Sandy Springs Crier - January 4, 2024

Sandy Springs approves contract for City Green synthetic turf ► PAGE 4

J a n u a r y 4 , 2 0 2 4 | A p p e n M e d i a . c o m | A n A p p e n M e d i a G r o u p P u b l i c a t i o n | 5 0 ¢ | Vo l u m e 3 , N o . 1

MINUTEMAN PRESS/PROVIDED

Design. Print. Promote.

The team at Minuteman Press Sandy Springs stands with Greater North Fulton Chamber President Kali Boatright, right, and Sandy Springs Perimeter Chamber

President Adam Forrand, left, Aug. 24 in the new shop at 7840 Roswell Road.

See story, Page 3.

Judge: Newspaper failed to prove police records violations

Page 2

PUBLIC SAFETY

2 | January 4, 2024 | Sandy Springs Crier | AppenMedia.com/Sandy_Springs

Court rules against newspaper in open records case 770-442-3278 AppenMedia.com 319 N. Main Street Alpharetta, GA 30009 HANS APPEN Publisher CONTACT NEWS TIPS Contact reporters directly or send story ideas to newsroom@appenmedia.com.

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By PATRICK FOX pat@appenmediagroup.com

Editor’s Note

ATLANTA — A Fulton County Superior Court judge has ruled that the Sandy Springs Police Department is not violating the Georgia Open Records Act by providing – for the most part – onesentence narratives on its initial crime incident reports it makes available to the public.

Judge Kimberly Adams ruled Dec. 22 that Appen Media had failed to prove that it is unlawful for the department to withhold supplemental information about a crime that police file in a subsequent report, often on the same day and gleaned from the same initial visit to the scene.

Appen Publisher Hans Appen said he plans to appeal the ruling.

“Judge Adams correctly cites state Supreme Court precedence that initial incident reports should be disclosed to the public, but fails to address the loophole that Sandy Springs creates for itself by writing multiple reports,” Appen said. “Common sense is that any information gathered by a responding officer to a scene is the initial incident report, regardless of when that officer actually writes his report or the number of reports he writes. We are confident the appeals court will recognize this tactic for what it is and reverse.”

The Georgia Open Records Act maintains that all public records are open for public inspection, but it does make exceptions. Medical information, Social Security numbers, the names of confidential police informants and a host of other privileged material is protected from disclosure. The law also provides some latitude for materials surrounding ongoing police investigations. However, initial police crime incident reports are required to be made available to the public.

Appen Media, which publishes six weekly newspapers including the Sandy Springs Crier, filed suit in May arguing that the Sandy Springs Police Department is in violation of state law by not providing full initial incident reports to the public and the press when requested.

For more than a year, the paper has

ASK APPEN

Patrick Fox is managing editor for Appen Media. He has played no role, offered no testimony, in the litigation of Appen Media’s case against the City of Sandy Springs up to the time of the Dec. 22 ruling.

pushed the department for more details about calls its police officers have been dispatched to investigate.

In most cases, the agency has returned the requests with one-sentence narratives stating when and where police were dispatched to and, usually, for what reason. Unlike incident reports provided by police agencies in surrounding jurisdictions, the Sandy Springs reports lack details on the nature of the crime, an accounting of property damage, injuries associated with a crime, whether any arrests were made, and whether any suspects have been identified.

Appen Media’s suit alleges Sandy Springs prepares this information in a separate document which the city then withholds from release.

As part of its court case, Appen Media cited guidance from the current “A Law Enforcement Officer’s Guide to Open Records in Georgia,” prepared and endorsed by the Georgia Attorney General in conjunction with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Georgia Sheriff's Association, Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police, Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of Georgia and Georgia Press Association.

The guidance document states that “initial incident and police arrest reports are subject to the Act’s disclosure requirements, regardless of whether they are part of an active investigation.

Additionally, any report, whether entitled a ‘supplemental report,’ ‘narrative report,’ or similar document name that is produced as part of an initial incident report or can be characterized as such, is likewise to be disclosed.”

Carl Appen, director of Content and Development for the publishing company, argued that the incident reports

What do you want to know about the community?

provided by Sandy Springs Police Department “usually include a one-line sentence stating that the responding officer is responding to a call . . . the responding officer will then prepare a ‘supplemental report’ that includes the additional information the responding officer learns while on scene responding to the initial call.”

He said those supplemental reports, often completed the same day as the initial report, are not being made available.

At the center of the suit is the question of whether this second document, typically prepared by officers using information obtained at the scene, is considered part of the initial incident report.

Assistant Attorney General Jennifer Colangelo says it is.

“A common-sense interpretation of ‘initial incident report’ is that anything written at the same time as the first part of the report is part of the initial incident report,” Colangelo wrote to Appen Media, an email the newspaper used as supporting evidence in its suit.

But Judge Adams ruled that the guidance document and Attorney General’s assessment Appen cites is not the law, “although [Appen] may be correct in its assertion that [the Sandy Springs Police Department’s] practice violates the spirit of the Open Records Act.” Even so, Adams wrote that testimony in a deposition by Sandy Springs Police Capt. Norm Vik, explained that, while the short-form report and more-detailed supplemental report may be completed at the same time, the two reports are handled separately.

Sandy Springs has maintained that the detailed, supplemental police reports contain information used for investigative purposes and would, therefore, be exempt from disclosure so as not to compromise prosecution of a crime.

In a statement issued Dec. 27, Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul praised the court ruling.

“The court determined the City of Sandy Springs fully complies with the law,” Paul stated. “We believe our policy balances the right of citizens to access essential public information with the need to preserve the integrity of criminal investigations. We are gratified the court agreed with us.”

Submit questions at appenmedia.com/ask or scan QR code.

BUSINESS

AppenMedia.com/Sandy_Springs | Sandy Springs Crier | January 4, 2024 | 3

Minuteman Press rolls through digital age

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Jon Wittenburg, brings the backing of an international company to his Minuteman Press Sandy Springs franchise.

Wittenburg, a self-described introvert, purchased the franchise in 2012 and joined the Sandy Springs Perimeter Chamber of Commerce shortly after opening his press shop.

“Design, print and promote is in essence what we do,” Wittenburg said.

“We understand that good printing starts with good design.”

Wittenburg said his secret to maintaining a local business through the COVID-19 pandemic circles back to the relationships he forged with fellow small business owners at networking events with the Perimeter Chamber.

Minuteman Press International has almost 1,000 franchises across the world, including South Africa, Australia and the United Kingdom. There are 10 franchises operating in Metro Atlanta with another 10 throughout Georgia.

After expanding the footprint of his previous shop at 6780 Roswell Road in 2017, Minuteman Press Sandy Springs has settled into a larger location at the Morgan Falls Office Park just up the road on Ga. 9.

The motivation for the move to Morgan Falls in April was to increase the square footage of the shop and to streamline production.

“One of the big benefits of the move this year was being able to place our equipment where it needed to be,” Wittenberg said. “It also gives me expansion capabilities.”

When Wittenburg and his team signed a long-term lease at the office park, they had to gamble on the state of the printing industry in the United States.

According to an industry report from IBISWorld, the print market in the United States was estimated at about $80 billion in 2023.

The right touch While digital marketing has expanded in the internet age, people often prefer things they can touch and feel, Wittenburg said.

“We got involved with promotional products a few years ago because we felt it was a good complement to the conventional printing we do,” Wittenburg said. “So, it gives us the ability to be like a one-stop print shop.”

If a local business owner decides they want a brochure instead of flyers, the team at Minuteman Press Sandy Springs already has the equipment and knowhow to create the product.

MINUTEMAN PRESS/PROVIDED

The new location of Minuteman Press Sandy Springs is in the Morgan Falls Office Park. Owner Jon Wittenburg said the motivation for the move in April was to increase the square footage of the shop and to streamline production.

The company employs a full-time designer and a full-time production manager.

Wittenberg said he hopes to hire another designer soon to keep the production process operating more efficiently. The need to hire another team member at the print shop is a problem Wittenberg said he’s happy to have.

What’s more, the team works with customers to ensure they have the chance to look over the design and make changes before going to print.

“If you design it right and print it right, people are going to look at it,” Wittenberg said.

In-house graphics are a benefit because it allows the team at Minuteman Press to offer advice and expert opinions on the designs customers bring into the shop.

While the U.S. Postal Service offers tools for individuals to design their own print products, there is not someone on staff to ensure the product achieves its intended effect.

Entrepreneur Magazine has rated Minuteman Press International as the top printing franchise in the industry for 20 straight years. In the company’s 50-year history, it has been named the No. 1 franchise in the printing industry 32 times.

Minuteman Press Sandy Springs has also received positive reviews from customers across North Fulton, East Cobb and Dunwoody.

Whether customers came in for wedding invitations or a school project, a vast majority spoke to Wittenberg and his team’s honesty, efficiency and quality printing.

“Minuteman Press Sandy Springs is a wonderful shop to do business with,” Russell Wise said in a Google review.

“Very responsive, professional quality,

well versed in all aspects of their craft and creative.”

Adjusting to global pandemic When the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns hit the U.S. in 2020, business-to-business industries bore the brunt of economic pain.

“Most of what we do is for other small to medium-sized businesses,” Wittenberg said. “Whenever there’s uncertainty, then businesses are going to be hesitant to spend a lot of money on marketing.”

Initially, there was a temporary increase in business for signage related to social distancing and the pandemic.

However, demand for other products and services significantly declined.

Print marketing and advertising spending decreased during 2020-21, Wittenburg said. Because print products are primarily used during in-person events, the effect on local print shops is intuitive.

The supply chain also had a huge effect on the local business and the U.S. printing industry.

“We even had trouble getting paper,”

Wittenberg said. “I’d never thought I’d see the day when there would be trouble getting 20-pound copy paper.”

When the supply chain threw a wrench into print production, other areas picked up. For example, the use of direct mail for advertising and marketing increased with so many Americans in their homes.

The return of in-person events in 2022 brought with it opportunities for Minuteman Press Sandy Springs to provide a much wider selection of products and services.

“It’s about as close to normal as it’s going to get,” Wittenburg said. “There are still at times delays in getting a particular line of paper.”

If customers prefer to stick to a certain brand or weight of paper, they may have to wait a little longer, but the uncertainty has declined since the peak of the pandemic.

When asked about the difference between print and digital media in the internet age, Wittenberg gave the business card as an example. A person can tap your phone and your contact information will be instantly in their smart phone. Business cards could be obsolete in just a few years.

Without a physical reminder of the person’s contact, digital business cards often fail to achieve the same effect as a printed one, Wittenberg said.

A complete marketing strategy includes print and digital, which can complement one another if used properly.

“An emotion that you can touch and feel, hold on to or even keep if you want to,” Wittenberg said. “It is often a lasting emotion, an emotion you can revisit if you want to.”

Wittenberg said he believes the COVID-19 pandemic brought the printing industry back.

“As long as we are emotional creatures, I think there will also be a place for printing.”

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4 | January 4, 2024 | Sandy Springs Crier | AppenMedia.com/Sandy_Springs

COMMUNITY

Synthetic turf to replace grass at City Green

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

CITY SPRINGS/PROVIDED

Sandy Springs residents gather on the City Green. The resurfacing project approved at the Dec. 19 City Council meeting will install synthetic turf at the 4-acre park.

PALS PERIMETER ADULT LEARNING & SERVICES

WINTER 2024 January 8th – March 4th (8 Weeks)

(No Class January 15th) Dunwoody Baptist Church 1445 Mt. Vernon Rd., Dunwoody, GA 30338.

Registration will be available on the PALS website: www.palsonline.info The class line up is as follows: MONDAYS: From 10:00 am - 11:00 am Sociology of Religion II with Kemal Budak -- The sociology of religion examines the role religion plays in society. In this course, which will be the follow up of the Sociology of Religion I course, we will examine the following topics: Religious Beliefs and Practices, Secularization, Religious Institutions, Religious Identity, Religion and Social Change, Religion and Social Inequality, Globalization and Religion, Religious Fundamentalism, Religion and Morality and Religious Conversion.

From 10:00 am - 11:00 am The History of Rock & Roll with Tom Dell – This class will continue our trip back to the 60’s and look and listen to the Girl Groups that made so many hits, look at Phil Spector’s contributions and travails, and take a listen to Booker T and The MGs, Otis Redding and other STAX artists. Atlantic Label had artists Aretha Franklin and Wilson Pickett while Berry Gordy began Motown Records with a lot of help from Jackie Wilson and William (Smokey) Robinson. We will also delve into the bands that backed up so many of the hits of the era and take a look at Folk-Rock groups.

From 11:30 am - 1:45 pm Great Legal Decisions with Mah Jongg – Bring your own Mah Jongg card and come play. There is no instructor for the session - just fun and self-evaluation.

From 11:30 am - 12:30 pm A History of The Broadway Musical with Betsy Jones – The Broadway Musical is a quintessentially American art form. This class will explore a number of our favorite musicals focusing on a different topic each week including Great Musical Composing Teams, “Those Dancing Feet,” iconic Broadways stars, the Great Broadway Theaters ( The Architecture, Design and Most Famous performances), the British Invasion (From West End to Broadway), Musical Theatre as a Vehicle for Social change, The Mega Musical (where the staging and effects are as important as the plot, characters or score) and Juke Box Musicals (shows where the songs were already famous so hey...let’s write a script!).

Lectures will be interspersed with video clips of performances that illustrate the weekly topic leaving ample time for everyone to share favorite memories.

From 11:30 am - 12:30 pm What’s With All the Noise? with Shai Robkin – In their bestselling books “Predictably Irrational, “Thinking Fast and Slow,” and “Nudge,” Dan Ariely, Daniel Kahneman, and Cass Sunstein (with co-author Richard Thaler), respectively, explore how cognitive biases lead individuals to make decisions that defy what we might call “rational thinking.” In their 2021 book “Noise,” Kahneman and Sunstein partner with Olivier Sibony to focus on the wide variabilities in judgments, by both individuals and organizations, when addressing the exact same problem.

Seemingly random and unfair decisions resulting from “noise” have dramatic implications for society, including the erosion of trust we have in one another.

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — The City Council voted unanimously Dec. 19 to award a contract to Advanced Sports Group for turf installation at the City Green.

The resurfacing project aims to improve usability of the field for events and activities, add conduits for cable management and address park aesthetics.

In October 2022, the city contracted Breedlove Land Planning to design and assist with the installation of 21,000 linear feet of synthetic turf at the City Green.

“This will improve our ability to have events out there,” said Dave Wells, director of Facilities, Capital Construction and Building Operations.

Money for the project was allocated in last year’s budget after Breedlove gave city staff an estimate.

City staff toured three facilities with different types of synthetic turf to compare its quality, comfort and durability, Wells said.

Shaw Integrated and Turf Solutions, which installed turf at the Battery Atlanta, was selected because of its product’s natural appearance and resilience to foot traffic.

City staff and Breedlove architects also visited facilities at Lake Forrest Elementary School and Pace Academy but recommended using the Shaw product for the project.

The proposal from Advanced Sports Group for synthetic turf installation totals $406,448.

“When we went into budget season

last year and when the council allocated money to this project, Breedlove’s estimate was right around the $400,000 mark,” Wells said.

Councilman John Paulson asked city staff and Breedlove representatives about the bidding process for the project, specifically if it was competitive.

Breedlove President Chip Brown said the contract was bid out competitively statewide.

Mayor Rusty Paul added that the state must guarantee its bid for materials is not undercut.

Councilwoman Melissa Mular asked questions about stormwater storage beneath the City Green and maintenance of the synthetic turf.

While the cisterns are primarily located away from the field at the City Green, access to water storage will be seamlessly built into the synthetic surf, staff said.

Advanced Sports Group will conduct annual maintenance on the synthetic turf.

Equipment for daily maintenance of the new City Green is also included in the project’s scope, staff said.

Councilwoman Jody Reichel asked whether the new synthetic turf will affect Skate City Springs, the new 5,000-square-foot ice rink.

City Manager Eden Freeman said city staff tentatively plan to move the ice rink in front of the City Bar near the access to the parking garage.

Other features of the new synthetic turf, such as temperature regulation and compatibility with athletics, were discussed by the City Council before approval.

SCREENSHOT

Dave Wells, director of Facilities, Capital Construction and Building Operations, presents the new synthetic turf for the City Green at the Dec. 19 Sandy Springs City Council meeting. Staff chose material produced by Shaw Integrated and Turf Solutions, which is used at the Battery Atlanta.

COMMUNITY

AppenMedia.com/Sandy_Springs | Sandy Springs Crier | January 4, 2024 | 5

Passion for conservation drives Keep North Fulton Beautiful director

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — In a postChristmas, post-processing day rush, dozens of cars made their way to Keep North Fulton Beautiful’s small recycling site on Morgan Falls Road.

While the cardboard bin had been empty earlier that morning, it quickly started overflowing, many boxes marked by Amazon’s logo.

As one truck left the lot carrying a week’s worth of cardboard, Keep North Fulton Beautiful Executive Director Ryder Leary said the nonprofit recycles around 50 bales a week, each packed cube weighing about 600 pounds. He said cardboard is the No. 1 recycled material there, and more of it is coming through which he attributed to the popularity of Amazon, Walmart and other delivery services.

Leary said there’s been about a 25 percent increase in total tonnage of recycled product in the last quarter.

For regular drop-off, anyone can come to the recycling center in Sandy Springs. While some cities in North Fulton have their own recycling sites.

Roswell has a comprehensive site exclusive to Roswell residents. People from other cities who don’t have curbside pick-up rely on Keep North Fulton Beautiful.

“If you want to drive up here from Miami and drop stuff off, you’re more than welcome to,” Leary said.

There are bins for cardboard, paper products, food-grade glass, scrap metal and plastic — No. 1 are items like clear water bottles, and No. 2 items could be milk jugs and detergent bottles.

Recycling events There are some special recycling events that are exclusive to Sandy Springs and Johns Creek residents, for electronics, bulky items and hazardous waste.

But, free shredding events, held throughout the year, are available to everyone, and Leary said those are fun to watch. Shredding is also offered on-site, priced at $1 per pound.

The nonprofit also recycles medical equipment, like walkers and unused adult diapers. The Sandy Springs Rotary picks up the equipment and takes it to FODAC, or Friends of Adults and Disabled Children, which donates it to families in need.

The partnership is longstanding, but Leary said he plans to double medical equipment intake with a new trailer.

There’s also a truck on-site for

PHOTOS BY AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

A woman walks from the plastic recycling station.

gently used clothing and household goods, eventually sold by American Kidney Services to help with medical bills for those suffering with kidneyrelated illnesses.

Currently, Keep North Fulton Beautiful is recycling Christmas trees.

Whether material designated for recycling actually gets recycled is a popular question from skeptics, with an underlying assumption that it all just goes to a landfill. But, rest assured, Leary said there’s very little waste at Keep North Fulton Beautiful because all the material is pre-sorted.

“Cross contamination is the No. 1 reason something may not get recycled,” Leary said. “But all of these agencies, even the big agencies, are recycling 100 percent of what they can recycle, because there’s no money in it if they don’t.”

Improving operations After 16 years with the YMCA, Leary joined Keep North Fulton Beautiful this summer.

Under his leadership, the nonprofit has gone through a rebranding with new signage and logos, updates to the website and weekly highlights on social media that showcase good works from community members as well as having a “volunteer of the month.”

In December, Leary asked two Girl Scout troops to lead a flag-raising ceremony.

Leary said, in general, he has been cleaning up operations at the facility to be as efficient as possible, to be good stewards of not only the product being brought it but also the resources cities provide to continue services at Keep North Fulton Beautiful.

While he said he loved his career with the YMCA, he always wanted to be involved in conservation. “...[I] found an opportunity to do something I’m a bit more passionate about, and it gives me an opportunity to make a difference in a different way,” Leary said.

A man loads up a baler with cardboard.

Ryder Leary, executive director of Keep North Fulton Beautiful, stands in front of people recycling materials, from cardboard to glass. Drop-off services are open to everyone, though some special events are exclusive to Sandy Springs and Johns Creek residents.

For questions about recycling services at Keep North Fulton Beautiful, visit keepnorthfultonbeautiful.org or call 770-551-7766.

Recycling tips can be found at earth911.com.

RYDER LEARY/PROVIDED

Girl Scouts participate in a flag-raising ceremony Dec. 17 at Keep North Fulton Beautiful in Sandy Springs, later earning a badge.

Girl Scouts earn badge in flag-raising ceremony SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Members of two Girl Scout troops earned a badge after participating in a flag-raising ceremony Dec. 17 at Keep North Fulton Beautiful, a recycling center in Sandy Springs.

One group was Troop 22339, consisting of Brownies and juniors, which included Sophie Kassas, Isabella Greenia, Abbott Zaher and Isla Gibbler.

Troop 20020, composed of cadettes,

included Ava Greenia, Ara Zaher and Christine Kassas.

“It’s a good experience for the young ladies to not only understand what the flag means, but also a good connection back to the community…showcasing what they can do for other nonprofits in our area,” said Ryder Leary, executive director of Keep North Fulton Beautiful.

— Amber Perry

6 | January 4, 2024 | Sandy Springs Crier | AppenMedia.com/Sandy_Springs

NEWS

Home Depot on State Bridge offers holiday tree recycling JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — The City of Johns Creek and Keep Johns Creek Beautiful are sponsoring a Christmas tree recycling event Jan. 6 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Home Depot parking lot on State Bridge Road.

Residents are asked to remove electric lights, tinsel and ornaments from the tree, and to make sure trees have not been flocked, or sprayed with fake snow made from artificial materials. Some retailers use natural, corn-based flocking, which is acceptable at the event.

Trees will be recycled into mulch for playgrounds, city and county landscaping projects, and individual home use. The recycled tree material will also be used to provide habitats for fish and other animals.

The Home Depot on State Bridge

is one of three locations in Keep North Fulton Beautiful’s “Bring One for the Chipper” program. Another is at the Home Depot on Peachtree Dunwoody Road in Sandy Springs, where trees will be accepted until Jan. 6. A third is offered at Keep North Fulton Beautiful’s recycling center on Morgan Falls Road, where trees will be accepted until Jan. 13.

All locations will have a limited supply of poplar, dogwood and redbud seedlings as well as a variety of seed packets, including vegetables, flowers and herbs. Mulch is available free to the public upon request by contacting Davey Tree Expert Co. at 770-4517911.

For more information, visit Keep North Fulton Beautiful’s website or call 770-551-7766.

Keep North Fulton Beautiful is located on Morgan Falls Road.

AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Brothers-in-law turn bagel shop into deli empire

By DELANEY TARR SaportaReport ATLANTA — Across 30 years in the Atlanta food industry, Wayne Saxe and Howard Aaron have built a small culinary empire as co-owners of Goldbergs Fine Foods, “Atlanta’s original New York-style deli.” But their sizable corporate portfolio all started with a small bagel shop.

The brothers-in-law migrated to Georgia from South Africa in 1992 with hopes of working in the food industry.

Howard Aaron said he had experience back in Johannesburg, and he wanted to revisit the field. After searching, the pair found Goldberg & Son, a small father-and-son Atlanta deli run by Maury and Jack Goldberg.

The deli, which had opened off Roswell Road in Buckhead in 1972, was only about 1,200 square feet with a few tables. It ran primarily off takeout for its simple menu, which consisted of a few bagels, cream cheese and sandwiches.

But the food was good, and it reminded them of the meals their Jewish grandmothers cooked at home.

“We had a vision, we liked the product and we thought we could expand it,” Saxe said.

The pair bought out the deli from the father and son in Dec. 1992 and quickly got to work running the place.

Aaron managed back-of-house while Saxe “crunched the numbers” with his accounting experience. In 1993, they embarked as the sole owners of Goldbergs Bagel Company & Deli, working with about four employees to serve up bagels and sandwiches to Atlanta.

The deli owners wanted to expand, but they were committed to quality food first.

“Doesn’t matter about the price and whatever it takes, we will always have a quality product and quality service,” Saxe said. “In the food business, those are the only two things that we sell: service and quality of food.”

Aaron said the deli was a hit from the moment they opened it. Customers would hang out, “schmooze,” and talk to each other.

“It was a very homey, welcoming environment,” Aaron said.

But the pair had their sights set further. They opened up more stores across Metro Atlanta with locations in Dunwoody, East Cobb and West Paces.

As their brick-and-mortar locations increased, they ventured into the wholesale business and stocked Costco shelves, too.

By 2015, Goldberg had expanded as a restaurant and retail operation.

They had opened a secondary company, Goldberg Concessions, to feed the city’s “traveling public.” In 2015, Saxe and Howard caught wind of a request for business proposals at the HartsfieldJackson Atlanta International Airport.

The busiest airport in the world was looking to sign a deal for the 10 Delta SkyClubs paying members to visit before flights.

“Everyone who owns a retail business wants to be in the airport because of how lucrative it is,” Saxe said.

They submitted a proposal and won the contract to supply bagels and cream cheese to Delta SkyClubs in Atlanta.

With that expansion, they opened

Goldbergs Commissary to manage the SkyClub food.

Their investment in the Atlanta airport took off from there, as Goldberg slowly took over all the food for the airports. They also expanded elsewhere – in 2015, Saxe and Aaron opened the Atlanta Braves All-Star Grill in downtown Atlanta.

Now owners of a catalog of companies, Saxe and Aaron had no intentions of slowing down.

“We got a call from Delta again, and they said, ‘Listen, you know we put food on our planes. Would there be any interest in you guys doing that?’” Saxe said.

They were the only self-identified “little bagel place” to try for the contract with Delta out of dozens of other companies. Still, they got the deal, which Saxe attributes to their product quality.

“We had the best service in town, the best quality and all of the Delta leaders come to our business anyways,” Saxe said.

With that, Goldbergs Fine Foods started supplying all of the international flights out of Atlanta with food. They also served American Airlines and United Airlines with in-cabin options.

Since they were in airports so much, Saxe and Aaron decided to take on an entirely different avenue: construction.

They started up yet another company, Goldway Construction, which built out restaurants in HartsfieldJackson airport. Now they have over 2,000 employees, a major jump from the few Saxe and Aaron started with.

Even though they’re the co-owners of a major portfolio of companies, Saxe

and Aaron still see themselves as the “little bagel shop,” adding a personal touch to every operation.

“We don’t take any shortcuts, and, you know, we do things correctly,” Aaron said.

The shops are far from little nowadays, though. Their staff produces more than 500 dozen bagels every weekday and more than 1,000 dozen bagels every weekend. The menu is also bigger, with 32 varieties at each location.

No matter the size, Howard and Saxe want to keep the small business feel.

They focus on community engagement by donating leftover goods from restaurants and airports to Atlanta’s homeless population. They also keep the business in the family.

Both of Saxe’s sons run companies under the umbrella. His oldest son runs Mainland Foods, which consists of the food production facilities. His younger son runs Goldway Construction.

“They’re excelling in those parts of the business, and it’s worked out very well for us,” Saxe said.

After decades in the business, Saxe and Howard are still heavily involved in each part of the business. The scope has changed, but the co-owners are clear on their focus.

“We just want to stick to our basics and remember our roots, how we started and where we are,” Aaron said. “If you asked either one of us 30 years ago if we’d be where we are today, I don’t believe any of us would have realized.”

This story originally appeared on SaportaReport.com and is available here through a reporting partnership.

Dunwoody Crier 1/4/24 Crossword Across

AppenMedia.com/Sandy_Springs | Sandy Springs Crier | January 4, 2024 | 7

PuzzleJunction.c

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Here are some of the things we’re hearing from our customers in 2024...

“We just moved and want to replace our old & dated furniture— but everything seems so cookie-cutter.”

“We’re looking for a good quality sectional or even a pair of sofas that we can customize at no extra charge.”

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1 Adder 4 At what time 16 17 18 8 Crow noise 19 20 21 11 Hawaiian dish 25 26 22 23 24 12 Grade 13 Higher up 30 27 28 29 16 Courtliness 32 33 31 18 Danger 19 Just about 34 35 36 37 38 39 20 War and Peace 40 41 42 author 22 Acclamation 46 47 43 44 45 25 Alder tree 49 50 48 26 Record 27 Where 53 54 51 52 overspending 55 56 57 58 59 will land you 30 Twister actress 60 61 62 Hunt 63 64 65 31 Opaque gem 32 Title of respect Copyright ©2023 PuzzleJunction.com 33 Secreted 15 Run off 62 Deuce 40 Stress 34 Japanese coin 63 Greatest degree 17 Twist 42 Medlies 35 Jackals 20 Three (It.) 64 Let it stand!

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37 Note taker 21 Hankering 65 Congeal current 40 Sunburned 22 Aeneid 44 Entree 41 Paycheck 23 Make do Down forerunners (Abbr.)

24 Borrowed 45 Fortune 42 Talipot palm money 1 Emulator teller’s aid leaf 25 Helps out 2 Sun god 46 Consume 43 Daisylike flower 28 Persian Gulf 3 Pastry 47 Egg dish 46 Word study peninsula 4 Phantom 49 Crone 48 Utter discomfort 29 Vase 5 Suspend 52 Building block 49 Existed 30 Not hers 6 Engrave 53 Leave out 50 Greedy king 33 Steering system 54 Impolite 7 Maiden name 51 Quest 8 Chicken 35 Convertible 56 Sharp curve 53 Biscuit 36 Vote type 9 Eve’s son 57 Common 55 Aim at 10 Twisted woolen 37 Trudge contraction 56 Photo covering 38 Seaweed yarn 58 Be obliged 60 Unemotional 39 Time periods 14 Critical 59 Negation 61 Aspect

See solution Page 14

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OPINION

Where have all the Christmas cards gone?

I have written a family Christmas letter now for about 50 consecutive years. It usually is long – like around 3,000 words-ish, which is crazy and usually includes a large collage of RAY APPEN photos from the Publisher Emeritus year. So, no one is going to read a 3,000-word Christmas letter. Most people are not going to read a 3,000-word anything. I did manage to cut it down – way down this year – by not writing much about family and more about thoughts in general.

However, with context, that long a letter may make a little more sense.

Most of the time, I have been writing to update all my hometown (Rockledge, Florida) friends – primarily my parents’ friends – about us. They knew us. They watched us grow up. Many actively participated in our childhood. So, many, if not most of them, actually had an interest in what we had been doing

– at least enough to wade through my too-long missive. Most of them, however, have died. So, it has been a challenge to continue to write the letter since my audience has changed so much – and diminished in number.

Plus, many or most new additions to my mailing list already know what the fam is up to because we see them – at church or in and about town.

This year, we did not get many Christmas cards compared to the past.

I am guessing the cards are down like more than 75%! What the heck? I know that we – at least I – can be obnoxious but I didn’t think we had lost, or could lose, so many friends so quickly!

Geezzzz!

I asked Christina about it – what could possibly be an explanation.

She thought about it for about 3 seconds and replied, “social media.”

She thought that maybe most people feel like they are in touch all year long with their friends, so the necessity of sending printed snail-mailed Christmas letters just didn’t feel as appropriate as it did in years past. I guess…

My guess was that more and

more people are thinking that they are time-starved and believe they don’t have time to write something or send a letter. (My guess is also that this quadrant of people also doesn’t have to time to read newspaper columns either). My guess is that collectively we are all feeling the anxiety of information overload – and the omniscience of (generally toxic) social media – combined with a broad disconnect with each other, an ungrounding to reality as we have known it – as a community of people, of neighbors, of friends who are more important than all the bright, shiny objects we think we see.

So tired of talking to machines already, over the phone or online. It surely will just get worse.

What do you think? Seriously.

Did you see a decrease in Christmas cards this year? If so, to what do you attribute it? Let me hear from you? I can be emailed at RayAppen@ Gmail.com. In the subject line put “Christmas Cards.”

In closing, I had an interesting disaster in ordering most of my

Christmas gifts online this year; they all were delivered to the wrong address – and I never got them. I think this happened because “my laptop” overwrote my address – where to mail my purchases to. Why? Well, my takeaway is that when you are ordering something online, never, ever click “yes” when you are prompted with “Is it ok to use your current location?”

Always click NO. What happened to me, I think, was that I typed in my correct address, but because my street number is the same as the street number on a different street – a street located about ¼ mile from me –the geo-location-enabled AI just decided/ auto-filled in the rest of my address – or overwrote it – for me. Just saying.

Can’t make this stuff up. I am so not liking AI. And yes, I went to the other address to try to find my packages, but it was a shopping center and about a dozen stores used that one address – but with different suite numbers. It actually gets worse, but I will save that for another column.

Use my current location?

Absolutely, NOT.

GARDEN BUZZ

Forest bathing allows you to embrace nature’s healing powers The ‘forest bath’ or the Japanese concept of shrinin-yoku forest therapy is an exercise in mindfulness that promotes wellbeing and a sense of calmness when practiced. The KATHERINE COPPEDGE “bathing” refers to a therapeutic immersion Guest Columnist in the natural environment with all the senses engaged.

It’s an intentional and mindful practice that involves a leisurely walk through the woods allowing the sights, sounds, scents and textures of the natural world to “wash” over the individual. But it’s not just a walk, it’s a rejuvenating experience that goes beyond the physical and taps into the therapeutic essence of nature itself.

This is not exercise, or hiking, or jogging through the woods. It is simply being in nature with no other activity involved. No picture taking, texting or otherwise engaging with anything other than strolling through the forest. By opening our senses, it bridges the gap between us and the natural world.

Never have we been so far from connecting with the natural world and so divorced from nature. The United Nations reports that 55% of the world’s population

lives in urban areas today, a proportion that is expected to increase to 68% by 2050. According to a study sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency, the average American spends 93% of his or her time indoors.

In our fast-paced, technology-driven lives, finding moments of stillness and mindfulness is a challenge but forest bathing provides an antidote. It is a way to foster an awareness of the interconnectedness of all living things, of being fully in the present moment, and leaving behind the distractions and noise of daily life. It is a holistic experience that encompasses the mind, body and soul.

Trees, the silent giants of the natural world, play a vital role in forest bathing.

They play a vital role in creating a balanced ecosystem. Forest bathing takes this understanding to a personal level, allowing one to appreciate the calming influence of trees. Phytoncides, natural compounds released by trees, lowered stress hormone levels and increased immune system activity in scientific studies. Understanding the healing power of trees can deepen our commitment to preserving and protecting these essential guardians of our environment.

In forest bathing, the senses are our

See FOREST, Page 12

About the author This week’s “Garden Buzz” guest columnist is Roswell resident Katherine Coppedge.

Katherine has been a Master Gardener since 2009 and has been gardening in the Atlanta area since the 1070s. Katherine is an avid hiker and lover of walking in the woods. Katherine is a member of the Spalding Garden Club and has been a board member of the John Ripley Forbes Big Trees Preserve in Sandy Springs since 2006.

Katherine shared her love of trees and forest bathing in her spring 2021 “Big Trees of Sandy Springs” garden lecture which is viewable at https://youtu.be/oeOlLc21ue0.

Learn more • • • • • • • • •

Forest Bathing - Connecting to Nature to Improve Health. Rappold and Dixon.

University of Arizona Extension. https://extension.arizona.edu/pubs/forest-bathing-%E2%80%93-connecting-nature-improve-health Forest Bathing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElyUFMgwPAw Embracing the Wisdom of Shinrin-yoku: Exploring the Japanese Tradition of Forest Bathing https://treeplantation.com/forest-bathing.html The Art and Science of Forest Bathing https://kripalu.org/resources/art-andscience-forest-bathing The Art of Forest Bathing https://aplacebetweenthetrees.com/2020/09/30/theart-of-forest-bathing/ Shinrin-Yoku - The Japanese Art of Forest Bathing https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=5L8mEU40Gjs Forest Bathing: How Trees Can Help You Find Health and Happiness by Dr. Qing Nature’s Keeper: John Ripley Forbes and the Children’s Nature Movement, by Gary Ferguson The Hidden Life of Trees: What they feel, how they communicate - Discoveries from a Secret World by Peter Wohlleben

GET OUTSIDE GEORGIA

OPINION

AppenMedia.com/Sandy_Springs | Sandy Springs Crier | January 4, 2024 | 11

A good stick can come in handy along the trail This time of year, I love to get outside and just walk. Sure, it’s cold – really cold sometimes – but with the leaves off the trees it seems like I can see forever. That makes the world a little better somehow, STEVE HUDSON and my soul Columnist responds. Do you know what I mean? It’s like the outdoors is saying, “Come on. Soak it up. It’s waiting for you right now, and sure it’s cold, but there’ll be hot chocolate waiting when you get home.”

Last time I heard that call was a week ago Friday.

“Come on,” it said again.

I didn’t have to be asked twice. So I grabbed my favorite flyrod (“That one’s a good stick!” a friend of mine told me once) and my high-tech telescoping hiking stick (the one with the tungsten carbide tip) and set out for…where?

How about Olde Rope Mill Park?

Olde Rope Mill Park commemorates the site of the Cherokee Cotton Mill, known for years simply as “Rope Mill.” It dates back to the 1840s, when a cotton mill and a grist mill operated there alongside the flowing waters of Little River. Over the decades the site grew to be a major manufacturer of cotton rope.

Among the products it produced was cotton tent rope for use during World War II. After the war, construction of Lake Allatoona moved ahead. The mill, which was located within the floodplain of the new lake, closed at the end of September 1949. The land was

purchased by the government and the buildings were dismantled, though some ruins (including the ruins of the old mill dam) can still be seen today.

This park, just a stone’s throw from I-575 at Ridgewalk Parkway (exit 9), is at the far end of Olde Rope Mill Park Road. There’s a gas station at the corner where you turn, and I stop there to get a frozen Coke. Then I follow the road on a long downhill run that ends at the parking area. I’m lucky and get a spot right away. Then I rig up my fly rod and put on my waders, hoping I won’t be too cold.

From near the parking area, a pedestrian bridge spans the river. I walk out onto it, stopping halfway across to look upstream. I spot a fisherman casting into the flow, but he seems to be having no luck.

I walk back toward the parking lot, passing the big platform by the water’s edge. There’s a fisherman on it, casting with a big spinning rod out into the river.

“Any luck?” I call.

“Not yet,” he answers. I think about what he said…not “no,” but “not yet.”

Maybe I should give up on fishing this day and just hike instead. After all, there’s plenty of hiking at Olde Rope Mill Park. There’s world-class mountain biking, too, thanks to the Taylor Randahl Memorial Mountain Bike Trails network. According to the Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association, those bike trails offer something for everyone, whether beginner or advanced. I’m going to give it a try one of these days.

Not today, though. Cold or not, today I think I’ll fish.

So I follow the paved trail leading

upstream along the river. There is a certain access spot I have in mind, a place where it’s easy to get in the water.

Maybe I can fool a fish into taking a fly even on this cold December afternoon.

And that’s when I see him.

“Hi, mister!” he says. “See my stick?”

He holds up a piece of wood about three feet long.

“Son, he sees your stick,” says the accompanying adult, speaking softly.

“It’s a good stick,” the boy says.

“Good!”

Then he stops, stone still, all of a sudden. His eyes go to the ground, and the stick comes up, and then he jabs it downward, hard, sharp, a harpoon striking some demon in the grass.

“Ha!” he says triumphantly. “Ha!” He lifts the stick, and I see there impaled on the end of it a piece of litter – someone’s discarded fast-food cup.

“Trash!” the boy says. “Trash!” And then he walks purposefully to the trash can about 20 yards farther down the trail, where he pulls the cup from the end of the stick and deliberately throws it away.

As the boy walks back toward us, the adult turns in my direction and says, “He likes to pick up trash. He likes to keep things clean.”

“Clean!” the boy says. “Clean up the trash! Gotta have a good stick!”

The two of them continue on down the trail, back toward the parking lot.

Me, I keep walking upstream.

Along the way I pass a pair of hikers with binoculars around their necks (“Looking for hawks!” one of them says… then a lone walker who appears to be eating a cheeseburger…and finally a guy doing his best to set a land speed record

on his bike.

Then there it is – the access point I was looking for. I ease into the river, where I cast hopefully for an hour or so.

I get exactly one hit, and I land exactly one fish, a tiny sunfish about five inches long. But that’s okay. That’s plenty.

Besides, I’m getting cold. So I reel in the line and turn around and start wading back toward the access point and the trail.

A moment later I climb out of the river, using my walking stick to steady me. Then I start the hike back to the car.

That’s when I see it: a glaringly discordant cheeseburger wrapper lying trailside in the leaves, tossed there carelessly by someone who didn’t want to carry it any more. I note it in passing, maintaining my cadence as I move on down the trail. Ten yards…fifteen…

Then I stop, turn, and backtrack. I walk until I’m standing over it, me on the trail, the discarded burger wrapper crumpled jarringly on the ground at my feet.

“Clean up the trash!” I hear the boy saying.

But you need a stick to clean up trash, I think to myself. I don’t have a stick, I say out loud.

But I do have a stick…my hiking stick…

It takes me a couple of tries, but I finally capture the burger wrapper with the stick’s high-tech tip. Then I walk on down the trail to the trash can, where I pull the wrapper free and drop it in.

Yeah, you need to have a good stick.

I had two that day. Both did their jobs, and I (like the river) ended up better for it.

12 | January 4, 2024 | Sandy Springs Crier | AppenMedia.com/Sandy_Springs

PAST TENSE

OPINION

Franklin Garrett, Atlanta’s official historian – Part 1 Franklin Garrett, whose life spanned 1907 to 2000, has often been referred to as “Atlanta’s official historian. He was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and came to Atlanta with his and sister VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF parents in 1914. From the Columnist time he arrived in Atlanta, the events of his life helped him become an expert on the places and people of the city. (“Atlanta History: A Journal of Georgia and the South,” Spring 2000, “Franklin Garrett, Sept. 25, 1907-March5, 2000, A Tribute”) The Garrett family settled on 13th Street near Piedmont Park, and Franklin attended elementary school at Tenth Street School. He maneuvered around Atlanta on his bicycle and by trolley. He recalled taking the trolley to Oglethorpe University, which he described as “considered on the far urban fringe.” He walked from the trolley stop to Silver Lake.

Garrett attended high school at Tech High, graduating in 1924. While in school, he worked at Marshall’s Drug Store. After graduating, he worked at Western Union.

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He began collecting city directories, and one day in 1927 entered the law office of Eugene Mitchell, asking to see the firm’s directories. Mitchell founded the Atlanta Historical Society in 1926 and was the father of Margaret Mitchell who wrote “Gone with the Wind.” Eugene Mitchell invited Garrett to join the Atlanta Historical Society.

In 1939, he began a 28-year career with Coca-Cola Company, and in 1942 he became president of the Atlanta Historical Society. His career was interrupted by World War II, when he was called to serve at Fort McPherson inducting new recruits.

Garrett wrote two volumes of Atlanta history, titled “Atlanta and Environs, a chronicle of its people and events,” published in 1954. He wrote the text for these two books, which total 2,034 pages, on yellow legal pads with a pencil. Volume I begins with a brief section of Native American history, moving into the 1820s through 1870s. Volume II covers the 1880s through the 1930s. Volume III was published by Harold H. Martin in 1987 and includes the years 1940 through 1970.

Beginning in 1930, Garrett began riding his bicycle all over DeKalb and

Forest: Continued from Page 10 guides. Walking through a forest becomes a sensory feast, with the rustling of leaves, the dappled light through the canopy, the fragrance of the earth, and the touch of breeze on the skin all contributing to a heightened awareness. This sensory exploration is not only a source of pleasure but a way to strengthen our connection with the natural world. It is a celebration of the untamed beauty of the wilderness.

To do a forest bath: 1. Find a suitable location in nature – a wooded area, preferably close to home so it can become a healthy habit.

2. Enter the forest, stand still, and recognize your body in space (15-20 minutes), breathe slowly and evenly: a. See five things. b. Hear four things. c. Touch three things. d. Smell two things. e. Taste one thing.

3. Proceed by walking mindfully, slowly and quietly.

4. Reflect out loud; “I am noticing __________.”

5. Establish a spot to sit and ponder for a minimum of 20 minutes.

Fulton County recording the names and details of those buried in cemeteries.

Sometimes he was able to identify unmarked graves by talking with local citizens.

This cemetery research is a significant collection of data useful to historians and genealogists, however it is limited by Garrett’s concentration on White males who were buried in the Atlanta area up until Dec. 31, 1931.

Garrett spoke to the Sandy Springs Historic Research Committee and Dunwoody Oral History Committee in 1994. Attendees included Ethel Spruill, Glenn Austin and Bill Wynne, co-chairman of the Sandy Springs committee.

Garrett told the group, “One thing led to another and my interest in Atlanta has never failed or slowed down.” He also gave the group advice on the collection of oral history. (Video recording. Franklin Garrett presents to Sandy Springs and Dunwoody group, 1994, Dunwoody Preservation Trust archives) He told his audience how he rode his bicycle to the Sandy Springs Methodist Cemetery on April 17, 1931, and recorded the names and details of the burials. He

said Arlington Cemetery was just one lot adjoining Sandy Springs Methodist Cemetery at that time.

DeKalb County historian and author of “History of DeKalb County, 1822-1900” Vivian Price knew Franklin Garrett and saw him speak. She recalls, “He personified the phrase ‘walking encyclopedia’ He was a tall, imposing man and had a quiet, courtly bearing, but he was always approachable. I can still hear his rumbling bass voice.”

Marc Hayes of Brookhaven also saw Garrett speak and met him at a book signing in Atlanta. Hayes recalls hearing Garrett on WSB radio with his “Stump Garrett” program, where Atlantans called in with questions about local history with hopes that Garrett might not know the answer. He usually knew not only the answer but plenty of additional details.

More on “Stump Garrett” and Garrett’s love of railroads in the next Past Tense.

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.

6. Return to mindfully walking and continue the bathing session.

7. Conclude your session but do not make an immediate return to everyday life. Savor the forest and the experience.

In conclusion, forest bathing is not just about personal well-being; it fosters a deeper understanding of the need to conserve and protect our natural spaces.

It can instill a sense of responsibility to preserve the sanctity of the environment.

Forest bathing prompts us to be mindful of our impact on the ecosystems we inhabit and work toward preserving and protecting these spaces for future generations. Let us take time to immerse ourselves in the restorative embrace of the forest, understanding that the well-being of the natural world is intricately woven into our own.

Now, go take a walk. Slowly!

North Fulton Master Gardeners, Inc. is a Georgia nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose purpose is to educate its members and the public in the areas of horticulture and ecology in order to promote and foster community enrichment. Master Gardener Volunteers are trained and certified by The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension. Learn more at nfmg.net. Previous Garden Buzz columns are featured at https://appenmedia.com/ opinion/columnists/garden_buzz/.

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John Ripley Forbes Big Trees Preserve in Sandy Springs

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16 | January 4, 2024 | Sandy Springs Crier | AppenMedia.com/Sandy_Springs

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