City advances fire protection, transportation upgrades
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A YEAR IN REVIEW
Some of the key moments in Sandy Springs over the past year included, clockwise from top:
Namari Dance Center students open “From Africa to America” June 19 at City Springs with a dance number to “Mary Don’t You Weep.” Artist Curtis Pittman, left, cheers as local philanthropist and business leader Sunny Park, right, and his family cut the ribbon Nov. 11 on Veterans Park’s new sculpture — “Be the Light.” The Veterans Day ceremonies in Sandy Springs also saw the unveiling of Kevin Chambers’ “Three Generations” at the park.
Madison and Mackenzie Saldana check out Sandy Springs Fire Department Tower 52 with Fire Apparatus Engineer Storck at the National Night Out on the City Green at City Springs Aug. 6. The event, billed as a “Back to School Bash,” drew hundreds.
Sandy Springs resident Jenn Lott, a parent of Spalding Drive Elementary graduates, seeks to address Fulton County Schools staff at a public forum on redistricting held Nov. 4 at Riverwood International Charter School. Lott said the process feels “very rushed.”
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City continues making inroads in fire, transportation safety
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Sandy Springs made significant progress on several capital projects in 2024, while celebrating the completion of others around the city.
In September, Mayor Rusty Paul announced his fourth mayoral campaign, focusing on the work that remains to be done. This November, Sandy Springs will hold municipal elections for mayor and all six seats on the City Council. The following month, Georgia’s sixth largest city will celebrate its 20th anniversary.
With the city’s strong commercial tax base and portion of countywide sales taxes for transportation, Sandy Springs staff was busy with projects in 2024.
Progress on roads, paths
Sandy Springers are feeling some of the growing pains associated with construction-related traffic delays, but it may be necessary for long-term mobility improvements in the city.
The Public Works Department and its partners broke ground on nearly $30 million in corridor improvements along Mount Vernon Highway and Johnson Ferry Road.
The work included constructing a new roadway — Spruill Lane — connecting the two corridors near the Sandy Springs Library. The city says residents can expect its completion in 2026.
Elected officials also approved construction contracts for two-thirds of the city’s portion of PATH400 along the state route. Residents can expect a ground-breaking in early 2025.
Mayor Paul, speaking after announcing his reelection plans, said there is more work to be done on the city’s Trail Master Plan, or Springway, and expansion of the City Springs downtown district.
In 2025, the city expects to open a segment of the city’s trail network from Roswell Road to Morgan Falls Overlook Park and its new Police Headquarters and Municipal Court just a few blocks away.
Projects completed in 2024 include the state-of-theart Fire Station 5 in the city’s panhandle, while the Fire Department received the top rating from the Insurance Services Office.
The city also held a memorial for Jack McElfish who passed away in September after serving as the city’s first fire chief and laying the groundwork for the department’s success.
First responders, community philanthropists and elected officials gathered at Veterans Park Nov. 11 to unveil two new sculptures, “Be the Light” and “Three Generations,” highlighting community bonds and support for service members.
Community
fights school closure
After Fulton County Schools broke ground at the new North Springs High School Aug. 27, the community’s enthusiasm lasted about two weeks.
When the school district announced its recommendation Sept. 10 to close Spalding Drive Elementary School, parents formed a committee to fight losing a beloved community institution.
The committee, parents from other Sandy Springs
middle schools and elected officials spent the last three months of the year educating themselves and making their arguments for keeping the school around.
Because of a redistricting triggered by the potential closure, community meetings with Fulton County Schools staff have had some heated moments.
The final recommendation to the School Board is Jan. 14. A final vote is set for Feb. 20.
Sandy Springs City Council members have attended meetings and supported their community’s fight to stop the closure. Mayor Paul teamed up with East Point Mayor Deana Holiday Ingraham, who also faces the potential closure of one of the city’s elementary schools.
Gatherings highlight bonds
Despite a looming school closure and dealing with roadway construction, Sandy Springers enjoyed a year full of celebrations at City Springs.
Whether residents enjoyed Spin Doctors at the Blue Stone Festival, performances in the Byers Theatre during Juneteenth or the city’s Sparkle Parade to ring in the holiday season, Signature Events Director Anna Nikolas and her team wowed patrons.
The city unveiled its newest annual gathering — a German-inspired “OktoberFEAST” — with traditional music, dance and cuisine.
To kick off the school year, law enforcement put on its annual National Night Out with record crowds to foster stronger community-police relations.
Sandy Springs resident Bill Griffith set the gold standard for civic engagement, speaking during public comment during every City Council meeting after the May release of the Roberts Drive scoping study. The project calls for multi-use paths along a 2.2-mile stretch of the roadway.
Griffith, who supports filling sidewalk gaps and safety improvements, said other aspects of the project, like expanded multi-use paths, are not necessary.
Along with the Spalding Dive Elementary School community, The Mount Vernon School and its neighbors, Sandy Springers spoke up and made an impact in 2024.
In no particular order, here are the top 10 stories that drew the most interest from readers this year in Sandy Springs, according to online traffic:
• Chattahoochee River brewpub seeks buy-in from residents. A group proposing to construct a brewpub along the Chattahoochee River at Roswell Road and Roberts Drive looks for support in the surrounding community.
• Police chief: Put Coke warehouse on ‘do not respond’ list. Appen Media uncovered emails from personnel in the Sandy Springs Police Department discussing the aftermath of a dispute.
• See plans for new North Springs High School building. Fulton County Schools officials update community members in February about plans for the new high school, now under construction.
• Sandy Springs prepares for major work along Mt. Vernon Highway. Construction of multi-use paths from City Springs to the Sandy Springs MARTA station kicked off with completion expected in 2026.
• How Sandy Springs residents can track crime. When the city’s software displaying accidents and police incidents to the public went down, Appen Media provided residents with a substitute.
• Sandy Springs moves to seize, demolish house linked to drug trade City officials moved to condemn and seize a single-family home, allegedly involved with cartels and the illegal drug trade.
• Lake Forest Drive sinkhole awaits repairs. Storms and rainfall from Hurricane Helene Sept. 27 knocked out a segment of the roadway at the Sandy Springs-Atlanta border, complicating traffic patterns for a couple months.
• Sandy Springs hurricane checkup leads to drug seizure. In another tale from Hurricane Helene, Sandy Springs police officers arrested a Cumming man for possession of various controlled substances.
• Life Time buys Concourse Athletic Club. Life Time purchases the Concourse Athletic Club at the base of the “King and Queen” towers in central Perimeter.
• Truist Bank plans to close 8 branches in Georgia. To kick off the year, Truist Bank announced the closure of its Dunwoody Place Publix branch.
FILE PHOTO/APPEN MEDIA
Sandy Springs will mark 20 years improving residents’ quality of life
In 2025, the City of Sandy Springs will celebrate its 20th anniversary. As I look back on the last two dec-ades, it’s extraordinary to see how much we’ve accomplished. Sandy Springs was the first new city to form in Georgia in 50 years, and what an example we’ve set – across the state, the country and even across seas.
Looking ahead, I am excited to build on the progress we’ve made. Like many cities on the edge of a major metropolitan hub, Sandy Springs was developed for vehicular travel. As such, sidewalks and bicycle in-frastructure were scarce, and a need to retrofit our community and enhance connectivity emerged. To address this challenge, we adopted a Trail Master Plan that outlines more than 30 miles of new trails to develop. In addition to alleviating traffic, these trails pose an opportunity for economic development as restaurants and
businesses pop up alongside. I’m proud to say we’ve made some significant headway on that network. This year, we broke ground on Mount Vernon Highway Corridor Improvements that connects City Springs to our MARTA station. The 1.2-mile stretch includes a 6-foot sidewalk on the northside and a 10–12-foot multiuse path on the southside. This $18 million T-SPLOST investment is scheduled to be complete in 2026.
Work will also begin on the 2.3-mile PATH400 in early 2025 which includes a 12-foot-wide trail along the eastside of Ga. 400 that connects Atlanta’s portion to our city. It is a $20 million multijurisdictional pro-ject we’re proud to be part of.
Additionally, the 1.88-mile Springway 2A is slated to be complete early next year. Part of a future 5-mile loop, this project extends over Orkin Lake near Overlook Park off Morgan Falls Road and offers the north-ern region of our city an outstanding recreational opportunity.
These developments are building – and strengthening – the connective tissue of our community, and there’s no better example of that than our City
Springs District. In 2018, we opened City Springs which was built to establish a downtown gathering space. In six years, it has become a hub for activity, both economic and leisure.
Building on this success, we now plan to enhance the area with a vibrant mixeduse development -- phase two of City Springs. We have a preferred development partner for this project, and their initial proposal included more restaurants, experiential retail, office spaces, residential options, green spaces, and shared parking. Detailed design plans will be unveiled in the coming months, and it’s my hope we can break ground in 2025.
As I look to next year – and the next 20 years – I am excited about the opportunities in store. We will continue investment in our trail system, the City Springs District, and more, attracting a new generation of Sandy Springers. Additionally, next year we will open our new state-of-the-art Police Headquarters and Municipal Court Complex. All of this wouldn’t be possible without the support of our residents and the effort they expound to make our community the best it can be.
Affordable housing deficit needs attention
By KATHY SWAHN, NANCY DIAMOND, JACK MURPHY North Fulton Improvement Network Executive Team
We appreciate the opportunity to highlight our volunteer team’s efforts to address the urgent need for affordable housing in our community.
We’re working hard to build a network of advocates prioritizing housing solutions. While this challenge is nationwide, we’ve identified communities successfully implementing proactive strategies. Encouragingly, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce has made affordable housing a legislative priority this year.
Although North Fulton’s six cities boast strong leadership focused on economic development, we are not adequately forecasting the workforce housing required to sustain growth. Industries like healthcare, education, hospitality and emergency services face critical shortages due to insufficient housing stock. The “missing middle”— households earning $50,000 to $80,000 annually — struggle to find affordable options, whether renting or buying. Current zoning restrictions further hinder progress, leaving comprehensive plans for workforce housing unfulfilled.
To prepare for future needs, we must adopt innovative solutions, including property reuse, zoning adjustments, and the addition of Auxiliary Dwelling Units, carriage houses, or multi-generational housing on private land. Faith-based organizations could also play a key role by repurposing land or underutilized parking lots for housing development. Empty
Affordable housing continues to be a serious issue across North Metro Atlanta. Groups like the North Fulton Improvement Network are trying to help, and Appen Media is dedicated to covering the process. Send ideas, questions and feedback to newsroom@appenmedia.com.
nesters lack downsizing options, and young professionals — our children and recent graduates — cannot afford to return to live here. It’s time to change that.
Thanks to our partner, John Ray, with Business Radio X, you can now access our podcast, “North Fulton Voices,” via our website or your favorite podcast platform. The podcast features experts discussing critical issues such as senior housing, housing for school employees, and workforce challenges faced by healthcare providers. We also share insights from the Atlanta Regional Commission, Georgia Public Policy Foundation, elected officials and economic developers on potential solutions for North Fulton.
This is not a political issue; it should be a community priority. Addressing housing affordability can ease traffic congestion, strengthen our workforce, and provide homes for the people we need and value in our community.
Kathy Swahn, Nancy Diamond and Jack Murphy are members of North Fulton Improvement Network. Learn more at www. improvenorthfulton.org.
PALS
WINTER 2025 JANUARY 6th – MARCH 3rd
Dunwoody United Methodist Church No class January 20th (MLK Day)
10:00 – 11:00
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IN TROUBLING TIMES -- Bob Wynn will conduct a class focusing on the U.S. Criminal Justice System. i.e., the history, evolution and implementation of criminal law in the courts. Topics such as capital punishment, sentencing, bail reform as well as events from today’s headlines will be discussed. We will also cross-reference data from the legal systems of other countries and discuss the possible reasons behind the differences. Come join us for an entertaining, insightful, enlightening, and hopefully very active discussion.
10:00 – 11:00
HATE HAS NO PLACE -- Karen Colbert and Rabbi Scott Colbert will examine the history, manifestation, prevalence and consequence of anti-Semitism, the oldest hatred in the world and how it impacts our society. Utilizing cinema and discussion, we will learn terms, expressions and misconceptions that will help you recognize anti-Semitism so that you can become part of the global effort to fight it and eliminate it from our community. The class will also use this new understanding to recognize and fight other kinds of hate (LGBYQ, racism and Islamophobia) among others.
10:00 – 3:00
OPEN MAH JONGG – Bring your own Mah Jongg card and come play. There is no instructor for this weekly session.
10:00 – 12:00
OPEN CANASTA – Bring your score sheet and come play. There is no instructor for this weekly session.
11:30 – 12:30
HOAXES, IMPOSTERS, FORGERIES, FAKES AND OTHER WAYS “THEY” TRY TO FOOL “US!”– Betsy Jones asks – Do you know how to detect a “fake”, or an “imposter?” From time immemorial people have had the tendency to dupe and be duped. Some of the incidents were meticulously planned in hopes of striking it rich. A few were accidental consequences of otherwise harmless actions while others were perpetrated to be either funny or malicious, and still others were done to prove a point. We will examine a number of the more famous such incidents in history to see how they were pulled off and their consequences.
11:30 – 12:30
JANE AUSTIN ON SCREEN -- Michele Friedman will lead a discussion of whether Jane Austen’s work was the start of the “chic lit” or had the depth of understanding of questions of moral behavior and social norms and her explorations of epistemology to be some of the most insightful in the literary canon for men and women. Come decide for yourself and enjoy her caustic wit along the way as we view her works s portrayed in the movies.
RUSTY PAUL Sandy Springs Mayor
Spruill Center for the Arts enters 50th year
Dunwoody backs goal to create artistic hub
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
DUNWOODY, Ga. — After a city-backed expansion of its educational facilities, the Spruill Center for the Arts is bringing more people through Dunwoody than ever.
Spruill is on the short list of major art centers in Metro Atlanta, joining Gwinnett County’s Hudgens Center for Art & Learning and Callanwolde Fine Arts Center just inside Atlanta.
CEO Alan Mothner said the Spruill Center for the Arts has been “out of space” since about 2018, with demand outpacing its space within the old North DeKalb Cultural Center off Chamblee Dunwoody Road.
In 2020, the Spruill Center rolled out its first strategic plan to manage operations during and after the pandemic with the expansion still in mind.
“That post-COVID era was also contingent upon this expanded space,” Mothner said. “The goal was to begin this expansion in 2023, which is exactly what we did.”
In March, Dunwoody’s elected officials joined with the city’s Art Commission at
Students work on their holiday creations at a printmaking workshop Dec. 14 at the Spruill Center for the Arts. Instructor Tatiana Craig, right, coaches a student through their etching and engraving. Craig, a first-time instructor at Spruill, said her students at the Chastain Art Center in north Atlanta recommended she teach at the Dunwoody-based community hub.
the Spruill Center to cut the ribbon for the new 8,300-square-foot expansion, including seven new art studios, a community room and revamped courtyard.
Tatiana Craig, who taught her first printmaking class at Spruill Dec. 14, said her students at Atlanta’s Chastain Arts Center recommended she teach at Spruill after a untimely renovation shut down the facility for a few weeks.
Craig, an Atlanta native, graduated from Georgia State University a couple of years ago with an art education degree.
“The art community is all about this, the community,” she said. “It wasn’t until my second year of college when I took a printmaking class that I was like ‘woah, I really love it.’”
Craig’s students, an eclectic group of longtime students and first-time patrons, advised each other while she spent some on-on-one time.
Upstairs in one of the new classrooms, California native Carolina Cuevas was also teaching her first indigo dyeing class at Spruill. Cuevas specialized in sculpture and textiles at the California College of the Arts.
The city pitched in $1 million for the project’s $3.4 million cost, with the remaining funds generated through Spruill’s fundraising, activities and workshops.
After breaking ground in March 2023, Mothner and his team were ready for another strategic plan with a focus on operating its new facilities.
“We had, before we expanded, hundreds of students on the waitlist each semester that we offer classes,” Mothner said. “Once we’re able to accommodate that demand, how do we reach out to the broader community to get everybody engaged and involved in the arts?”
Free community workshops offer a “Taste of Spruill” and are a part of a larger effort to grow the nonprofit’s programing after its expansion. The roadmap is laid out in the Spruill Center’s 2024-26 Strategic Plan with the nonprofit’s 50th anniversary celebration smack dab in the middle.
“The free workshops are one of several programs that are designed to enhance our focus on being a community center based on the arts,” Mothner said. “We have really seen a need for these social connections in the community.”
Workshops draw diverse talent
The Spruill Center for the Arts schedules its classes quarterly, offering youth and teen programs, camps and adult courses nearly year-round.
Instructors, often professional artists, teachers or college professors, cater to students of all skill levels. “Taste of Spruill” classes give Metro Atlantans an opportunity to try out a new art form, sample Dunwoody culture and, maybe, make a holiday gift.
She said she chose to teach the traditional Japanese method — shibori — to give students a more authentic experience than with more commonplace Western tie-dyeing.
Kimm Martin, one of Cuevas’ students who serves on the Smyrna Arts Council, said she’ll make the trip east along I-285 anytime there’s a new and interesting course.
When Spruill gets feedback, patrons often say socializing, getting out of the house and meeting new people is as valuable as what they’re learning in class.
The free community workshops kicked off in September with typically four options Saturday and Sunday afternoon.
Mothner said there are 48 classes on the books for 2025.
“The whole idea behind them is to get people out, engaged and more involved in their community,” he said. “That’s us serving as a community center where we can get people to gather.”
Planning for the future
The “Taste of Spruill” workshops aren’t going anywhere. On the second Saturday and Sunday of each month, there are typically a couple of options for free two-hour sessions with local artists.
Because of the diversity of artistic mediums and Spruill’s reputation in Metro Atlanta’s art community, prospective students will rarely see classes repeat.
The second weekend of January, options include introductions to crochet, drawing, iPhone photography and polymer clay techniques.
In fall 2024, around 2,300 people enrolled in classes. Enrollment throughout the year totaled more than 8,300.
Spruill is now serving 40 percent more
HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA
CITY OF SANDY SPRINGS/PROVIDED
Santa Claus and a member of the Sandy Springs Fire Department stand atop an aerial ladder Dec. 17 at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta's Scottish Rite Hospital. Firefighters, Santa Claus and a few superheroes delivered gifts to patients and employees during their training.
Sandy Springs Fire personnel bring holiday cheer to hospital
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — The Sandy Springs Fire Department delivered presents during its annual Christmas time operation Dec. 17 at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta's Scottish Rite Hospital.
A team of trained rope rescue technicians with the Fire Department use the hospital as a training ground, gaining real-world experience to prepare for emergency situations.
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, the only freestanding pediatric healthcare system in Georgia, manages more than one million patient visits annually at its three hospitals, Arthur M. Blank, Hughes Spalding and Scottish Rite.
Each year, firefighters and emergency personnel team up with Santa Claus, delivering gifts to patients and employees. More importantly, Sandy Springs Fire makes it a priority to spread Christmas cheer to youngsters spending their holidays in the hospital.
As the firefighters rappelled down the building, they paused on each level outside the windows facing Meridian Mark Road near the main entrance, to wave to the children and their families inside.
Along with Saint Nick, beloved char -
A Sandy Springs firefighter shares a warm moment Dec. 17 at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta's Scottish Rite Hospital. During the Fire Department’s annual training, personnel make sure to stop and wave to each patient and their families.
acters like the Atlanta Braves’ Blooper, Spider-Man and Superman made an appearance. After the training, the team handed out presents and specially designed Sandy Springs Fire Department beanies, to patients and staff.
— Hayden Sumlin
Italian restaurant creates cult following in Cumming
By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Every Sunday after mass, Karen Marie Smith and her family would visit her grandmother’s house.
“She’d have pots and pots of the most amazing food cooking,” Smith said. “I just had these wonderful memories of her kitchen.”
Smith remembers sauce bubbling in big pots, pasta, pigs’ feet, chicken, short ribs, thick Sicilian pizzas, cookies and pastries of all kinds, homemade meatballs and an atmosphere of warmth and joy.
As co-owners of Marie's Italian Deli, Bakery & Market, Smith and her son Matthew Smith have worked hard to replicate that atmosphere at their Cumming restaurant. They have won the hearts of the community by serving authentic Italian cooking and creating the kind of place where it’s easy to lose a couple of hours with friends.
“It doesn’t feel like a restaurant. It feels like a family,” Matthew said.
Tucked in an unassuming strip mall off Atlanta Highway near Ga. 20, Marie’s Italian Deli has transformed a space once occupied by a Mellow Mushroom. The restaurant’s unexpected success spurred an expansion into an adjacent tax office a few years back.
When you enter the restaurant, activity bustles in a small but lively kitchen. The aroma of roast garlic and simmering marinara permeates the cozy dining area where groups of friends share spirited conversation.
On any given day, Karen and Matthew Smith split their time behind the counter, in the kitchen and among the tables where they “walk in circles,” catching up with regulars and newcomers.
The dining room at Marie’s Italian Deli bustles with energy on a Wednesday lunch service.
Regulars like Cumming resident Steve Lazzara have become a part of the Marie’s family. During a Wednesday lunch service, he and Karen Smith chatted about Sicily, where they both trace familial roots.
“The food’s excellent, and the service is phenomenal,” Lazzara said.
Since opening about four years ago, Marie’s has created a cult following of both locals and visitors from outside Forsyth County. An air traffic controller from Hartsfield-Jackson Airport regularly makes the drive during his lunch break.
Some customers even come six days a week and might make it seven if the restaurant wasn’t closed on Sundays.
Atmosphere is important, the Smiths said, but Marie’s has laid a foundation on its menu. The most popular items track to southern Italy where Karen Smith’s grandmother grew up until the 1890s.
“I was a twig until we opened this place, and then I blew up like a balloon,” Matthew said, chuckling.
Just like her grandmother did, Marie’s marinara is browned in a skillet and allows the flavors from high quality tomatoes, garlic and onion to mingle.
“It’s wonderful,” Matthew said. “If you don’t like garlic, you’re not going to like it.”
That sauce is a crucial part of many dishes from hot subs on crispy rolls to calzones stuffed with mozzarella, ricotta, sausage and meatballs.
Many dishes are named after members of Karen Smith’s “ginormous” Italian family. That family is featured in framed black and white photographs around the restaurant.
Like the sauce, the meatballs have been replicated from Karen’s childhood memories of her grandmother’s cooking. Made in-house from parmesan and fresh ingredients, they are seasoned with parsley from a local farmers market and built around softened bread, rather than breadcrumbs.
Marie’s also offers a full breakfast menu that includes quick bites, like a bagel sandwich and more indulgent offerings, like pancakes topped with blueberry compote and whipped cream.
In a bakery connected to the restaurant, diners often chase meals with lattes, cappuccinos, affogatos and other espresso drinks. Glass cases are filled with cupcakes, cannoli, cakes and other desserts.
A lemon blueberry cake has garnered rave reviews with its delicately flavored icing and a moist, spongy interior.
A hot meatball sub is one of many menu items that features both a marinara and meatballs inspired by family recipes.
MARIE’S ITALIAN DELI/PROVIDED On the bakery side of Marie’s, diners can finish meals with coffee and indulgent desserts like this blueberry and lemon cake.
MARIE’S ITALIAN DELI/PROVIDED Marie’s Italian Deli offers a full breakfast menu featuring pancakes, eggs, sandwiches, frittata and more.
carrots, celery and onion.
Despite a varied menu featuring numerous authentic items, the restaurant’s biggest seller is a humble white bean and ham soup.
Made fresh daily, the soup’s buttery white beans are imbued with a rich savoriness from smoked ham bone and a base of
When Marie’s first opened, the Smiths prepared the soup in a crock pot, but its popularity quickly grew out of the small container.
“It tastes like a warm hug,” Karen said.
Cumming resident Julie Kelleher said she thinks of the soup as a food for her soul.
“It’s just warm. It’s inviting,” she said.
JON WILCOX/APPEN MEDIA
MARIE’S ITALIAN DELI/PROVIDED
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Spruill:
Continued from Page 6
people than it was pre-pandemic, and enrollment is expected to climb furtrher in 2025.
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“We derive more than 50 percent of our students from outside the greater Dunwoody area … Sandy Springs, Doraville, Chamblee and Brookhaven,” Mothner said. “We draw regionally from throughout the area … students come from all over the place.”
A half-century of serving
Sergey Savin
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In 1975, the community art center operated out of the basement of the Dunwoody United Methodist Church. A group of local women would meet weekly for painting classes decades before the nonprofit moved to its second home off Roberts Drive.
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The Spruill Center for the Arts has been in the same spot since 1993 at the multiarts complex, now known as the Dunwoody Cultural Arts Center.
The addition of seven classrooms brings Spruill to a total of 17 state-of-the-art studios, including specialized spaces for jewelry making, ceramics and kiln-fused glass, blacksmithing and painting.
Mothner said anyone who signs up for a paid class has the ability to register for open studio classes.
“If you take a wheel class and you work on your projects from 7-9 p.m., you may want to get some extra time on the wheel or glaze a piece,” he said. “Because if you’re a student, you probably don’t have a wheel, kiln and all the glazes that we have.”
The new ceramics classrooms have more than doubled the open studio time Spruill can offer students. A block of clay weighs around 20 pounds, and Mothner reported Spruill went through 31.35 tons of it in 2024.
Expansion plans at the Spruill Center for the Arts date back to 2008. During the Great Recession, building additional classrooms and expanding programs took a back seat along with many other things.
“We could not exist without the publicprivate partnership that we have with the City of Dunwoody,” Mothner said. “It allows us to grow and serve our community.”
Mothner is excited about the Spruill Center for the Arts’ upcoming 50th anniversary March 29, but he’s not ready to dive into details yet. He said people can expect a celebration of the arts and more community programs in 2025.
After awarding $63,000 in scholarships in 2024, prospective students should know the Spruill Center is continuing its effort to remove economic barriers.
“One of the big things that we want to focus on is to make sure the arts are accessible to all,” he said. “That primarily manifests in scholarships for students, as well as the free community workshops.”
Colt
OPINION
Dental training at Lawson General Hospital during World War II
During World War II, more people with medical and dental training were needed, which led to the U.S. setting up Medical Department Technicians schools across the country. One MDTS was at Lawson General Hospital in Chamblee. MDTS began at Lawson General in 1942 and continued into 1945. MDTS started out with 50 people being trained as laboratory technicians, 50 in dental training, 125 in medical training, 125 in surgical training and 50 in X-ray training. By 1943, there were 106 dental trainees at Lawson. (achh.army.mil)
Glenn H. Curtis began his training November 1942 at the Army Air Forces Technical Training Command in St. Petersburg, Florida. From there, he was sent to Lawson General Hospital for dental training in December 1942. Curtis was born Jan. 28,1920, and was 21 years old when he completed his World War II registration card. He was employed as a driver for Hanna Market in Rochester, New York. His brother Robert registered on the same day and was sent to France.
Curtis did not share much with his family about his time at Lawson General Hospital. He did say he enjoyed his time training in Georgia, and he knew and sang the Georgia Tech fight song. Maybe that was because the Lawson General sports teams sometimes played against or at Georgia Tech.
Curtis’ childhood friend, Loren Brown, was also in the MDTS program at Lawson. Brown’s fiancé Lois Howell and Curtis’ girlfriend and later wife, Mildred, plus Curtis’ sister Joyce Curtis visited the two men in Chamblee. They stayed in a cottage at W.O. Pierce Dairy in Chamblee. Visitors to patients and staff of Lawson General Hospital and
trainees of MDTS usually stayed in nearby homes.
While Mildred was visiting, she and Glenn Curtis became engaged. They went to a jeweler on Peachtree Street in downtown Atlanta to buy her ring.
From Lawson, Curtis was sent to Jefferson Barracks, Mo., where he was part of the 25th Training Group, Squad C. Baseball teams were common at bases across the U.S., and Curtis was injured playing baseball. Curtis is documented as being at O’Reilly Hospital in Springfield, Mo., during the last part of 1943 and his son believes this may have been a result of the injury.
Once recovered, Curtis returned to
Jefferson Barracks. His next assignment was in the 18th Replacement Wing in Salt Lake City, Utah, in February 1944. Then, he was sent to Walker Army Air Force Base in Victoria, Kansas. He also worked at Press Steel Car Company in Pennsylvania, a rail car manufacturing company that produced tanks during the war.
Curtis’ service continued at Sheppard Field in Texas from July to September 1945 as part of the 3706 Army Air Force Squad H and until February 1946 as part of the 1060 Army Air Force Squad E.
The dental training he received would eventually be used for the diffi-
cult job of identifying victims in aircraft training crashes in the U.S.
After the war, Curtis opened an Amoco gasoline station near his home in Rochester. He later worked for the post office, retiring after 17 years. He also ran an antique store with his wife.
I am grateful to Glenn Curtis’ son, Gary Curtis, for sharing this history, memories and photos.
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
GLENN CURTIS
GARY CURTIS/PROVIDED
Lois Howell, facing camera, and Mildred Curtis at the cottage they stayed in at Pierce Dairy Farm.
A Secret Santa delivers joy to the miracle chimney
There is a house in Alpharetta, or better a chimney where a house used to be, that has been visited by a Secret Santa every Christmas season for the past 30 years. Here is the amazing and heartwarming story.
The chimney is located on what once was a 26-acre parcel on Mid Broadwell Road. It was owned by Clinton Webb, a member of one of the most celebrated families in North Fulton. Probably the first Webb to settle in Georgia was Clinton Toliver Webb, born in North Carolina in 1778. He moved to Georgia, raised a family, died and was buried in the Old Big Creek Cemetery in Alpharetta.
The Webbs intermarried with several leading families including the Mansell and Dorris families. Seven of the acres across the road were handed down to family member Jerry Mansell (1932-2018) in the early 1970s. The City of Alpharetta later purchased the land intending to put a fire station there. Eventually the city built the fire station at another location and sold the land to a developer who built homes on the parcel.
The house burned down in 1941 and I was unable to locate a photo of it. According to Alan Dorris, who grew up in the neighborhood, “it was not a fancy house. It was an old board construction, probably a tenant house from the late 1800s.” He says the charred remains of the house remained for years until the road, then made of dirt, was widened, at which time the remains of the house were removed. The red brick chimney with flagstone around the base ended up closer to the road. Dorris believes the land could have been the Webb family farm.
In 1983 Jon Niemeyer purchased the property. “When I bought the property, it was so overgrown that we didn’t see the chimney until our third visit.” The Niemeyers built a home some 1000 feet behind the chimney.
In 1991 Jon and his wife Eleanor started decorating the chimney with a wreath and stockings. Eleanor realized that since their house was so far from the road no-one would know that they were decorated for Christmas, so the couple put decorations on the chimney. “Two years later Santa found the chimney and stockings and started delivering candy and small stocking stuffers along with a beautiful inspirational card,” says Niemeyer. “The following year we started leaving cookies and a card for Santa,” he says. “Santa brought great joy to our six grandchildren with the miracle chimney,”.
One year Santa left a letter saying that he and Mrs. Clause were going to retire to Florida but that their elves would continue the Christmas tradition.
Five years ago Eric and Ali Abercrombie purchased the property. “After we bought the house, Jon told us about the Christmas tradition. We wrote a note introducing ourselves to Santa and left something there for him. On Christmas morning the stockings were full of little gifts. Our kids love it. Santa always leaves a lovely handwritten letter about the true meaning of Christmas.”
The Abercrombie’s found a well on the property which they filled in for safety reasons. The chimney was starting to lean, so they have stabilized it. They decorate the chimney on December 1 and take the decorations down on New Year’s Day.
The Niemeyers and the Abercrombies agree that the Mystery Santa and his elves meant to bring joy into their lives, and they succeeded. The joy is shared with people passing by in their cars.
Bob is director emeritus of the Milton Historical Society and a Member of the City of Alpharetta Historic Preservation Commission. You can email him at bobmey@ bellsouth.net. Bob welcomes suggestions for future columns about local history.
BOB MEYERS Columnist
NIEMEYER FAMILY/SPECIAL
Eric and Ali Abercrombie’s youngest of three children retrieves presents left by the Secret Santa at the decades-old fireplace on their property on Christmas morning 2023.
NIEMEYER FAMILY/SPECIAL Jon and Eleanor Niemeyer pose with their six grandchildren in front of the miracle chimney on Mid Broadwell Road in anticipation of Santa’s visit circa 2000. Today the grandchildren have their own children. A Secret Santa has been visiting the chimney for 30 years.
BOB MEYERS/APPEN MEDIA The miracle chimney on Mid Broadwell Road in Alpharetta where a Secret Santa delivers presents and a letter every Christmas to the family who owns the chimney.
OPINION
My favorite reads of 2024
Once again, I’m emulating Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and a host of others by providing a list of my favorite books of the year. And once again, these are the favorite books I “read,” not necessarily those published in 2024. They’re in no particular order except for the three at the top of the list. They are very different books, but all stayed with me for days after I finished them.
book by “Entertainment Weekly,” “Harper’s Bazaar,” and “Real Simple” magazines. Could it possibly be that good? Trust me. It is.
It’s a story of grief, of love, of loss, and friendship. Clementine is dealing with the death of her beloved aunt, the charming adventurer who took her on trips to faraway lands and enriched her life in so many ways.
protagonist. Ellie is a safecracker, roped into working for Major Ramsey to thwart the Nazis at every turn. Of course, both she and the major are good looking and single, but their backgrounds couldn’t be more different. He’s a nobleman. She’s carrying on the family tradition of thievery.
“The Comfort of Ghosts” by Jacqueline Winspear
This is the eighteenth and final book in the Maisie Dobbs series. Winspear says she always knew the series would end with World War II, and she has done a masterful job of capturing what the two world wars did to England and her beloved characters. She brings alive not only the physical devastation, but also the loss of two generations of young men and the lasting emotional trauma it leaves on those who survived. In this final book, she brings us a more vulnerable Maisie, one who is still helping and protecting others, but who is also reflecting on her life. It may well be the best in the series, but I do recommend you start with the very first one, “Maisie Dobbs.”
“The Seven Year Slip” by Ashley Poston
This book was not only named a New York Public Library Best Book of 2023, but also a most anticipated
KATHY MANOS PENN Columnist Solution
It’s also a romance with a bit of fantasy thrown in. It’s whimsical yet serious and portrays Clementine’s grief in a way that makes you feel it.
“The Bright Sword” by Lev Grossman
I am a huge King Arthur fan and when I saw a review of this book, I had to get it. 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. It “… broaches issues that are decidedly more contemporary: abandonment and abuse, sexual and gender identity, even immigration, all in ways that feel natural and organic rather than preachy or pedantic.” And the humor in it is also delightful.
“Locked in Pursuit” by Ashley Weaver
Set in England during World War II, this mystery has a strong female
DEATH NOTICES
James Cook, 76, of Roswell, passed away on December 19, 2024. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Daniel Feruck, 88, of Alpharetta, passed away on December 19, 2024. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
In this fourth installment, they discover an odd rash of burglaries in London, and soon figure out that the crimes have their origin in Lisbon. Spies are in search of something more important than jewels.
If the description appeals to you, I suggest you start with the first in the Electra McDonnell series, “A Peculiar Combination.”
“The Busy Body” by Kemper Donovan
What fun! Two smart women on the trail of a killer. One a ghostwriter who pens memoirs and autobiographies for celebrities and politicians, the other a losing candidate in a recent presidential election. One who is accustomed to being front and center, the other a woman who makes a living being invisible.
You’re bound to note the similarities to Hilary Clinton in former Senator Dorothy Gibson, who has sequestered herself in her Maine home to lick her wounds. The major difference? As far as we know, Hilary Clinton never solved a murder mystery.
“Everyone on This Train is a Suspect” by Benjamin Stevenson
I don’t know how I missed this author’s first book with Ernest Cunningham as the main character,
Joseph Fiore, 71, of Roswell, passed away on December 12, 2024. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Terry Mathis, 81, of Alpharetta, passed away on December 19, 2024. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
but I did. Both are written in first person and the main character, Ernest or Ern or Ernie, is a writer. He is living the murder mystery. The Ghan, a train through the Australian desert, is hosting the Australian Mystery Writers’ Society, and Ern is invited as a guest speaker. After all, he wrote the wildly popular “Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone.” (Yes, this is really a published book.)
Naturally, a murder on a train smacks of Agatha Christie’s “Murder on the Orient Express,” and for my money, it’s every bit as complex and twisty as that Golden Age mystery. The difference is that it’s also quite funny. I finally recently got around to reading Stevenson’s first book— “Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone”— and it too is highly entertaining.
There you have it, five books I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend. Did I read many, many more in 2024? Of course. I average two-three books a week. Did I occasionally start a book I couldn’t finish? Yes. That seems to happen more frequently these days. In the words of Frank Zappa, “So many books, so little time.”
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/.
Lester Wooten, 92, of Roswell, passed away on December 16, 2024. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
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