Sandy Springs Crier - October 13, 2022

1, No. 2

Balance Salon owner reflects on 25 years in Atlanta

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Not many can say they have both good and bad luck, nor mally it’s just one or the other. But for longtime salon owner CJ

Nicotera, every cloud has a silver lining, and with a little hard work, even the worst luck can be overcome.

For the past 25 years, Nicotera, who runs Balance Salon in Dunwoody, has battled every kind of bad luck, from the 2008 financial crisis and COVID-19

pandemic to roof collapses, but still she hasn’t lost her love of providing top ser vice to loyal clients.

“There’s something about her energy and her spirit,” said Lisa Rayner, a long time customer and friend. “She’s just such a vibrant, uplifting person I went,

‘This is what I need in my life.’ Then she turned out to be a great hairdresser as well.”

Nicotera got her start in the business in 1997, working with partners out of

‘Profound delays’ headed for I-285

Eastbound

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

ATLANTA — Drivers should expect major disruptions to daily commutes on I-285 due to long-term lane closures between Ashford Dunwoody Road and Roswell Road, the Georgia De partment of Transportation announced.

Starting Saturday, Oct. 8, and lasting about 8 months, lanes of the interstate will be incrementally closed so that the I-285/Ga. 400 interchange reconstruction project can be com pleted, GDOT announced on Oct. 3.

With the scope of the project, state officials said drivers who frequent I-285 should prepare for the major delays the project will ultimately cause.

“The traveling public should expect major disruptions to their daily commutes and driving routines during this time and

Ga. 400 interchange project will close lanes for months

CARL APPEN/APPEN MEDIA

A Legacy is Worth Preserving

Fall

is a collection of precious moments, memories of a life well-lived. e protection of those memories while providing safety and preserving legacy is why memory care is the primary focus for e Mansions at Sandy Springs.

Memory Care.

o the personal

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tailored to the individual,

and legacy of each resident.

SUPPORT

Balance:

Continued

a house on Buford Highway in Atlanta. She said they were so broke and so new to the business, they cut hair with clients sitting in lawn chairs and saved every penny they could to get real equip ment and outfit the salon.

“So, I did that for 10 years,” Nicotera said. “It was Buford highway, but it’s the cheapest rent we could find. So, before studios were cool, we were cool.”

Nicotera and her partners would literally walk neighborhoods throughout the Metro Atlanta, putting flyers and postcards in mailboxes for the salon, earning the business of locals with hard work and sweat.

“That’s how we grew the company the first 10 years,” she said. “We would pound pavement and pound doors, and just did whatever it took to, you know, pay the bills the following month.”

Eventually, people began to notice them, especially after they made friends with and a client of a local Atlanta radio personality.

“Next thing you know, she’s putting us on the radio as one of the best finds in Atlanta because we were just so hard working,” she said. “It was the help we needed.”

It wasn’t like they were instantly flooded with business and money, but it did give them a bit of breathing room.

Hard work counters bad luck

After 10 years, Nicotera left the part nership, wanting to move and open a more corporate type of salon, with more resources and help on the business and marketing side of things. So, she borrowed $10,000, signed a lease, and started putting in the elbow grease to make her idea a success.

Unfortunately, it was the exact worst time to start a new business, and just a year after she opened, the 2008 financial crisis hit the like a thunderbolt.

“I got shingles, I was so stressed out during that one,” she said.

But about 6 months into the crisis, Nicotera said she got some unexpected help that kept her business going, when a nearby salon in Dunwoody unexpect edly went out of business.

LOCAL

For 25 years CJ Nicotera of Balance Salon in Dunwoody has been putting in the hard work, providing top service to clients in the Atlanta area. Nicotera and her staff will celebrate their clients and supporters with a week of events starting on Tuesday, Oct. 18.

“So immediately, I got four people with a clientele,” she said. “And I still have two of them with me.”

Through the years since the 2008 fi nancial crisis, there have still been spots of bad luck, like when her salon’s roof caved in after Atlanta experienced sev eral weeks of torrential rains. But each time, her business was able to move on and survive.

“My first year I actually hit a million

dollars in business was 2019, and then in March of 2020, we were shut down for being unessential,” she said.

In total, they were closed for four months, she said. But they never had to let any employees go and were quickly able to get back to business, thanks to the small business loan op

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BALANCE SALON/PROVIDED

portunities offered by the state and federal government at the beginning of the pandemic.

“I had no idea what I was filling out. I just had to figure out how to find money to keep my company open,” she said. “I was on my kitchen floor … bawling my eyes out. Two days later, the money showed up in the in the business ac count.”

Finding Balance

But even when they were given the go-ahead to reopen, it wasn’t like before. Nicotera said that even with the precau tions they were taking, nearly 20 percent of her business was lost by the pan demic.

But the clients that did stay, are more loyal than ever.

Rayner said she admires her friend for persevering through the pandemic, especially because the salon business is based so much on touch and letting a stranger into your personal space.

“As a client, I just feel like it’s such a warm and welcoming environment, everyone who works there,” Rayner said. “They honor your time as much as they do theirs.”

After all these years, Nicotera says she still leads her employees by ex ample, putting in the hard work that her clients expect and deserve, because that’s what’s led her to this point, and anything else would be a betrayal of her years in business.

“As the owner, I could say, ‘Hey, I’ve been doing this 30 years. I don’t have to work and work hard like I do,’” she said. “But I still feel the way I did when I opened up that first one. Anyone can cut some bangs, anyone can do some foils, there’s tons of us out there. But what we’ve worked so hard at is to not forget where we come from and how hard we’ve worked to get it.”

To say thank you to all of the clients that supported them over the years, Bal ance Salon will open its doors for a week

Balance Salon owner CJ Nicotera launched her career cutting hair in a house on Buford Highway in Atlanta, us ing lawn chairs for customers.

of events Oct. 18, to celebrate how far they’ve come and everything they’ve gone through.

Throughout the week, Balance Salon will have special promotions, special guests and special events, culminat ing with an “open-air” cocktail party on Friday, Oct. 21.

“I want to give back to them,” Nico tera said. “I want to give back to my team for standing by me this whole time and all the people that have helped me.”

For more information about Balance Salon and their week-long celebration of “inner and outer beauty” visit balance-

Company

BALANCE SALON/PROVIDED

LOCAL

Renderings show upcoming lane closures coming to I-285 over the next eight months for the I-285/Ga. 400 interchange reconstruction project. Representatives with GDOT said the closures will have a major impact on daily commuters and traffic on the interstate.

Delay:

Continued

should be prepared for profound delays on I-285, potentially adding an hour or more to daily commutes,” Georgia DOT Alternative Delivery Program Manager Marlo Clowers said. “We urge motorists to leave earlier, utilize navigation apps to select alternate routes to stay away from the construction area, and consider alternative commute options.”

Work on the project will be completed in two phases, first closing the inside lanes of I-285 so bridges over Glenridge Drive, Ga. 400 and Peachtree Dunwoody Road can be reconstructed, then shifting traffic to I-285’s inside lanes so exterior portions of the bridges can be recon structed.

Officials have announced the first phase of I-285 closures but say ad ditional future lane closures will be announced as the project reaches key milestones.

The two innermost eastbound lanes of I-285 will be closed starting on Oct. 8, between Roswell Road and Ashford Dunwoody Road, for bridge demolition and reconstruction at Glenridge Drive, Ga. 400 and Peachtree Industrial Road, state officials said.

The closure of one westbound lane will follow about two weeks later.

As major portions of the project are completed, they will be opened to traffic with updates and signage.

“These anticipated openings will provide some additional capacity for vehicles and maximize all new con necting lane availability outside of the existing interstate lanes,” state officials

Work crews, orange barrels and red clay have been a regular sight for commuters at the top-end perimeter of I-285 for the past seven years.

said.

Phase 1 and 2 of the projects will take about four months each, but dates may change due to weather of other fac tors.

For more information about the project, frequently asked questions and project updates, visit the project website at transform285400-gdot.hub. arcgis.com/pages/lanereductions

GDOT/PROVIDED

CARL APPEN/APPEN MEDIA

Atlanta Kosher BBQ Festival to host 10-year celebration

DUNWOODY, Ga. — The Hebrew Order of David has announced the official in-person and live return of the Atlanta Kosher BBQ Festival taking place on Oct. 23.

The event will run from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at Brook Run Park in Dunwoody.

Celebrating its official 10-year an niversary, the festival will host over 20 teams including traveling participants from Florida, Texas and Washington, D.C., to take part in this year’s competi tion.

Organizers expect more than 4,000 barbecue lovers and community sup porters to be in attendance. The festival offers events and musical programming for all ages in addition to barbecue tastings and vendor booths showcas ing local Kosher caterers, community organizations, first responders, artisans and more.

For the past several years the Cobb

County Police Department has entered a team to participate in the festival’s competition. In light of recent events, in which two Cobb County deputies were lost in the line of duty, the festival and its organizers will be making a donation with a portion of the event proceeds to honor their memories and families left behind.

“In these tough situations, we must all find ways to support each other,” said Jody Pollack, the executive director for the Atlanta Kosher BBQ Festival.

ATLANTA KOSHER BBQ FESTIVAL/PROVIDED

Mitch Frank, winner of a 2019 Atlanta Kosher BBQ Festival competition, hugs a mascot, alongside Jody Pollack, the executive director of the festival.

Marcus Jewish Community Center sets record at golf tourney fundraiser

ALPHARETTA, Ga. —The Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta (MJCCA) recently held its annual golf tournament, the Harry Maziar Classic presented by Truist, at the Golf Club of Georgia in Alpharetta.

Chaired by David Kusiel and cochaired by Allen Soden, the tournament shattered previous event records includ ing the most participants in tournament history with over 200 golfers. The event raised more than $535,000 through contributions and a silent auction to support MJCCA programs and scholar ship funds.

“This event is extremely important to the entire Jewish community, as the MJCCA impacts thousands of lives across the metro Atlanta area,” Kusiel said.

This year’s tournament brings the total raised to $4.6 million over the past 14 years, MJCCA CEO Jared Powers said.

“Every dollar we secure helps us raise scholarship funds so families can attend our award-winning camps, accredited preschools, enriching afterschool programs and all the activi ties that make the MJCCA home to so many,” Powers said.

Each year, the tournament honors an outstanding MJCCA member, whose leadership and dedication helped shape Atlanta’s Jewish community. This year, the MJCCA honored native Atlantan and real estate powerhouse Eliot Arno vitz.

MARCUS JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER OF ATLANTA/PROVIDED Eliot Arnovitz accepts his award at the golf tournament hosted by the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta. Each year, the tournament honors an out standing MJCCA member, whose leadership and dedication helped shape Atlanta’s Jewish community.

Arnovitz’s connection to the MJCCA can be traced all the way back to his childhood, when he spent his formative years in the Atlanta Jewish Community Center’s nursery school. He now volun teers with numerous Jewish organiza tions across Metro Atlanta, including as a Life Trustee with the Jewish Federa tion of Greater Atlanta.

“Eliot’s commitment to the At lanta Jewish community is exem plary,” Soden said. “The turnout at this year’s event is a testament to the longstanding impact he’s had on the Jewish community and the number of people he’s positively affected with his work, advocacy and volunteer efforts throughout the years.”

Impending hospital closure rattles health care landscape

By SAM WHITEHEAD and ANDY MILLER Kaiser Health News

ATLANTA — Like many neighborhoods in cities across the country, Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward is changing.

Condo buildings and modern minimal ist homes punctuate city blocks of lowincome housing. Many longtime residents of the historic neighborhood where Martin Luther King Jr. was born have been priced out and pushed to other parts of town.

Atlanta Medical Center, a 460-bed Level 1 trauma center, will be the next fixture to change.

Despite banners proclaiming the hos pital’s commitment to the area — “120 Years Caring For Atlanta,” one reads — its nonprofit owner, Wellstar Health System, recently announced plwans to close the hospital’s doors on Nov. 1.

Georgia has seen several rural hos pitals shutter in the past decade, but this year Atlanta has joined other urban centers with facility closures, including a previous downsizing at a facility in the nearby city of East Point.

The Wellstar announcement has stoked the political debate over Medicaid expansion ahead of the Nov. 8 midterm elections. Like 11 other states, Georgia

Atlanta Medical Center has been a com munity fixture in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood for decades.

has not expanded eligibility rules for its Medicaid program under the Affordable Care Act, and hospital officials across the state say inaction has hurt their bottom lines because they still treat high numbers of uninsured patients, many of whom cannot pay for treatment.

The Wellstar announcement shocked city officials, including Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, as well as other mem bers of the community.

On a recent weekday morning, Tere sa Smith, 60, who lives in the neighbor

hood, said she frequently receives care there for a chronic digestive issue.

“This hospital will be missed by the whole community,” she said.

Liliana Bakhtiari, the Atlanta City Council member whose district includes the hospital, was sharp in her assessment.

“There will be loss of life and critical injuries that will not be taken care of, and I wish that mattered more to Well star,” she said.

Wellstar declined KHN’s request for an interview about the closure.

Nancy Kane, an adjunct professor at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health, sees connections between the Atlanta situation and hospital closures in other major cities.

Many were acquired by large health care companies as part of package deals, and they served largely low-income, mi nority populations.

“If you acquire a hospital, you should have an obligation to fix it up,” Kane said. “Wellstar has the funds to invest in this hospital. It’s a choice.”

Some community members wonder whether the hospital closure will lead to a pricey real estate development on the roughly 20 acres Wellstar owns in the neighborhood.

Randy Pimsler, an architect whose firm

has designed projects in the area, said “it could become a blank slate, either for rede velopment or for new development.”

Politicians have been quick to turn the closing into a campaign issue. And at the center of the debate is Gov. Brian Kemp’s health care policy.

The Kemp team is working to put together a long-term plan to strengthen health care in the area after the closure, said Andrew Isenhour, a Kemp spokes person. Kemp, a Republican who’s run ning for a second term in November, is unlikely to try to keep the facility open.

But officials at the nonprofit Grady Health System said this week that they have met with Kemp’s office, Dickens, and officials from Fulton and DeKalb counties about a financial infusion of state funding that would support capital needs at Grady Memorial Hospital, a Level 1 trauma center about a mile from Atlanta Medical Center.

Grady is expecting as many as 2,500 extra emergency room visits a month after Atlanta Medical Center shuts its doors.

“We can absorb all the trauma,” said John Haupert, CEO of Grady Health System.

Still, the added ER crunch will be a

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challenge with more patients arriving, said Ryan Loke, chief health policy of ficer for Grady.

State funding would accelerate Grady’s existing plans to convert offices into inpatient care spaces, which would add more than 180 adult beds as soon as a year from now. The hospital also is adding 40 to 45 beds over the next six weeks, and is planning to install a 24-bed field hospital to help handle the patient flow from the closed hospital.

The closing puts Medicaid expan sion “front and center” in the political conversation, Haupert said. Kemp has proposed a limited plan that would offer access to the state-federal insurance program to people who can fulfill a work requirement or similar obligation.

His challenger, Democrat Stacey Abrams, has long made expanding Med icaid a top campaign issue.

“This is no longer a surprise,” Abrams said. “It is expected to hap pen because the Kemp administration refuses to take action.”

U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church, which is less than a mile from the hos pital, has also decried the closure and cited the strain on health care facilities caused by Georgia’s refusal to expand Medicaid. Wellstar officials have said that Medicaid expansion alone wouldn’t have kept the Atlanta facility open.

Earlier this year, Wellstar stopped providing emergency room and inpatient services at its hospital in East Point, just southwest of Atlanta. At the time, it said those patients could be seen at Atlanta Medical Center, about 8 miles away. Haupert estimated it would cost hun dreds of millions of dollars to modernize

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the soon-to-close Atlanta hospital, which is what made a rescue difficult.

The closures just a few months apart could help Abrams’ arguments for Medic aid expansion resonate with voters, said Andra Gillespie, an associate professor of political science at Emory University.

“An issue that was probably tailored more towards rural Georgia now all of a sudden becomes an Atlanta-area issue,” she said.

Gillespie cautioned that other issues, such as inflation, crime, and abortion, are likely to be more motivating to Geor gia voters.

Wellstar, based in suburban Mari etta, acquired AMC and the East Point hospital from Tenet Healthcare during an acquisition push in 2016, part of a $575 million deal that included three other hospitals in the metro region.

Todd Greene, formerly a member of Wellstar’s community board for AMC, said the system put more resources into its suburban facilities.

“Wellstar’s suburban hospital-oriented management approach unfortunately has resulted in large portions of Atlanta’s black and brown communities not having access to proximate and critical health care ser vices,” he said in a written statement.

In Wellstar’s announcement of the closure, it said it had invested more than $350 million in capital improvements at the facility since 2016 and sustained “$107 million in losses in just the last 12 months, amid decreasing revenue and increasing costs for staff and supplies due to soaring inflation.”

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The decision to close the hospital didn’t come as a surprise to some staff members, said Dr. Sulieman WazeerudDin, an emergency medicine physician at the hospital, who said doctors “were aware of financial losses.”

But the abrupt announcement caused a profound sense of grief among doctors, nurses, and other nonmedical employees, he said.

In the days since the closure an nouncement, Grady has offered jobs to a range of Atlanta Medical Center em ployees, from physicians and nurses to housekeeping and security staffers.

David Patton has lived in Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward for 30 years and said Atlanta Medical Center has been a big part of his life.

His grandfather died in a nursing home on the campus, he has gotten care at the ER, and his son took swimming lessons at the hospital’s athletic club, all while he has seen the neighborhood transform from a “forgotten” part of the city to one that’s become a lightning rod for new development.

“It boggles my mind that an insti tution like that would just shut down virtually overnight,” he said.

This story comes to Appen Media through a reporting partnership with Kai ser Health News, a non-profit newsroom specializing in health issues.

English school builds community for immigrants

By CHAMIAN CRUZ chamian@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga. — English for a Lifetime Language Institute takes a holistic ap proach to teaching English as a second language, regardless of educational background or social status.

Founder Joel Floyd started the school in 2012 in Doraville with just $500 and two students – one from Ethio pia and the other from Mexico. At the time, he said his goal was to address the language barrier that exists between im migrant adults and families who struggle with learning English.

Floyd would later relocate to Peachtree Corners. This May, he opened a second location in Roswell. Whereas most of his students at the Peachtree Corners location are Hispanic or Latino, the new location serves a diverse group of students from countries such as Ko rea, Russia, Ukraine and Turkey.

About 60 students are enrolled at the Roswell location. Floyd said there are other English schools in the area, but what sets English for a Lifetime apart is that it uses critical pedagogy to establish agency so students are prepared for any situation in American society. It focuses on the student as a whole.

“I want people to know that they are all welcome and it doesn’t matter where they come from,” Floyd said. “We will meet them where they are and want to help them achieve their goals. This is a school for the community, for the people, and that’s what we’re all about.”

That’s important, Floyd said, because his students come from all walks of life.

Some just want to be able to com municate at the supermarket, others

Joel Floyd, founder and president of English for a Lifetime Language Institute, hopes to grow his Roswell location after having nearly 100 students enroll at his first location in Peachtree Corners. Floyd opened the English school in 2012 and expanded to Roswell in May.

need to pass the Test of English as a Foreign Language, or TOEFL, for gradu ate school, and others need to master the language to continue to work in their chosen fields like engineering and medi cine after moving to the United States.

“We don’t deny any students and strive to provide them with a sense of com munity, because I know they need that connection, especially if they’re here by themselves,” Floyd said. “… It’s all about

making it an easy process for them as they learn the language in this country.”

Floyd, an educator from a young age, said that after moving to Atlanta to study medieval church history in gradu ate school, he began teaching secular studies at a Jewish high school and then English as a second language. However, he said he remembers feeling limited, because there was a set curriculum he had to follow. So, he said, he took a leap

of faith and started his own school.

“I felt like I’d be able to reach more people because my vision was so big,” Floyd said. “It connected back my child hood vision of one day having a school, but I didn’t know that years later it would be English as a Second Language. So, that’s why that passion has always been there. I just really love connecting with people from different cultures and different worlds.”

The school offers six levels. Each is 16 weeks long and goes over both academic and vocational English like grammar, reading, writing, listening and speaking. Prices range from $460 a month to $1,500 for private classes. Online classes are also available.

In August, the school was awarded $10,000 from NAV Technologies to establish a computer lab in its new location, purchase classroom furniture, and hire a lead teacher and community marketing agent.

Despite the additional resources and unique approach to teaching, Floyd said what the school tries to offer is com

“We really believe in community,” Floyd said. “We have small class sizes. Our student ratio is about 1 to 8, be cause we really want to give students that individualized, small group in struction. We want students to feel like they’re more than a number.”

When Floyd isn’t at English for a Life time, he serves as second vice president at Georgia Teach English to Speakers of Other Languages, or GATESOL, which advocates for professional development, participation and leadership. He is also a member of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce.

For more information, visit englife global.org or call 470-448-4920.

“I want people to know that they are all welcome and it doesn’t matter where they come from.”

JOEL FLOYD, founder, English for a Lifetime Language Institute

CHAMIAN CRUZ/APPEN MEDIA

Business: Heyday Dunwoody

Owner: Katy Barbeau

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Opened: July 2022 Phone: (770) 373-7670 Address: 123 Perimeter Center W., Suite 300, Dunwoody, GA 30346 Website: heydayskincare.com/pages/ dunwoody

Business: North Italia

Owner: North Restaurants, LLC Description: North Italia prides itself on delivering handcrafted Italian food in a modern environment with an inrestaurant experience that prioritizes great hospitality every time. We celebrate the opportunity to connect with the local community, finding new guests and team members to share our love of food and beverage

Opened: August 2022 Phone: (770) 804-8403 Address: 4600 Ashford Dunwoody Road, NE Dunwoody, GA 30346 Website: northitalia.com/locations/atlan ta-ga-perimeter/

Business: Edgewater Animal Hospital

Owner: Dr. Erin George

Description: Edgewater Animal Hospital is a full-service veterinary clinic aiming to provide the highest quality care to dogs and cats in Alpharetta and surrounding areas.

Opened: August 2022 Phone: (470) 545-0771

Address: 6195 Windward Parkway, Suite 109, Alpharetta Website: edgewateranimalhospital.com

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Crier edition in driveway was welcome

I recently finished reading “Ghosting the News: Local Journalism and the Cri sis of American Democracy” by Margaret Sullivan. I support Margaret’s position on the value of local news and media.

banking & finance

As I went to collect the mail on 4 Oct, I noticed what appeared to be an advertisement package in a plastic bag at the end of the driveway. Much to my surprise, I was taken aback when I saw that bag did not contain an advertising package but rather Volume 1, No. 1 is sue of the Sandy Springs Crier.

The headline story, “’Save Fulton cities’ Unity leads sales tax negotiations” was so insightful and reflective of Ameri can democracy at my local level (taxes, apportionment, usage, and political negotiations). I was so impressed with the headline narrative that I immediately read the publication cover to cover. I learned more about what’s happening in my city in 24 pages than I have in the 8 years I’ve lived in Sandy Springs.

Thank you for resurrecting the news, local and investigative journalism that matters. I will join the Appen Press Club (Member+) by end of day today.

Cheers,

Mark Casas Sandy Springs

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Adams family has many branches across Dunwoody

From Nancy Creek to the Chat tahoochee River, much of the his tory on this land includes members of the Adams family. The earliest Adams in the area were Sarah and Salathiel Adams, who came from North Carolina and obtained land through the land lottery. Their proper ty included some of Murphey Candler Park and Nancy Creek Heights sub division. The family cemetery is on Oconee Pass Road in Brookhaven.

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF

Salathiel and Sarah Adams had eight children. One of their sons, Jesse Ad ams, and his wife Anne Mitchell Adams had 10 children. One of those children was Martha Adilene Adams, who married William James Donaldson. The couple built a home on property they acquired from Martha’s father, and that home still stands as Donaldson-Bannister Farm at the corner of Vermack Road and Cham blee Dunwoody Road.

Another child of Jesse and Anne Ad ams was James Franklin Adams. He and wife Caroline G. Rainey had 10 children, and their son Robert Franklin Adams and wife Eula Mae Adams had 10 children.

Their daughter Rosemary Adams Little has shared some of her family history. Little grew up in a house where a Rite Aid Pharmacy was located for sev eral years along North Shallowford Road.

She remembers an old house that once sat on the southeast corner of Peeler Road and North Shallowford Road. Her grandfather owned the house and land. Later her Uncle Samuel Howard Adams lived in the house. Little wan dered through the woods and along the dirt roads of Dunwoody when it was still a farming community. Her family was re lated to many other local families, Wilson, Ball, Spruill, Warnock and Donaldson.

Adams Road off Peeler Road be tween North Shallowford and North Peachtree Road was once the land of William Oscar Adams. He and his wife Eula Womack Adams owned 100 acres. They are shown in the 1930 census living on Adams Road in the Shallow Ford District of DeKalb Coun ty. They are listed as farmers, but there was also a small country store where Adams Road meets Peeler.

Carl Pahl remembered and docu mented the old store in his book “Vil lage Mill, the Early Years (1969-1974) and Other Beginnings.” He describes an old wooden country store, about 20 feet by 20 feet with a sign overhead

that read “Adams Grocery.” He says it was demolished when Village North was built in the mid-1970s. Adams Road was paved around that same time.

Richard Adams, son of Monroe Frances Adams and Eula Reed Adams, was born on a farm along Dunwoody Club Drive, formerly Old Lawrenceville Road and County Line Road. The family’s farmhouse was near Ball Mill Creek where Grapevine Run subdivision is today. His grandparents’ home was on the left a little farther east on Dunwoody Club Drive.

During the Great Depression, like many struggling farmers, Monroe Ad ams operated a still and sold moon shine. According to Richard Adams,

This farmhouse owned by members of the extensive Adams family was located at the southeast corner where Cham blee Dunwoody Road, N. Shallowford Road and Peeler Road meet.

his father and two of his uncles also had moonshine operations.

Adams recalls the day Federal marshals came to his family home to search for liquor. All the bottles had been placed under a mattress where his mother lay pretending to be sick. Adams thought the marshals may have known where the bottles were hidden but did not disturb his mother. They also asked young Adams if he knew where the bottles were, but he knew to say nothing.

The next stop for the marshals that day was his Uncle Merc’s home. James Mercius Adams and Georgia Power Adams lived along Spalding Drive in a home that now has a Hewlett Road address. Several years ago, a large amount of broken glass was found behind the home by the buyer.

Award-winning author Valerie Big gerstaff is a longtime columnist for Appen Media, the Dunwoody Crier and now, the Sandy Springs Crier. She lives in Sandy Springs. You can email Val erie at pasttensega@gmail.com or visit her website at pasttensega.com.

PHOTOS FROM THE COLLECTION OF VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF Monroe Adams stands in front of the farmhouse owned by the family in the 1930s and early 1940s, located along what is now Dunwoody Club Drive.

Scary headlines, keeping calm, and carrying on

LEWIS J. WALKER,

In prepara tion for World War II, in 1939 the British govern ment produced a motivational poster that urged people to “Keep Calm and Carry On.” Any investor reading The Wall Street Journal

on Monday, Sept. 26, 2022, would have done well to maintain a placid demeanor.

Over the past weeks, American stock indexes continued to slide with the benchmark Dow Jones Industrial Aver age hitting bear market territory, down 20 percent or more from a recent high point. Share prices for bellwether transporta tion stocks that track airlines, truckers, railroads, freight forwarders, shippers, car rental companies and package handlers such as FedEx and UPS, have plunged, raising fears of a worsening recession given the Federal Reserve’s “most aggres sive tightening cycle in decades.”

“Russia’s Threats Raise Stakes in Ukraine,” headlined the Journal, re minding investors that a madman with a

bruised ego controls nuclear weapons and is threatening to use them. Hints of grow ing military tension between Washington and Moscow are unnerving, coming on top of a comment by President Biden that America would commit troops if President Xi moves on Taiwan, a.k.a., Formosa, oddly enough a Portuguese name that means “beautiful.” There’s nothing beauti ful about global tensions and war.

One article in the WSJ that really caught my eye as an investor and invest ment adviser headlined, “Stock Down turn Brings Pain to Buy-the-Dip Inves tors.” When one buys a stock or stocks after a downturn thinking it’s “bargain time,” any further drop in one’s equity holdings can raise anxiety. No one likes to lose money, not even in the short run.

In her 2006 book, “Passages: Predict able Crises of Adult Life,” author and pop sociologist Gail Sheehy declared, “Growth demands a temporary surren der of security.” Sheehy was not refer ring to the nervousness one experiences in gyrating financial markets with a downward bias for the time being.

As she explained, “It may mean a giv ing up of familiar but limiting patterns, safe but unrewarding work, values no

longer believed in, relationships that have lost their meaning.”

While Sheehy was referring to find ing purpose and motivation in the larger scope of life, it’s also true that the “temporary suspension of security” is frequently demanded as one attempts to build an equity portfolio in the quest for ultimate financial independence.

Over time, with corrections and bear market interludes a reality, peri odic losses are inevitable as you pursue growth over the long run. Market timing doesn’t work. In order to time markets successfully you have to make two good decisions ─ knowing when to get out and when to get back in. Successful timing once or twice can be satisfying, however, few have been able to do it consistently.

Yes, today is confusing. A deep global re cession may loom. “Stagflation” may result if labor markets weaken. But by the time you realize “it’s time to jump back into the market,” you’ve likely missed a major rally.

If you’re a global traveler, there’s pos itive news. On 9/27/2022 the euro was trading below parity to the U.S. dollar at $0.9606. At the same time the British pound crashed to a record low relative to the dollar, almost at parity, at $1.068.

The American dollar has strengthened considerably against global currencies, good for travelers, not good for American exporters. What cheers travelers dis turbs equity investors. Yin and yang.

Despite two quarters of negative GDP growth (one definition of a recession), the president’s advisers maintain that we’re not really in a recession since employment is strong. However, some large companies have started to announce layoffs. Rising costs for energy, electricity included, will hit households and firms of all stripes, dampening job growth. If you have a good job, you may wish to hold on to it and build a “layoff” nest egg, just in case.

For years clients have been advised to build a “freedom fund,” a safe and liquid financial reserve equating to a year’s worth of living expenses. Know ing that you and those who depend on you can handle an extended interrup tion in cash flow, and/or fund unfore seen major expenses without adding debt, is peace of mind. A Freedom Fund provides flexibility and choices when new directions in life are called for, as writer Sheehy noted. It isn’t easy these days, but keep calm and carry on!

There’s a Podcast for Everyone!

In his long-awaited return to the airwaves, Caddy partners with his new co-host – and wife! - Donna, to bring his loyal listeners everything they’ve come to expect and love from Cadillac Jack.

The Georgia Politics

Podcast focuses on all things under the gold dome. Show host Preston Thompson covers the most noteworthy updates to the legislative session of Georgia’s House of Representatives and State Senate.

STUDIO SERIES: RANDALL BRAMBLETT

What: Known for his “swampy, sweaty Southern-fried funk,”

Randall Bramblett continues the Studio Series with an exploration of his discography and a few stories along the way about his work with legends like Bonnie Raitt and Levon Helm.

When: Thursday, Oct. 20, 8 p.m.

Where: Studio Theatre, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs

Cost: Tickets start at $10 More info: citysprings.com

FEATURED:

SANDY SPRINGS FARMERS MARKET

What: Shop for fresh produce and arti san foods from more than 30 vendors every Saturday morning through Nov. 12 at the Sandy Springs Farmers Market. When: Saturday, Oct. 8, 8:30 a.m. -noon Where: City Green, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs More info: citysprings.com

OUT AND ABOUT:

DUNWOODY FOOD TRUCK THURSDAYS

What: Sweet and savory food trucks with live music every Thursday through the end of October.

When: Thursdays, Oct. 13, 20, & 27, 5-8 p.m.

Where: Brook Run Park, 4770 North Peachtree Road, Dunwoody More info: www.facebook.com/dunwood yfoodtruckthursdays/

OVERLOOK PARK BIRD WALK

What: Join naturalist Roseanne Guerra for a walk-through of Morgan Falls Overlook Park, which boasts several habitats with a variety of birds. The walk will involve (possibly wet) grass, stairs, gently sloped pavement and unpaved trails. A scope and loaner binoculars will be available.

When: Saturday, Oct. 15, 8-11 a.m. Where: Meet at the overlook, past the playground, Morgan Falls Overlook Park, 200 Morgan Falls Road, Sandy Springs Cost: Free More info: Register online, sandyspring sga.gov. For morning of walk, call 678358-4916.

PAWS AND PASTRIES

What: Bring all your puppers to this “pawsome” socialization event. Spend ing time at the park helps keep a dog’s socialization skills in tip-top form and can wear out a busy pup. There will be dog treats, tennis balls, water and pastries. Bring a dog bowl and water.

When: Saturday, Oct. 15, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Where: Morgan Falls River Park Dog

Park, 100 Morgan Falls Road, Sandy Springs Cost: Free

More info: Register online, sandyspring sga.gov

FESTIVE:

SPOOKY SPRINGS

What: Come to this safe, family-friendly event for young trick-or-treaters. There will be trick-or-treat candy stations, face painting stations, fog machines, a DJ and food trucks.

When: Saturday, Oct. 22, 5 p.m.

Where: Abernathy Greenway Play able Art Park, limited parking at Sandy Springs Christian Church, 301 Johnson Ferry Rd, Sandy Springs Cost: Free More info: sandyspringsga.gov

BOO-TACULAR FUN RUN

What: Superheroes, pirates, prin cesses and ghosts, etc. are invited to walk, skip or run. This is not a timed run. After the run, enjoy a hayride and roast marshmallows. Runner will receive a race medal, apple cider and supplies to make s’mores. Please, no scary costumes.

When: Friday, Oct. 14, 7 p.m.

Where: Roswell Area Park, 10496 Wood stock Road, Roswell Cost: $22

More info: Register online, roswellgov. com. Call 770-817-6670

ROSWELL GHOST TOUR

What: Join this 2 1/2 ghost tour with paranormal investigators who describe current paranormal phenomena rou tinely experienced by Roswell residents, businesses and other tour-goers. When: Every night, as long as there are 6 willing participants, 8 or 8:30 p.m. Private tours unavailable Oct. 21, 22, 28 & 29.

Where: Tours depart from the bandstand in the Roswell town square, across from the Roswell Visitor’s Center, 617 Atlanta Street, Roswell Cost: $20, $10 for children 12 and un der

More info: Book reservation online, roswellghosttour.com. Sign liability waiver and pay cash for tickets upon arrival.

HALLOWEEN HIKES

What: Experience the mystery of a guided night hike. The 37th annual Halloween Hike takes you through the forest to meet woodland creatures and hear about how they live. Take part in world music, crafts, campfire, face painting, Monster Mash dance party and other festival fun. Arrive 30 minutes before the hike.

When: Friday & Saturday, Oct. 21, 22, 28 & 29, 6 p.m.

Where: Chattahoochee Nature Center, 9135 Willeo Road, Roswell

Cost: $25 for general public/$20 for CNC members (children 2 and under are free)

More info: CNC members can by tickets online; for non-CNC members, ticket sales open Oct. 10, www.chattnature center.org

FEATURE YOUR EVENT ONLINE AND IN PRINT!

It’s even easier now than ever to promote your event to hundreds of thousands of people, whether online, through our newsletters or in the Crier and Herald newspapers.

To promote your event, follow these easy steps:

1. Visit AppenMedia.com/Calendar;

2. Provide the details for your event including title, description, location and date;

3. Click the red button that reads “Create event”

4. That’s it! Submissions are free, though there are paid opportunities to promote your event in print and online.

Read Now at

Full-time

Carmichael, Brasher, Tuvell & Company is hiring an Income Tax Preparer, Corporate and Individual. Great pay and flexible, relaxed work environment. Seeking full and/or part-time individual for individual and corporate tax prepara tion and accounting. Prior tax preparation required and have working knowledge of QuickBooks. Our office is located in the heart of Dunwoody and work from home is an option. To apply email your resume to gbrasher@cbtcpa.com

POOL TECHNICIANS

WANTED

Part-time & Full-time positions available. Pay is $12-$14 per hour. Hours starting at 6:30AM, Monday-Friday. Pick-up truck not required but must have your own reliable transportation. Gas allowance provided. Looking for people who enjoy working outside and are enthusiastic, dependable & punctual. Able to contribute independently or on a crew with consistently friendly attitude.

commercial pool maintenance company providing service in the North Atlanta Metro area.

Belco Electric

Home Improvement

ROT-DOC

Garage Doors

Dunwoody Door