s efforts to become a Bee City USA, and established a partnership with the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper to monitor water quality for the local watershed.
Cowan said the key is to have the bill introduced early in the legislative session, so it passes amid more salient items. He said once people understand the context of the change, they get on board.
The Georgia Native Plant Society says state Rep. Deborah Silcox of Sandy Springs and Sen. Rick Williams of Milledgeville plan to introduce the required legislation in each chamber next year. The society says both recognize the symbolic importance of an indigenous state flower.
“The Cherokee rose was adopted as the state flower in 1916 under the incorrect assumption that it was native to the state and a legacy of the Cherokee people — it is neither,” Silcox said. “Georgia is one of the most bio-diverse regions in the world with so many beautiful native flowers … We deserve a state flower from Georgia.”
The sweetbay magnolia, common throughout the Atlantic coast in the southeastern United States, is making a push to replace the Cherokee rose as the Georgia state flower.
The sweetbay magnolia is a small, evergreen understory tree with a wonderfully fragrant and beautiful white flower. It is native to Georgia and can be found growing wild in much of the state.
The society says invasive species, like the Cherokee rose, create costly control problems for Georgia farmers and homeowners. The sweetbay magnolia is the host plant for the state butterfly — the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail — and its flower supports many other pollinators.
Ellen Honeycutt, board chair of the Georgia Native Plant Society, said indigenous plants are the keystone for the state’s ecosystem.
“Loss of native plant habitat is perhaps the biggest cause of species decline today,” she said. “Without the native host plants, we don’t have the insects like caterpillars and butterflies that support the birds and all the other animals that are vital to sustaining a balanced ecosystem.”
While the Cherokee Rose is not sold or encouraged as a landscaping plant because of its invasive tendencies, the sweetbay magnolia is widely available and can be planted in all regions of the state.
“It would be great to have a state flower that Georgians can buy from local nurseries and feel good about planting on their property” Stuart Cofer, owner of Cofer’s Home & Garden Showplace in Athens, told the Georgia Native Plant Society.
All Georgians are encouraged to reach out to their local legislators and urge them to support a state flower from Georgia.
For more information, visit the Georgia Native Plant Society’s website at gnps.org/conservation/advocacy.
GEORGIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY/PROVIDED
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Milton taps former chief justice in wrongful death case
Outcome will impact all Georgia cities
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
MILTON, Ga. — Milton’s fight against a $35 million wrongful death judgment, upheld in September by the state Court of Appeals, just got a boost.
City Manager Steve Krokoff told Appen Media Dec. 5 that the agency providing Milton’s legal representation has retained the former chief justice of the Georgia Supreme Court.
Harold Melton, who served as chief justice from 2018-21, and his firm Troutman Pepper will now help lead a drive to have the case reviewed by the Georgia Supreme Court.
The city’s representation in the case is through the Georgia Interlocal Risk Management Agency, which is affiliated with the Georgia Municipal Association.
In 2016, Joshua Chang, a senior with a full-ride scholarship to Yale University, died after hitting a concrete planter along Batesville Road in Milton on his
way home during Thanksgiving break.
Chang’s parents sued the city for wrongful death, ultimately receiving a Superior Court judgement for $35 million.
The Court of Appeals upheld the ruling.
Some residents, citing the $10,000 in postjudgement interest accruing each day, asked the city and its insurer to stop fighting the case after the verdict came in this fall.
But, it appears the fight isn’t ending soon.
Through amicus briefs, surrounding cities joined Milton to petition the Supreme Court to overturn the decision in November. The cities say the judgement risks putting municipal residents across the state on the hook if a person leaves the road, hits an object and is killed or seriously injured.
Melton also serves as the Sanders Scholar in Political Leadership at the University of Georgia’s School of Law and teaches a seminar there. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Auburn University and his law degree from UGA.
Krokoff said Troutman Pepper attorneys are skilled in presenting complex legal arguments and have a track record of success in appellate litigation, particularly in high-stakes and precedent-setting cases.
“Their legal sophistication makes them a valuable asset in advocating before the state's highest court,”
Krokoff said. “Yesterday, former Chief Justice Melton filed a petition … with the Georgia Supreme Court, formally requesting the court to review the case.”
He said a decision on whether the court will hear the case is typically expected within 90 to 120 days.
During a Nov. 18 City Council meeting, Milton Families First President Adam Hollingsworth raised questions about the city’s allowing Georgia Interlocal Risk Management Agency (GIRMA) to represent them in the wrongful death lawsuit.
“The decisions made — from selecting underqualified legal counsel to rejecting reasonable settlement offers — have left the City of Milton and its citizens bearing an unconscionable financial burden,” Hollingworth wrote. “This case not only raises serious doubts about GIRMA’s ability to serve its members effectively but also highlights systemic issues that jeopardize public trust.”
The development is likely to raise spirits throughout Milton, though.
“The City of Milton is pleased that GIRMA has taken the steps to retain former Justice Melton and Troutman Pepper,” Krokoff said. “The talent that he and his firm bring will result in Milton putting its absolute best case before the Georgia Supreme Court to hopefully persuade [it] to take the case and weigh in on a judgment that has monumental adverse consequences for cities throughout Georgia.”
Kemp to chair republican governors association
By DAVE WILLIAMS Capitol Beat
ATLANTA — Gov. Brian Kemp has been elected chairman of the Republican Governors Association (RGA) for 2025.
The election of Kemp and Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte as the RGA’s vice chairman took place at the end of the association’s annual conference.
“Republican governors are making commonsense, conservative policies a reality, putting families and children first, and making our states the best places to run a business and raise a family,” Kemp said Wednesday.
“I look forward to working with my fellow Republican governors and President Trump to keep getting the job done for the American people and to add even more Republican
governors to our ranks.”
Joining Kemp and Gianforte on the RGA’s 2025 leadership team will be the association’s executive committee: Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, Missouri Gov.-elect Mike Kehoe, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
South Carolina Gov. Henry
McMaster will serve as the RGA’s policy chair.
Republicans will hold the edge in governor’s mansions next year, 27 to 23 over the Democrats, the same margin as this year.
This story is available through a news partnership with Capitol Beat News Service, a project of the Georgia Press Educational Foundation.
MELTON
City Springs lights up for the holidays
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Sandy Springs set another attendance record at the Dec. 8 Sparkle Parade, a sprawling holiday celebration across the downtown City Springs district.
Mayor Rusty Paul said around 6,500 people turned out for the festivities from 4-8 p.m.
Patrons spent their time enjoying live music, ice skating, giant inflatables throughout Sparkle Wonderland, food trucks and the Christmas light display around City Hall.
By the time the parade stepped off at 6 p.m., thousands lined up along Mount Vernon Highway and Galambos Way for a chance to watch their friends, family and neighbors.
Some of the most popular groups were marching bands from local high schools, performers from Namari Dance Center and participants dispensing faux snow.
Some of the boys in the crowd went wild when Star Wars cosplay characters rounded the corner in front of City Hall with lightsabers in tow.
There was a lot of local talent on display in the parade from more than 50 participating organizations.
Just about every elementary schooler in the crowd was focused on the Sparkle Parade’s caboose — Santa Claus with his reindeer and sleigh.
In the inaugural Sparkle Village contest, covering a sprawling collection of miniature decorated homes around the City Green, The Davis Academy took home first place.
Patrons at Sparkle Sandy Springs had the option to vote for their favorite miniatures throughout the evening. The Sandy Springs Police Department was runner-up, and High Point Elementary School took third.
Following the announcement of winners in the Sparkle Village, Mayor Paul and Or Hadash Rabbi Lauren Henderson led the community in countdowns for the Hanukkah menorah and Christmas tree lighting. The lighting ceremony with thousands gathered in front of City Hall went off without a hitch.
The Sparkle Village will remain around the City Green through New Year’s Eve. Skate Sandy Springs, the city’s own ice rink, continues operations through Jan. 20. And of course, the Christmas tree and Hanukkah menorah along Galambos Way will stay illuminated through the holiday season.
For a calendar of events throughout Sandy Springs, check www. visitsandysprings.org/events.
A kaleidoscope of butterflies proceeds down Galambos Way during the 2024 Sparkle Parade Dec. 8. Just a few days prior, Sparkle Sandy Springs won a regional award in this year’s Georgia Business Journal competition.
PHOTOS BY: HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA Santa Claus and one of his elves take a sleigh ride through City Springs Dec. 8 in advance of their busy Christmas Eve schedule. Santa made his appearance to cap off the Sparkle Parade, causing a frenzy among the youngest Sandy Springers looking to get on Saint Nick’s nice list.
The Christmas tree in the middle of the Galambos Way roundabout lights up with color-changing bulbs, wowing the crowd at the Dec. 8 Sparkle Sandy Springs celebration and parade. Mayor Rusty Paul and Or Hadash Rabbi Lauren Henderson led the countdown for the lighting ceremony.
Rezoning:
Continued from Page 1
subdivision in the middle of the planned path.
While many living along Peeler Road have criticized the planed project and the city’s handling of stormwater in the area, residents spoke about their desire for paths connecting them to recreational areas in the city.
For example, the Peeler Road multi-use path would eventually connect to Brook Run Park with access to Peachtree Corners, Doraville and Chamblee.
With speeding along Peeler Road, people want to be able to walk to nearby parks and shops without running across the road.
The completion of Dunwoody’s trail network is more than a decade away, but the steps to ensure the city’s paths connect to nearby jurisdictions and attractions are underway.
Public Works Director Michael Smith said the specific segment of Peeler Road was identified for a multi-use path in the city’s 2011 Transportation Plan because of the corridor’s significance in southeast Dunwoody.
Smith said all funding for the path between Winters Chapel Road and Lakeside Drive comes from the city’s portion of the countywide Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax.
Public Works staff says they have collected more than 100 comments from the surrounding community, mostly those in Four Oaks, with a majority supporting the path.
“In May, we held a community meeting where we presented some revisions to the concept based on the feedback we’d been hearing,” Smith said. “We received more written comments at that point, and the city responded to those in August of this year.”
Some of the revisions include traffic calming measures, a privacy fence behind homes on Peeler Road and a proposal to build new pipes to collect water on the north side of the roadway.
Smith said the city is saving money by not expanding the existing path on the south side of the roadway because of driveway crossing in the Winters Chapel commercial area.
Two images show the existing conditions along the north side of Peeler Road in front of the Four Oaks subdivision and a proposed 12-foot-wide multi-use path connecting the Winters Chapel commercial area to Windwood Park. The Dunwoody City Council approved a contract amendment Dec. 9 for design of the path.
He estimates construction will cost around $3.25 million and begin in 2026. Right-of-way, easements and final design are scheduled for this upcoming year.
The Dunwoody City Council went on to approve a contract amendment, doubling its amount to $138,000, with dissenting votes from Mayor Lynn Deutsch and City Councilman John Heneghan.
After a discussion about stormwater facilities, the width of the path and the 227 trees slated for removal, council members moved forward with a 12-foot-wide path.
Later, the city held a first hearing for a rezoning of the Mount Vernon shopping center from neighborhood shopping to local commercial.
Branch Properties is looking to expand the allowed uses at the site, which most speakers supported during public comment.
Unfortunately for the owners and existing businesses, there has been significant turnover
of anchor tenants in the development’s largest storefront at 2480 Mount Vernon Road.
The more than 36,000-square-foot retail space sits in the southwest corner of the triangular Mount Vernon Shopping Center.
Initially, the property owner’s intention to attract more tenants to the site received skepticism from the community. Now, it seems like most are on board with trying to revamp the commercial area.
One nearby resident said she just found out about the intention to rezone the shopping center a half-mile from her home and wants elected officials to wait and make sure they understand all potential impacts.
Senior Planner Madalyn Smith said the Dunwoody Planning Commission supports the rezoning, but staff is leaving a cap on hours of operation up to elected officials.
The City Council will vote on the rezoning at its first meeting next year.
Standing in a terrible line with a surprise ending
PAT FOX Managing Editor pat@appenmedia.com
Something exceptional happened last week, and only a handful of people witnessed it.
It is true. I was third in line for checkout at a local grocery Sunday evening.
At the front, two elderly men dressed in flannel shirts and worn coats stood bewildered when their cash cards failed at the register. Each tried his own card with no luck.
Their groceries were already bagged and piled in the shopping cart, in limbo.
Frustration filtered through the queue of about five people. We shared the dread that fate had guided us into the wrong line – except for one guy, the one second in line just ahead of me.
He was a young man, about 5 foot 4, with long brown hair swept back past the shoulders of a crisp, black T-shirt. His face was round and smooth, with rosy cheeks and large brown eyes. He stared forward toward
THE INK PENN
the chewing gum display.
He had the most placid face – a Gerber baby, plus 22.
He’d already placed a six-pack of beer and some snacks on the conveyer and stood unfazed by the plight nearby.
The cashier called the manager who informed the flummoxed men that the store’s computer was temporarily unable to process transactions from that particular brand of cash card.
The two men shook their heads in disbelief – not angry, just helpless and embarrassed. They hunched over their wallets, fumbling for a miracle.
Then, as graceful as a gazelle, the young man pulled out his wallet, extracted his bank card, slid sideways and inserted it into the checkout slot. He hit a button, retrieved his card and resumed his position, focused on the chewing gum.
“It’s been paid for,” the cashier told the two men, who were still turned away, probing their wallets.
“What?” one of them said.
“Your groceries have been paid for,” the cashier repeated.
“What happened?” one man asked.
The cashier pointed to the young
Book offers new take on King Arthur legend
Ever since I read Mary Stewart’s King Arthur trilogy when I was in high school, I’ve been a King Arthur fan. I suspect “The Crystal Cave” was one of the many books I snuck into class to read between the covers of textbooks. It was followed by “The Hollow Hills” and “The Last Enchantment.” Described as the Merlin trilogy, the books are told from his perspective.
Until this year, the last King Arthur book I read was “Finding Camlann” by Sean Pidgeon. Set in modern times, it’s the story of an archaeologist intrigued by new evidence discovered at Stonehenge. Like many before him, he sets out to establish whether Arthur ever actually existed.
When I learned there was a new King Arthur book out, I had to get it. Was I daunted by its nearly 700
man, but the elderly gentleman fixed his eyes on me and expressed his gratitude. I corrected him, pointing to the youth.
“I’ve never seen such a thing,” the old man said, now looking at the boy.
“It was nothing,” the young man said. “Really.”
“We just moved up here, and I have never seen anything…” the old man said.
The youth remained silent, still gazing ahead.
“Well, thank you!” the old man said. “If you give me your address, I’ll gladly pay you.”
Then, turning to the cashier, the old man asked: “How much was it?
“$194.48,” she said.
The elderly pair swiveled toward the young man, but he politely refused their offers to mail reimbursement.
“Really,” he said, facing them a final time, “it was nothing.”
The two men holstered their wallets, collected their groceries and left, still chattering about the experience.
Leaning toward the boy, I said, “I know it would be a bargain for me, but I’ll gladly pay your tab.”
pages? Yes, and I wondered whether it would hold my interest. That wonder disappeared in only a few pages, as I stayed up late night after night to finish it.
“The Bright Sword” by Lev Grossman
Warning: This is not your typical King Arthur story. It is set wholly in Arthur’s time but has a modern tone. If profanity bothers you, you’ll want to avoid this book. If the conflict between the pagan world and Christianity will upset you, this is not the book for you. Those fairies don’t mince their words.
This description from a Forbes review captures what you’ll encounter in this tale featuring lesser knights of the Round Table.
“’The Bright Sword’ also broaches issues that are decidedly more contemporary: abandonment and abuse, sexual and gender identity, even immigration, all in ways that
“No, thanks,” he said with a hint of embarrassment. “It was nothing.”
He looked so at peace that I didn’t want to press it. I looked behind me, and everyone was smiling.
The boy checked out and left.
As I carried my bags to the car, the elderly men were loading their groceries into their truck, still talking.
“I’ve never seen anything like that before,” one said.
Words fail to capture the essence of those three minutes. For that instant, I was removed from the day’s headlines, my schedule for next week, the leaky faucet.
Driving home, words finally did come, but they were not mine.
“If there’s one voice left to say, ‘Welcome’ to a stranger, if there’s one hand outstretched to say ‘Enter’ and ‘Share,’ if there’s one mind remaining to think a thought of warmth and friendship, then there’s a future in which we’ll find more than one hand, more than one voice and more than one mind dedicated to the cause of man’s equality.”
— Rod Serling
In Memoriam
Linda “Linnie” Anne Trexler Baker
01/15/1944 – 11/26/2024
Linda “Linnie” Anne Trexler Baker of Venice, FL died November 26 at her home. Born in Allentown, PA, she was the daughter of the late Dorothy Rothrock Trexler and Frederic Trexler. She was treasurer of her Emmaus High School class of 1961, captain of many sports clubs, and was a champion diver/ synchronized swimmer. Linnie attended GoldeyBeacom College in DE, where she studied Business and was cheerleading captain and treasurer of her sorority. She was engaged to Robert Tams of Wilmington, DE who was killed in Vietnam. She married Steven Crosley of Havertown, PA in 1967 and they had two daughters, Kristin Joy and Kim Elizabeth. They eventually divorced, and in 1981 Linnie married Philip Baker of Topeka, KS. Both she and Phil were active members at Kingswood United Methodist Church in Dunwoody. Linnie held various administrative positions, but
her passion was working with children –she was a Special Education Teacher and coached basically every sport. She always said being a mom was her most important job. She had the wonderful ability to bring people together and make everyone feel welcome. In addition to her parents, Linnie was predeceased by her husband in 2020. She is survived by daughters Kristin Crosley, Kim Crosley, Melissa Nimke (Bill), Kristin Larpenter (Jeff Blair), four grandsons, one granddaughter, and one great-grandson, brother Roger Trexler, and many extended family/friends. A small celebration of life for family and close friends will be held in the future in both Venice, Florida, and Emmaus, Pennsylvania. In lieu of flowers, please perform a Random Act of Kindness / Make Someone Smile in Linnie’s memory. Donations may also be made in her memory to www.solvecfs.org or to www.moffitt.org/give.
KATHY MANOS PENN Columnist
Leak
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Client Services Specialist – Pantry
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Legend:
Continued from Page 13
feel natural and organic rather than preachy or pedantic.”
A young wannabe knight arrives at Camelot, hoping to become a knight of the Round Table. What he discovers is a small group of despondent knights sitting around the famed table. Arthur is dead, and the top tier knights are dead or departed. Forget Percival, Galahad, and Lancelot. He finds, instead, sirs Dinadan, Constantine, Palomides, and Bedivere, plus a court fool. I recalled Bedivere and Palomides but had to look up the other two. Sure enough, they did exist in the original legend.
To restore Camelot and save England, they must reestablish Arthur’s spirit and vision, and to do that, they must “solve the mystery of why the lonely, brilliant King Arthur fell.” The story turns much of the original material on its head but is all
the more intriguing because it does. As the blurb says, this tale “… is steeped in tradition, complete with duels and quests, battles and tournaments, magic swords and Fisher Kings. It's also a story about imperfect men and women, full of strength and pain, trying to reforge a broken land in spite of being broken themselves.”
If you’re a King Arthur fan, this is must-read. If you’re a fantasy fan and know little to nothing of the legend of King Arthur, it’s also a must-read. For me, one sign of a great book is that it stays in my head for days after I’ve finished it. This one did that and more.
Happy reading.
Award-winning author Kathy Manos Penn is a Sandy Springs resident. Find her Dickens & Christie 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/.
The Food Pantry Supervisor supports all aspects of the Food Pantry including inventory control, receiving products, client orders, supervising and managing volunteers, entering data and creating reports and supporting client intake. The Supervisor is the primary backup support to the Food Pantry Manager.
The Client Services Specialist (Part-time) serves as the first point of contact at NFCC, welcoming clients and managing the intake process. This role connects clients with NFCC’s programs and services while maintaining accurate records through data entry and application updates. The Specialist also keeps clients informed about program enhancements and available services.
The Supervisor must be proficient in Spanish and have the ability to work with a team in a professional manner within a fast paced environment. Good interpersonal communications skills are required and MS Office (Excel) experience is a plus. Must have the ability to work evenings & weekends, lift up to 42lbs, use a pallet jack, push and pull items, and be on your feet for several hours.
The Specialist must be proficient in Spanish and have the ability to work with a team in a professional manner within a fast paced environment. Microsoft office skills are required and Salesforce experience is a plus. Must have the ability to work evenings & weekends.
If this sounds like the role for you, we’d love to hear from you! Please submit your resume to jobs@nfcchelp.org
If this sounds like the role for you, we’d love to hear from you! Please submit your resume to jobs@nfcchelp.org
