City invites families to MLK Day
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — The City of Sandy Springs is inviting families to its annual tribute, educating and sharing the teachings of Martin Luther King Jr. Jan. 20 from 1 to 4 p.m. at City Springs.
The three-hour MLK Day celebration includes children’s activity stations, which are open throughout the afternoon. Each activity station is named after
a value or idea that King strove to manifest for Black Americans through his contributions to the Civil Rights Movement. Themes include justice, love, liberty and equality with corresponding activities like a wordsearch, drawing and reading.
New this year is a collaborative mural with a focus on fostering a community among neighbors.
Two showings of the animated educational film, “Our Friend, Martin,” highlight the family-friendly occasion at 1:15 p.m. and 2:20 p.m. in the Byers Theatre. The children’s film follows two middle school friends who travel through time, meeting King at several points during his life.
See MLK, Page 13 JIMMY
The Georgia Politics podcast remembers former President Jimmy Carter
► LEARN MORE ON PAGE 7
Lake Forrest Drive reopens to motorists after nearly 3 months
by HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
ATLANTA — After flooding from Hurricane Helene knocked out a culvert and shut down Lake Forrest Drive north of Chastain Park in late September, Atlanta reopened the roadway Dec. 21.
Because the culvert failure and road collapse occurred just inside Atlanta’s city limits, work to repair and reopen the road fell on the shoulders of the Atlanta Watershed Management Department.
For just under three months, Lake Forrest Drive was closed from Chastain Park Drive to Barbara Lane. Georgia Department of Transportation data shows some 8,000 motorists travel the major collector road daily.
See ROADWAY, Page 13
SANDY SPRINGS CITY
ANDY
A look south along Lake Forrest Drive at the Atlanta-Sandy Springs border shows the reopened roadway after Hurricane Helene flooding knocked out a culvert. Atlanta officials said the roadway reopened Dec. 21, a couple weeks ahead of schedule.
HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA
Two students from North Springs High School read “My Brother Martin” by Christine King Faris to a local preschooler during the 2024 Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center. This year’s event is Jan. 20 from 1 to 4 p.m.
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COMPARING POLICE TRANSPARENCY
Sandy Springs vs. Johns Creek
Sandy Springs Johns Creek
Each week Appen Media requests police incident reports to inform residents about the safety of their community. Sandy Springs continues to withhold what it calls the “narrative reports.” It is the only city Appen Media covers that follows this practice, which goes against guidance from the Attorney General, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Georgia Sheriff’s Association, Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia and Georgia Press Association. Appen Media will continue pursuing the release of more detailed documents that belong to the public in order to inform residents how safe – or unsafe – their city is.
Dunwoody celebrates completion of its largest public works project
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
DUNWOODY, Ga. — Nearly a decade in the making, Dunwoody is celebrating completion of the Georgetown Gateway, a massive public works project of transportation upgrades that may have regional impact.
The project, which runs along Chamblee Dunwoody Road from I-285 to North Shallowford Road, establishes infrastructure for the next half-century.
With more than 13,000 vehicles using the roadway each day, Chamblee Dunwoody Road serves as a gateway into the southern heart of the city.
Elected officials and senior staff gathered for a ribbon-cutting Dec. 15 in front of the Georgetown Park playground to celebrate Dunwoody’s largest public works project to date.
The Georgetown Gateway does two things. It extends the Dunwoody Trailway, connecting Brook Run and Pernoshal parks to the Chamblee Dunwoody Road corridor. It also upgrades stormwater piping, gas lines and traffic signals while relocating 22 utility poles. More than 250 truckloads of asphalt were used in the paving process.
The three-year construction timeline wore on surrounding residents who experienced sporadic traffic delays and confusion about the project’s scope and timeline.
Public Works Director Michael Smith said the project originated from the city’s 2011 Transportation Master Plan and design work began around 2015.
“It’s eight or nine years in the making, and of course construction was three years,” Smith said.
The west side of the Chamblee Dunwoody Road corridor had its 4-footwide sidewalk replaced with a 6-foot-wide
ADA-compliant sidewalk. On the east side of the roadway, a 12-foot-wide path for pedestrians and cyclists now connects into the Dunwoody Trailway at Kent Drive.
“There’s wasn’t a center-turn lane, just two lanes,” Smith said. “The final product is consistent with what we envisioned in the original plan, having a wider sidewalk and better pedestrian environment with trees, lighting and the landscaping.”
There were challenges along the way, especially with utility relocation and
installation taking up two-thirds of the construction timeline.
“We rebuilt the infrastructure really,” Smith said. “The county replaced the water main, the gas company replaced their lines through the project … all the existing utilities had to move out of the way, so that was a real challenge.”
The city says work crews installed 54 new storm drains with more than 3,900 feet of piping, replaced 2,650 feet of gas supply and relocated 22 utility poles.
Along Chamblee Dunwoody Road from I-285 to North Shallowford Road, there is now a center-turn lane with several mid-block crossing beacons and a MARTA bus stop. The lanes were also narrowed to bring down speeds after community feedback indicated specific concerns with motorists hopping off I-285.
Smith is also excited about getting paths and sidewalks around the city connected with the regional trail network, and the Georgetown Gateway is a big step.
The next ribbon-cutting for a path project is for the completed phase one of the Ashford Dunwoody Road path in front of Perimeter Mall. City staff said it will likely be early next year, but the multi-use path is open to the public.
Connecting that path to the Dunwoody Village and Sandy Springs’ PATH400, which the city is chipping away at, would eventually get people from the Atlanta Beltline to the Village’s NFA Burger without a car.
It’s years away, if not a decade, but the regional trail network is coming together.
One of the features of the project, gateway signage in front of the Shell gas station, received mixed feedback from residents posting on the Dunwoody Area Community Forum on Facebook.
Now with landscaping surrounding the large “Dunwoody” sign, motorists crossing over I-285 from Brookhaven and Chamblee have a more aesthetic welcome to the city.
The corridor is a key entrance to Dunwoody from neighboring Brookhaven and Chamblee, who seem to be in a north DeKalb County competition for the loudest city gateway signage.
The $1 million price tag for the 16 signs drew criticism from residents concerned with the city’s looming operational deficit, but capital projects draw from a different funding source.
The Dunwoody Art Commission is also planning on installing a largescale sculpture — “Human Interfusion by Struzik Art — somewhere along the corridor next year.
Mayor Lynn Deutsch said the city will continue to prioritize the city’s busiest corridors and multi-generational upgrades.
“This project is out largest public works project to date,” Deutsch said. “It was primarily funded by the federal government, and we’re thrilled that our partners stepped up in such a great way to help us transform the Georgetown area.”
HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA
One of the city’s 16 new welcome signs, made of granite and forged steel, greets motorists along Chamblee Dunwoody Road at Cotillion Drive.
City to consider draft for key improvements along major corridor
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — With funding from the Atlanta Regional Commission, Sandy Springs is nearing a final blueprint for the Peachtree Dunwoody Road corridor, including the North Springs MARTA rail station.
The Sandy Springs City Council and Planning Commission heard the presentation of the North Springs MARTA Corridor study in mid-December, setting up approval of the transportation plan at a January meeting.
The MARTA corridor study seeks to make the North Springs station a more walkable destination. It includes improvements to multimodal safety and comfort on Peachtree Dunwoody Road with connections to the planned extension of PATH400, a regional multi-use trail along Ga. 400 connecting Atlanta’s Midtown to north of I-285.
The plan identifies opportunities to enhance walking and biking access to the station, integrate placemaking features and outline a vision for potential future development.
With grants through the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Livable Centers Initiative and Transit-Oriented Development programs, city consultants began work last March to oversee community engagement, planning, design and economic analysis.
The scope of the two-pronged plan includes Peachtree Dunwoody Road from Spalding Drive to Abernathy Road and the 27.7-acre MARTA-owned property surrounding the North Springs station.
Peachtree Dunwoody Road currently features variable lane widths and sidewalks. Urban planners want a more consistent cross section throughout the corridor with a 12-foot-wide path on the west side and a 6-foot-wide sidewalk on the east.
Other proposals call for five new pedestrian crossing beacons, landscaped buffers with trees, a roundabout at Roberts Court, a center-turn lane and 11-foot-wide travel lanes.
The study found the improvements would add minor delays of from 5 to 10 seconds for drivers.
Input from residents
Lead consultant Nelson Nygaard worked with the city’s planning team, MARTA officials, residents and the Perimeter Community Improvement District to develop a vision for the area.
Throughout community workshops, interviews and online surveys, residents consistently cited concerns about speeding along Peachtree Dunwoody Road and potential traffic congestion.
Meghan McMullen, an urban designer with Nygaard, said two rounds of community feedback were incorporated into the final plan. She said survey results show residents are strongly in favor of proposed upgrades along Peachtree Dunwoody Road.
While Sandy Springs will take the lead on any future streetscape and roadway enhancements along Peachtree Dunwoody Road, MARTA oversees development on its property.
The 27-acre site has 13 acres of undeveloped land with a dense tree canopy and hilly terrain split in half by a floodplain and small creek.
The plan proposes stacked flats or townhomes along Peachtree Dunwoody Road with a new street and five-story multi-family building to the south. Overall, the concept includes around 500 new residential units and some ground floor retail.
MARTA has hands full
While the North Springs MARTA station abuts Ga. 400, surrounding neighborhoods and commercial areas to the south have a separate traffic circulation.
The plan is to leave a portion of undeveloped land in the middle of the MARTA property as a forested park.
Like the corridor concept, McMullen said community feedback on the station proposal was overwhelmingly positive.
MARTA officials said they have no plans to begin development at the North Springs station because of ongoing work at others. When MARTA does decide to move forward, it will mostly likely be with a private developer.
A part of planning the future of the North Springs MARTA Corridor includes connections to PATH400.
Sandy Springs is looking to break ground this year on two-thirds of the regional multi-use path from Atlanta’s Loridans Drive to I-285 and Ga. 400. After the major highway intersection, the city has more plans to construct the path from Hammond Drive up to Mount Vernon Highway and the Sandy Springs MARTA station at Abernathy Road.
PATH400 is years away from reaching the North Springs MARTA station, but city officials are close on a final plan.
For more information about the MARTA Corridor study, visit www.sandyspringsga. gov/NorthSpringsStudy.
Owner John Hogan & Designer Bobbie Kohm
Owner John Hogan & Designer Bobbie Kohm, re-imagining how bath & kitchen remodels are done.
Remodeling Design and Installation Services. We even remove walls!
Guiding you through the whole design process. Ask about our 3D Renderings.
bath & kitchen remodeling fun, easy and affordable.
Oyster bar owner wants to bring seaside to downtown Alpharetta
By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Rob Schryver wants to bring the seashore to Alpharetta.
Oyster bars and seafood houses were always some of Schryver’s favorite experiences while vacationing in Florida. The Alpharetta resident said the bounty of fresh seafood he enjoyed during visits to the shore have inspired him to replicate the experience.
“We got thinking it would be nice to find a place like this up here without having to travel down to Florida to get it,” he said.
Schryver plans to open a Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar at 9 S. Main St. in January in the heart of Alpharetta’s downtown at a space once occupied by South Main Kitchen. The location will be one of 18 franchise restaurants with locations in Cumming, North and South Carolina, Florida, Maryland and Illinois.
Fresh seafood, particularly raw oysters, will be at the heart of the restaurant’s menu, Schryver said. He plans on sourcing oysters from East Coast waters, such as Chesapeake, Georgia and Canada and others from the Gulf and West Coast.
Schryver said he would love to feature a rotating selection of four to six seasonal oysters on top of a couple house varieties.
There’s something special about a raw oyster, although the restaurant will offer plenty of cooked variations like Oysters Rockefeller, he said.
Schryver’s lifelong love for the delicacy began as a child when his father used to cook them up.
“I’ve been eating them since I was 5 years old,” he said. “I’ve never had a bad one.”
On top of oysters, the Shuckin’ Shack will offer a full seafood menu, including clams, crab legs, mussels, peel and eat and fried shrimp, Alfredo, scampi, lobster rolls, fresh fish, crab cakes and more.
“Anything on the coast, you’ll find here,” Schryver said.
With a full-service bar, capacity for about 100 diners and plenty of outdoor seating, Schryer said the restaurant will be an ideal spot for individual dining and large and small gatherings like parties, meet-ups and date nights.
Low lighting and beach decor like surfboards, fishing nets, crab traps and beach vacation photos will create an ambience that transports customers to the seashore. A passthrough entrance will allow easy
access to the street and an open, outdoorsy vibe during nice weather.
With many entrees priced in the $15-$20 range, Schuckin’ Shack’s menu will balance affordability and quality, he said.
Schryver said he envisions an ideal experience would be on a night when the restaurant is hosting live music.
A group of friends might start off with a dozen raw oysters with a beer before veering off into bourbon or mixed drinks. After drinks, the group might settle in for more filling entrees of fresh fish.
Shcryver said his goal is for patrons to think, “If I didn’t know better, I’d have said we were down in the Gulf right now.”
PHOTOS BY: SHUCKIN’ SHACK/PROVIDED
Shuckin’ Shack aims to provide a seashore experience inland with beach decor and fresh seafood daily. The restaurant chain already has more than a dozen locations in the U.S.
Raw oysters are a centerpiece of Shuckin’ Shack’s menu, but the restaurant also will offer fresh fish, shrimp, crab and other seafood.
NEW BUSINESS SPOTLIGHTS
Name: DJ Triplicate - Wedding DJ
Owners: Trey Layton / Mary Layton
Business Description: We are a wedding vendor offering DJ/MC and stage lighting services for Roswell/Alpharetta and the entire Metro Atlanta area. We are five star rated across every major vendor marketplace. We have dates available for holiday parties and 2025 weddings!
Opened: May 2024
Phone: (762) 307-3476
Address: 165 Belmont pl Roswell, ga 30076
Website: https://www.djtriplicate.com
Business: Velvet Taco
Owners: Chewy, Inc
Description: Velvet Taco is a one-ofa-kind taco concept serving premium food in a unique & funky fast-casual setting where tacos don’t have to be associated with Tex-Mex cuisine and can
New podcasts this week a Podcast Everyone!
The Georgia Politics Podcast
be made with the same care and quality fresh ingredients as fine dining.
Opened: July 2024
Phone: (470) 462-2409
Address: 100 Middle Street Dunwoody, Georgia 30346
Website: https://www.velvettaco.com/
Jimmy Carter, 39th President, Passes Away at 100
In this special episode of The Georgia Politics Podcast, we reflect on the extraordinary life and legacy of President Jimmy Carter, who passed away today at the age of 100. From his humble beginnings in Plains, Georgia, to becoming the 39th President of the United States, Carter’s story is one of perseverance, service, and unwavering commitment to humanity.
We explore his presidency, marked by landmark achievements and challenges, and his post-presidential years that redefined what it means to serve beyond the Oval Office. As a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, advocate for global human rights, and champion of Habitat for Humanity, Carter leaves behind a legacy that has touched millions around the world.
Join us as we discuss his impact on Georgia, the nation, and the world, and celebrate the centennial life of one of Georgia’s most beloved sons.
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
The GOP’s Mount Rushmore
The Georgia Politics Podcast focuses on all things under the gold dome. Show host Preston Thompson covers the most noteworthy updates to the legislative session of Georgia’s House of Representatives and State Senate.
Welcome to The Georgia Politics Podcast! We have a fun one for you. Our panel drafts their picks for who would appear on the GOP’s Mount Rushmore, with one or two caveats.
Who would grace a GOP Mount Rushmore (no Presidents or party nominees)? In this episode, our hosts dive deep into the history and legacy of the Republican Party to spotlight the unsung heroes, influential strategists, and legislative powerhouses who have shaped the GOP outside of the Oval Office.
We debate and deliberate who deserves a spot on this hypothetical monument. Expect spirited discussions, surprising picks, and maybe even a little controversy as we make our final selections.
The Georgia Politics Podcast is part of the Appen Podcast Network. Listen on appenmedia.com/podcasts or wherever you get your shows.
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.
10 Caesar salads worth trying in north metro
By ANNABELLE REITER annabelle@appenmedia.com
NORTH METRO ATLANTA — Caesar salads are a beloved and ever-present on restaurant menus. They come from a variety of backgrounds, from Italian to American to French.
Here’s 10 of the best in Appen Media Group’s coverage area, in no particular order.
1. Trattoria one 41 — 9810 Medlock Bridge Road A, Johns Creek
Designed as an appetizer, this garlicky, delicious Caesar packs enough flavor for an entrée. Trattoria one 41’s pastas are great, but Caesar salad lovers may begin flocking to Johns Creek for the crunchy, creamy scrumptiousness. My only suggested improvement would be increasing the size.
2. Colletta — 900 Third St., Alpharetta (Avalon)
Colletta in Avalon shines as one of the best Italian restaurants in Alpharetta, and its Caesar salad exceeds expectations as much as the great service. Colletta’s croutons and cheese are exquisite, leveling
up already high-quality lettuce and dressing. Their crispy potatoes make an excellent side.
3. Salt Factory — 102 S. Main St., Alpharetta, Canton Street in Roswell
Anyone looking for a salad that’s not good but great need not look further than the Salt Factory. With several locations in the area, Salt Factory makes an incredible meal very accessible. The dressing is delicious, with perfectly seasoned chicken that makes it hard to resist the upcharge.
4. North Italia — 4600 Ashford Dunwoody Road NE, Dunwoody
North Italia delivers an elevated presentation for their take on a classic dish, backing up the look in the taste department. Their Caesar features breadcrumbs as an alternative to croutons, an appreciated touch that removes the awkwardness of getting a crouton on your fork.
5. Crust — 131 S. Main St., Alpharetta
If you want a delicious but classic Caesar, Crust is the place to go. Every aspect is exquisite, from the lettuce to
the high-quality cheese to the dressing and the croutons. Each bite holds the perfect amount of tang to satisfy that Caesar craving. Crust’s garlic knots are phenomenal, too.
6. Marlow’s Tavern — 1317 Dunwoody Village Parkway, Dunwoody
A slightly unique take on a Caesar with mixed romaine lettuce and kale for a base. Highly suggest adding blackened chicken to add a kick that compliments the tang of the dressing. With so many locations, a great Caesar is rarely more than a 20-minute drive away in metro Atlanta.
7. Firebirds Wood Fired Grill — 2665 Old Milton Parkway, Alpharetta
A Caesar for the table — fair warning, don’t order as your appetizer with an entrée later unless you plan on taking it home: this salad could feed a whole family. The lettuce and cheese are highquality, the dressing is delicious, Firebirds’ Caesar has every element for a great salad.
8. Salata — 2560 Old Milton Parkway, Alpharetta
When a business’s whole shtick is salads, the Caesar has to pack a punch. Salata’s Caesar lives up to the hype, a perfectly tangy and garlicky dressing with a healthy scoop of chicken. The more casual atmosphere is great for a lunch on the go or a quick sit-down.
9. Campania — 12635 Crabapple Road, Milton
Campania delivers a classic Caesar, with high-quality lettuce and a lighter dressing. An Italian take on a Caesar is not complete without firstrate parmesan, and Campania meets the mark on that aspect. Their Rosetta bread is a great complement to the meal.
10. La Madeleine — Perimeter Center
Last but not least, for a more onthe-go feel that deposits you in Paris in the France-themed restaurant, visit La Madeleine and try their Caesar. Watch as the salad is made in front of you and enjoy the meal to-go or sit down. High-quality ingredients meet great service here.
Importance of skin checks for mature skin
Brought to you by - Dr. Kehinde Olumesi of
Epiphany Dermatology - Brookhaven
As skin matures, it undergoes various changes that necessitate regular skin checks to ensure overall skin health. Differentiating between age spots, healthy moles and potential skin cancers is crucial. Age spots, often appearing as flat, brown, or black spots on sun-exposed areas, are generally harmless but can be mistaken for more serious conditions. Early detection of skin cancer, including melanoma, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, significantly increases the chances of successful treatment. Therefore, routine skin examinations are essential for mature skin to maintain health and catch any issues early.
Addressing skin conditions and rejuvenation procedures
Dermatologists can assist with a
variety of skin conditions and rejuvenation procedures for mature skin. Common issues such as dryness, age-related pigmentation and conditions like rosacea, psoriasis and eczema, which can persist or develop with age, are also addressed with specialized care plans.
In addition to treating conditions, dermatologists offer rejuvenating procedures to enhance the appearance and health of mature skin. Treatments such as chemical peels, laser rejuvenation and injectable treatments like BOTOX® Cosmetic and dermal fillers can reduce the appearance of wrinkles, improve skin texture and promote collagen production. These procedures not only rejuvenate the skin but also boost confidence and overall wellbeing. Establishing a relationship with a dermatologist ensures that your skin receives comprehensive care tailored to its evolving needs, promoting long-term skin health and vitality.
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Where are you going, my friend?
Right now, at this very minute, I’m going east. To Germany. Yep. I’m in a plane somewhere over the Atlantic. Home and hearth and Canton, Ga., are way behind me now, while way down below (wa-a-aa-ay down below) there’s nothing for miles but the good ol’ Atlantic Ocean. It’ll be that way for a while. Sometimes that thought is soothing.
Ahead of me, somewhere out there beyond the curved horizon, is the airport at Munich. And beyond that?
I don’t know. I have hopes, but I’m only sure that it will be new to me, completely new, and I’ll just have to see where the storyline goes.
It will be new like London was new when we went there a couple of years ago. I had never been, but she had, and she loves it, and she loves me, and so we chose it for our honeymoon. I’d seen some documentaries and read some old National Geographic articles. I had planned where I was going. I thought I knew what to expect.
I was wrong. It was so much better.
Yeah. That trip, like all the best ones, just kind of unfolded on its own. I like it when that happens. Don’t you? Like a good drama, you never know where such trips are going to take you. You never know what the actors in the play are going to have to say.
I remember a place a thousand miles west of where I was just then, a place in north Georgia far off any beaten track where a one-act drama unfolded one cold November Saturday maybe 30 years ago. Here’s how it came to be.
I’d planned a trip to Dahlonega to interview a gold prospector that a friend of a friend had introduced me to. “You’ve got to go talk to this guy,” my friend had told me. “He’s something.”
“Something?” I inquired?
“Yeah,” my friend said. “Just…something.”
And so I went, expecting to do my interview thing and take some notes and shoot some pictures for the magazine. It would be interesting. But I figured it would be just like all the other interviews, hello-andquestions-and-goodbye.
See HUDSON, Page 13
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STEVE HUDSON Columnist
Colt Whittall
Atlanta opens its doors to Camp Gordon soldiers
In November of 1917, The Atlanta Georgian newspaper suggested local families invite soldiers from Camp Gordon to their homes for Christmas dinner.
“The Georgian’s idea is that we should make this Christmas a ‘Soldier’s Christmas’ by taking the boys in brown into our homes and closer to our firesides and into our hearts on Christmas Day.”
The World War I training camp was in Chamblee, on land that is now DeKalb Peachtree Airport and beyond. In December 1917, 25% of the men were given passes to leave Camp Gordon for 38 hours during Christmas. Many were able to enjoy Christmas dinner with generous Atlanta families. Those who received a longer pass due to unusual circumstances traveled by train to visit family.
At 4 p.m. December 24, 1917, the bugle sounded and marches, drills, and rifle training paused until December 26 at 7 a.m. Eight thousand men headed to downtown Atlanta on the trolley or in cars. Other soldiers stayed on base where entertainment and a Christmas feast was planned.
The camp was decorated with multiple Christmas trees provided by women’s church and social groups. Religious services and celebrations took place at the YMCA and Knights of Columbus buildings, the base hospital and the infirmaries.
A building for Jewish soldiers was
completed in October 1918 and became known as the Little White House. The Jewish Welfare Board began work to improve the social and religious life of Jewish soldiers in early 1918. All soldiers were welcome at the Little White House.
Christmas dinner was served December 24, 1917, and featured roast turkey and boiled ham as the entrees. The side dishes were cranberry sauce, dressing, rice and gravy, green peas, corn and candied sweet potatoes. Dessert included lemon, apple and mince pie. Fruit, layer and mince cake were served. Plenty of fresh fruit, celery, olives and nuts were also included on the menu.
According to historian Franklin Garrett’s “Atlanta and Environs,” soldiers who did not have an invitation to stay with a family or a hotel room spent Christmas Eve night at the downtown YMCA. It was so crowded, some had to sleep on the floor.
Christmas Day 1917 in Atlanta did not offer much entertainment for visiting soldiers, because stores, offices, and public buildings were closed. By Christmas 1918, WWI had ended. Many soldiers were given ten-day furloughs. Those who remained were entertained with Christmas dinner, music and dancing. They were also invited to gather at the YWCA Hostess House.
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/APPEN MEDIA
This World War I Camp Gordon postcard depicts the YWCA Hostess House, meant to be a place where soldiers could feel at home.
Dozens of families from Metro Atlanta gather in the lobby of the Byers Theatre for the 2024 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Arts and Film Celebration.
MLK:
Continued from Page 1
Vincenzo Trippetti and Robert Brousseau directed the 1999 film, starring Angela Bassett, Samuel L. Jackson, Lucas Black, Whoopi Goldberg and
I was wrong.
I met my source (that’s what we writer types call the people we talk to, though I really do not like the term) in front of an unpainted shack that must have been old long before Moses was even a pup.
Three creaky steps led from the yard up to the porch. They played musically as I climbed.
We settled into old wood rocking chairs that had once been some shade of green. I wrote down the right spelling of his name. Then, according to plan, I asked questions and notated answers. Finally, having what I needed, I made to excuse myself. That was my plan – to head on home and write the story and sent it to the magazine straightaway.
But he said, “What’s your hurry?” He added, “Sit a spell.”
LeVar Burton. With an all-star voice cast, the animated short was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program.
To get the program’s certificate at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center, children will need to attend one showing and complete all the activity stations. The event is free and open to the
ones, mostly) and politics (what can one really say?).
The more we talked, the easier it became.
Inevitably, conversation turned again to gold. Were folks still finding it? Yep. Right around there, right around that very shack? Uh-huh.
Were they finding very much?
Well…
“I’ll be back in a few minutes,” he said all of a sudden, rising from the rocker. He walked around back behind the cabin and disappeared into the woods. He was gone for a while but was back in 15 minutes, his coveralls a little muddier than I remembered.
He was carrying something wrapped in a dirty brown piece of tattered, moss-flecked, mud-stained burlap. That something looked heavy, though it was not very large.
He unwrapped his burden carefully and handed it to me. It was an ancient mayonnaise jar.
Roadway:
Continued from Page 1
Schereé Rawles, communications director at the Atlanta Watershed Management Department, told Appen Media Dec. 31 that storm line installation has been successfully completed, and officials are currently planning the milling and paving schedule.
When crews began work Nov. 18, Rawles gave a seven-week construction estimate for pipe repair and roadway improvements. It appears that crews needed just over four of them to get vehicles moving along the major north-south collector again.
According to the Atlanta Watershed Management Department, reviewing the contractor’s proposal and securing all rights of entry from the property owner caused the nearly two-month wait for repairs to begin.
Traffic on Roswell Road (Ga. 9) near the Atlanta-Sandy Springs border was especially congested for the last three months of the year.
community, and parking in the City Springs underground deck is complimentary.
While strollers are not allowed inside the Studio Theatre, stroller “parking” will be available along with a kid-friendly menu at the City Bar & Café.
— Hayden Sumlin
Its contents shifted, revealing a dynamic universe painted in tones of sun-kissed yellow. There was fine gold by the tablespoon, some like sand and some as sifty as flour. There were larger bits – small nuggets, actually – up to the size of a couple of grains of rice. There were bigger pieces the size and shape of raisins or small peanuts or perhaps phantasmagoric jellybeans. And there were a half-dozen of big ones (“Them’s the super-nuggets,” he said) that clonked softly together as the jar, like the universe itself, rotated before my eyes.
“More where that came from,” he said. “Maybe more of them supers too.”
He let me hold the treasure (what must have been its value!) and, after a while, he reached out and took the jar and its softly glowing contents from my hands. Yeah, it was a little hard to let it go.
For nearly two months before work began Nov. 18, Sandy Springs City Councilman Andy Bauman corresponded with Atlanta City Councilwoman Mary Norwood and her Chief of Staff Jim Elgar to keep community members informed on progress. Bauman announced the reopening Dec. 22 through his District 6 City Council newsletter.
— Hayden Sumlin
He stopped at the bottom of the steps. “So that’s what it is,” he said to me. “That’s what comes to be. Eh?”
I’ll let you know what I find. Continued from Page 11
He departed then, disappearing into the trees, leaving me to wait on that porch for his return.
I waited a while, then a bit longer, then longer still.
After a while it started getting dark. Finally, I went home.
“…and that’s how it happened,” I said to her, but she only nestled her head on my shoulder, no doubt lulled to blissful rest by the purring of those two massive engines roaring silently a few yards beyond the window.
I turned to look out that window. There was a faint hint of light from somewhere out in front of us, and I knew that after while we’d be once more wheelsdown on the good earth.
Why not? So, we sat and chatted and sipped a few things, some perhaps from mason jars. We talked about people (characters distant and local) and places (small
It was a mayonnaise jar full of gold, so heavy that I very nearly dropped it.
“Somethin’, huh?” he said after a bit, and I allowed as to how it really, really was.
I turned the jar slowly in my hands.
But I did. And when I did, he held it closely and wrapped it again ever-solovingly in its battered burlap gown, then cradled it in the crook of his right arm before clump-clump-clumping down the porch steps and turning at last back towards the woods.
Where was I going? Germany and Austria.
What would I find? I had not a clue. But it would be new. It would be fresh. Like life itself, it would enrich and enhance and enlighten, and it would be good.
HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA
Don’t
Client Services Specialist – Pantry
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The Food Pantry Supervisor supports all aspects of the Food Pantry including inventory control, receiving products, client orders, supervising and managing volunteers, entering data and creating reports and supporting client intake. The Supervisor is the primary backup support to the Food Pantry Manager.
The Client Services Specialist (Part-time) serves as the first point of contact at NFCC, welcoming clients and managing the intake process. This role connects clients with NFCC’s programs and services while maintaining accurate records through data entry and application updates. The Specialist also keeps clients informed about program enhancements and available services.
The Supervisor must be proficient in Spanish and have the ability to work with a team in a professional manner within a fast paced environment. Good interpersonal communications skills are required and MS Office (Excel) experience is a plus. Must have the ability to work evenings & weekends, lift up to 42lbs, use a pallet jack, push and pull items, and be on your feet for several hours.
The Specialist must be proficient in Spanish and have the ability to work with a team in a professional manner within a fast paced environment. Microsoft office skills are required and Salesforce experience is a plus. Must have the ability to work evenings & weekends.
The Donor Operations Supervisor (Full-time) The Donor Operations Supervisor manages the donation door process and delegates tasks to staff, volunteers, and community service workers. As the face of NFCC, they provide excellent customer service while greeting donors and ensuring donations are properly removed from vehicles and sorted in designated areas. They are responsible for maintaining the security of merchandise and keeping all areas clean and organized.
The Supervisor must be able to lift up to 75lb frequently and be on their feet most of their shift. They must enjoy staying busy, training and influencing other to work as a team in a professional manner within a fast paced environment. Must have the ability to work Tuesday through Saturday 9am – 5pm. An extraordinary Total Rewards Package is included with this opportunity!
If this sounds like the role for you, we’d love to hear from you! Please submit your resume to jobs@nfcchelp.org
If this sounds like the role for we’d love to hear from you! Please submit your resume to jobs@nfcchelp.org
If this sounds like the role for you, we’d love to hear from you! Please submit your resume to jobs@nfcchelp.org
