Sandy Springs Crier - September 7, 2023

Sandy Springs launches Citizens Leadership Academy

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Citizens interested in government, civic responsibility and community leadership now have an exciting opportunity to learn from local leaders, thanks to the new Sandy Springs Citizens’ Leadership Academy.

Starting in October, the Sandy Springs Citizens’ Leadership Academy will offer four months of classes on a wide range of topics from city management and community development to public safety and emergency management.

Classes will be taught by city staff, Sandy Springs City Council members and Mayor Rusty Paul.

Renowned food hall designer to pilot Ashford Hall space

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

ATLANTA — Renowned New Orleans-based food hall proprietor Politan Row recently announced it will be taking over operations of the food hall in the Ashford Lane development starting later this year.

Ashford Hall held The Hall at Ashford Lane until July, when it was abruptly closed under a cloud of employee and customer complaints. The venue will now feature nine individual Politan Row food stalls and two bars, operated alongside their other projects across the country.

In an announcement earlier this

month, Politan Row officials said the new Dunwoody facility will feature a roster of Atlanta culinary talent, including Tandoori, Pretty Little Tacos, Gekko Hibachi, as well as several new players including 26 Thai, Smokehouse Q and Sheesh.

See HALL, Page 15

“At the completion of the program, participants will have developed a deep understanding of the structure, functions, and responsibilities of local government, providing the tools and knowledge needed to actively engage with their local government and take on leadership roles within their community,” officials said.

The initial academy, which is limited to 30 participants, will include nine sessions between Oct. 10, 2023, and Feb. 20, 2024. Officials said the class will cost $35, and applications will be accepted through Sept. 15.

For more information on how to apply, visit sandyspringsga.gov/ sandy-springs-citizens-leadershipacademy.

ALEX POPP/APPEN MEDIA

The food hall at Ashford Lane in Dunwoody will reopen this fall, operated by the nationally renowned food hall operators Politan Row.

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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.

ATLANTA — Multiple Dunwoody and Sandy Springs roadways were brought to a halt last week after summer storms brought down trees and caused flooding throughout Atlanta area.

Roswell Road in Sandy Springs and all lanes of I-285 in Dunwoody were closed Aug. 29 after extreme flooding made the roadways unpassable, officials said.

Additionally, downed trees and powerlines in Sandy Springs closed River Park Drive, Mt. Vernon Highway, Bridgewood Valley Road and Bonnie Lane, cutting off power and vehicular access for several local communities.

All of the roadways have since been reopened and power has been restored.

— Alexander Popp

Dunwoody leaders discuss public security camera measures

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Crime detection and prevention were hot topics with the Dunwoody City Council on Monday, Aug. 28, as leaders considered a set of security measures to give authorities new eyes throughout the community.

In one of the meeting’s first business items, city leaders approved an agreement with the DeKalb County School District and the third-party automated speed enforcement company, RedSpeed, to install speed enforcement cameras in local school zones.

Dunwoody Police Chief Billy Grogan said placing automatic speed cameras in the city’s school safety zones is a measure they hope will address the “constant” speeding problems faced in certain areas and increase student safety.

“Traditionally what we’re seeing in places that have deployed the cameras is that initially, there may be a certain number of citations written … but over time, that number drops drastically,” he said. “They’ll become familiar with it, alter their driving habits, and slow their speed down. Which is ultimately what we want.”

The City Council initially approved

this program back in 2020, but until now, local officials have been unable to reach an agreement with the DeKalb County School System to move it forward.

That may have changed when DeKalb County’s new superintendent, Dr. Devon Horton was named earlier this year. Grogan said Horton is “agreeable to sign” the contract and is now looking for participating cities to move forward so the district can implement the programs at the same time.

With the speed enforcement program, Grogan said certain school zone areas will be monitored for drivers traveling more than 10 miles per hour over the limit during the school day and one hour before and after classes end.

Fees gathered from the violations will be split between the three parties, with about 60 percent of proceeds going to the city, about 30 percent to RedSpeed and 10 percent to the DeKalb School District, according to information obtained by Appen Media. Additionally, Dunwoody and DeKalb County will only be able to use funds for “law enforcement and public safety” related reasons.

While costly, citations issued by this program will not go on an alleged offender’s driving record, Grogan said.

As part of the agreement, Dunwoody will bear the costs for sworn officers to

review the alleged violations before they are mailed out, and the city will have to complete a new city speeding study to determine where cameras are needed most.

Speed zone cameras will not be installed until the project is approved by the Georgia Department of Transportation.

The proposal was unanimously approved after a short discussion.

“These cameras are not being put up to be punitive, they’re really being put up to increase safety,” Councilman John Heneghan said. “My hope would be that we would be able to put some of these funds to find ways to lower the speed in problematic areas within the city.”

Community cameras also discussed

At the meeting, city leaders also discussed three possible ordinances that would make security cameras mandatory for hotels, apartment complexes, and gas stations in designated “high-risk” areas.

According to Grogan, these ordinances resulted from a recent DeKalb County measure requiring security cameras at convenience stores and gas stations in areas with a high crime rate.

Under the proposal, Grogan, as police chief would be tasked with determin-

ing which areas in the city are high-risk based on their 911 call volume and occurrence rates of serious crimes, like murder, assault, robbery and kidnapping. Businesses in those areas would then be tasked with installing and monitoring security cameras if a crime occurs.

“This ordinance would help us be able to produce video evidence, either through subpoena or voluntarily shared with us,” he said.

However, multiple public comment speakers at the meeting said they objected to the ordinances, and after Grogan’s presentation, each member of the City Council said more work needs to be done before they can decide.

“In general, all this strikes me as government overreach,” Councilwoman Catherine Lautenbacher said.

Other City Council members said it would be in the city’s best interests to have a larger stakeholder meeting and talk with all the groups affected by it.

“I think we need to do some more homework on some of these high-risk businesses,” Councilman Tom Lambert said. “Once you’re stamped with that designation, is that going to follow the business in perpetuity? Is there an appeal process to come off of that?”

The proposed ordinances will be brought back for further discussion at a future City Council meeting.

Dunwoody to host annual electronics recycling event

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody will host its annual Electronics Recycling Event from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 1.

During the free event held at St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church on Mt. Vernon Road, Dunwoody residents can recycle all manner of electronic devices and items that aren’t normally easy to get rid of.

Officials said during the 2022 recycling day residents recycled more than 24,000 pounds of “e-waste.” Recycled items in 2022 included 105 laptops, 79 desktop computers, 66 LCD monitors, 54 tablets and 46 cell phones.

“We appreciate the way residents support the City’s sustainability efforts by participating in electronics recycling,” Dunwoody Community Development Director Richard McLeod said. “We always have a strong response and appreciate City Council for prioritizing funding for this event.”

Dunwoody will accept the following items this year:

Monitors, desktops, laptops, smartphones, tablets, keyboards, mice, servers, networking gear, circuit boards, RAM and CPU, wires and cables, hard drives and memory cards, digital cameras, GPS units, speakers, copiers, ink and toner, scanners,

Dunwoody Electronics Recycling

When: Oct. 1, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church, 1978 Mt. Vernon Road, Dunwoody.

Accepted: Most electronics.

Not accepted: Broken TVs and monitors, light bulbs, liquids, paper, hazardous materials.

Cost: Free for all Dunwoody residents with registration.

projectors, game consoles, phone systems, lab and medical equipment, point of sale systems, microwaves, DVD players and barcode scanners.

Officials said they will not accept cracked LCD TVs or monitors, broken CRT TVs and monitors, light bulbs, radioactive material, hazardous waste, or any liquid and paint. No paper shredding will be offered.

This recycling event will be provided free for all Dunwoody residents from the recycling company eWaste ePlanet.

Find out more about this event and register by visiting www.dunwoodyga.gov/ electronics.

— Alexander Popp

50th Annual Home Tour set for October 4th

Resort Style Living Right Here in Dunwoody

You need not travel to Bermuda, Baja, or Bora Bora, for that matter, to experience the epitome of all inclusive, resort-style living. It exists right here in a sought-after Dunwoody neighborhood and, once you cross this home’s veranda and enter, you will quickly know why you are in for an experience like no other.

This home is one of three lovely homes featured in the 50th Annual Home Tour set for Wednesday, October 4, from 10:00 a.m. — 2:00 p.m. and is hosted by the Dunwoody Woman’s Club . All profits from the home tour are used to implement the club’s charitable initiatives. Home tour tickets can be purchased several ways as outlined below at the end of this article.

Unbelievable renovations, warm bamboo flooring, walls and artwork throughout with hints of soft grays and greens, and expansive added frontage have redefined this once split-level home. Skylights bring sunshine into the new front living room with square cutouts at the 12-footceiling level filtering light into the dining room and kitchen beyond.

A barn door leads you into the new formal dining space: bricked and reminiscent of a European wine cellar with barrel ceiling, inset shelving for wine specialties, and a one-of-a-kind, live-edge wood table. A compact, efficient kitchen adjoins, continuing the color palette with granite counter tops complimented by a zig-zag, black and white backsplash, and metallic finishes on high-top seating, and unique metal railing above the family room below.

From here you have options. You can go up a few steps to office space and well-appointed bedrooms where the big reveal is a caged red light over the hall bath which, when turned on, tells folks the room is occupied. Another option is to cross a gallery with windows overlooking the home’s resort-style backyard to the owner’s suite with its own fireside

More Information

Home Tour tickets are available now and can be purchased as follows:

•Online at the following link - https://www.dunwoody womansclub.com/buy-home-tour-tickets/

• Guests can go in person to purchase tickets at Southern Comforts at 2510 Mt. Vernon Rd., Dunwoody

living room, coffered ceilings, generous closet space, and a walk-through shower. Additional office space and bath are above. The gallery also affords access to the backyard.

Option three is to step down from the kitchen area to the main family room with fireplace and access to a fenced backyard through a covered lounge area with all the features of a poolside resort cafe: grill, minifridge, and comfy seating. A heated gunite pool and 10-person hot tub beckon visitors for a dip. And a 100-year-old, cast iron corn syrup caldron found in Macon serves as

From any member of the Dunwoody Woman’s Club Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 on tour day. We look forward to seeing you at the home tour and appreciate your support. Buy your tickets today!

For more information about the Dunwoody Woman’s Club go to www.dunwoodywomansclub.com

fire pit should a fireside chat be called for.

But wait…there is more. From the family room, you also can access another bathroom with laundry room tucked behind a barn door, admire a standing family gun case, slip past the “mud room,” and ascend above the garage to a huge game and media room with special seating from the 1996 Olympics.

This home’s breathtaking grounds, exquisite decor, and abundant amenities offer all that is required for a luxurious escape. We know you will enjoy your visit.

Be sure to check out the exciting raffle on the day of the tour for the chance to win one of three prizes each valued at least $500. Cash and credit cards accepted.

Included on the home tour will be a decorator showcase hosted by everyone’s favorite designer, Marc Jones, The Consignor’s Designer Marc will host “Fall Entertaining” at the Dunwoody location of Southern Comforts. The event will be 10:15 am on tour day and guests are encouraged to pre-register for the event at style.southerncomforts. com or by calling 770-901-5001.

Delivering Readers Award-Winning Newspapers

Engel & Völkers Atlanta continues to grow

Brought to you by - Engel & Völkers Atlanta

Engel & Völkers Atlanta announced the continuation of its growth story, absorbing two existing Engel & Volkers markets in Buckhead and North Fulton, and opening a new shop location in Sandy Springs. This news comes on the heels of its recent expansion to North Georgia with its Blue Ridge location.

“At Engel & Völkers Atlanta, we have mastered the leverage of our global platform and brand that is synonymous with providing white glove real estate to discerning clientele, with localized expertise and a global network,” said Christa Huffstickler, Founder and CEO of Engel & Völkers Atlanta. “With an incredible on-the-ground team, we have continued to grow our original shop in South Buckhead and take advantage of new opportunities beyond our initial territory, to create a more consistent presence for such a prestigious and well-recognized brand in the Atlanta marketspace.”

The Sandy Springs shop will be led by top-producing advisors Matt LaMarsh, Christin Coffin and Kristen Skebe. Sandy Springs has become a hot residential real estate market in recent years due to its tranquil suburban setting, top schools and convenient access to Atlanta, making it an ideal location of service for the Engel & Völkers brand.

“Our client base is increasingly gravitating toward Sandy Springs, and it makes sense for us to be there,” Huffstickler said. “With Matt, Christin and Kristen joining Engel & Völkers Atlanta, we are well-positioned to be a market leader.”

With over two decades of experience in Atlanta real estate, Sam Morgan, Director of Sales for Engel & Völkers Atlanta, will assume the leadership role of Managing Broker at the North Fulton office. Having managed the sales of some of the city’s largest

and most prominent new developments, amounting to $1 billion to be exact, he possesses extensive expertise navigating the ins and outs of the cyclical Atlanta real estate market, making him a knowledgeable leader for the North Fulton shop.

Since joining Engel & Völkers in 2017, Huffstickler has created the top performing Engel & Völkers real estate shop in Atlanta. Notably, 74% of all of the company’s real estate advisors and brokers have increased their busi-

ness production, with more than 27 record-breaking sales in the last year alone. Engel & Völkers Atlanta has also represented some of the most premier new development projects in the area. This can be attributed to the brand’s longstanding global recognition, collaborative network and sophisticated offerings alongside the pioneer mentality of the brokerage’s astute leadership.

“It’s with great pride that Christa leads the growth of Engel & Völkers into the future throughout Atlanta,”

PROVIDED

said Anthony Hitt, president and CEO of Engel & Völkers Americas. “She’s focused on building up the incredible team she’s created and is a beacon of service, mentorship and marketing within the Greater Atlanta new development and residential real estate market.”

The North Fulton and Sandy Springs shops will officially open their doors before the start of September, and more information can be found at www.evatlanta.com.

The Death Of The Jetted Tub. RIP

What should we do about that old, jetted tub? We haven’t used it in 10 years. How about we just get rid of it and expand the shower? “These are questions we answer every day”, say John Hogan, president of Alpharetta’s Remodeling Expo Center, “there is undoubtedly a trend away from jetted tubs, especially large ones. John continues, “we remove 3-5 of them each week and the homeowners are always overjoyed with reclaiming the large space, as well as getting rid of something that is emblematic of the 80’s and 90’s.

Not only are the jetted tubs being removed but some tubs in the secondary bathrooms are also being removed. Parents know all too well that when their kids reach middle school ages, the nightly baths are long gone, and a walkin shower is their preference. As long as another tub, near the kid’s bedrooms remains, there is no impact to the home value.

Why is this happening? We take many more showers than baths and America has finally concluded that the space allocated for the big, jetted

garden tub just doesn’t make sense. Perhaps more importantly, we’re all afraid of the brown water and particulates that will flow out of the jets when it’s turned on after not being used for so long. This fear of the unknow, dark in color, growing in the unseen piping of the tub, really makes people want to get rid of them!

Instead, homeowners are choosing to expand their showers into a large, spa like experience, with gorgeous niches, benches, rain-head showers, but not always eliminating the tub. Many times, the tub is replaced with a gorgeous freestanding soaking tub. There is also a clear trend to change the shower-tub area to be safer, with anticipation of aging in-place in the home. “In these cases, we are emphasizing safety, with grab bars, eliminating the shower threshold, and installing “easy to enter” bathtubs”, John continues, “all of the north Atlanta homes are 20-30 years old and we are seeing a large increase in our bathroom projects”. Remodeling Expo Center is a turn-key remodeling company with a 10,000 SF showroom, at 10591 Old Alabama Rd Connector, in Alpharetta (678) 459-2292.

Brought to you by - Remodeling Expo Center

1939 Earl and Vivian Smith summer home

Along Chamblee Dunwoody Road, just north of DonaldsonBannister Farm and Vermack Road, was the location of the 1939 summer home of Earl and Vivian Lowrey Smith. They soon made it their permanent home. The white painted Cape Cod style home sat among lovely oak trees. Vivian Smith filled the home with fine antiques.

Earl Smith worked as a city salesman for Norris Candy, a large and successful candy manufacturer in the first half of the twentieth century. The Norris family also had a summer home along Chamblee Dunwoody Road. The guest house of the Norris family still stands on Sirron Court. Roy Head, who worked for Norris Candy for a time before starting his own candy company, lived in a white frame home on Chamblee Dunwoody Road with his wife Pamela. That home still stands, but the Smith house was demolished several years ago.

Before working for Norris Candy, Earl Smith worked for United Cigar Company. He listed United Cigar as his employer on his June 5, 1917, draft registration card. Smith served overseas from June 1918 until January 1919 as part of the Miscellaneous Quartermaster Companies Unit 2.

The 1930 census shows Earl and

GET OUTSIDE, GEORGIA!

Vivian living on Kennesaw Avenue in Atlanta. He is listed as a candy salesman for Norris Candy. The census also lets us know the Smith family owned a radio.

In “The Story of Dunwoody” by Ethel Spruill and Elizabeth Davis, Vivian Smith shared some of her memories of living in what was considered the country at the time. Smith recalled, “My husband was

so in love with the beauty of the outdoors and country living that even though there was no central heating in the house, he persuaded me to spend the winter in Dunwoody. He spoke in such glowing terms of the crackling log fires, the romance of candlelight and the beauty of the snow and ice storms we would see when winter came, that he finally per -

suaded me, against my better judgement to stay.”

One night the couple was expecting guests from Atlanta for dinner. Smith laughingly told how her guests “found me at the stove bundled in my precious fur coat, broiling steaks.”

In 1940, Atlanta Journal writer John Woodward shared a story about J. Earl Smith in his “About Dogs” column. A starving stray dog showed up at the Smith home, so thin “you could count his ribs.” Earl and Vivian Smith named him Pup and began serving him table scraps from their dinner table. He kept returning each night for another meal. Pup was a mixed breed dog, which suited the couple fine since they were “folks who’d rather have an inch of dog than miles of pedigree.”

Then one day, after Pup was no longer looking gaunt, he showed up with another thin and starving dog. Earl Smith filled up one plate with food for the two dogs. Rather than get in a fight over the food, Pup stepped aside and let the new dog get his fill. Then Pup ate what was left. The Smiths named the new dog Blue and continued to share their leftovers each evening with the pair.

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.

New natural water and getting outfished

I went fishing today. Actually, she and I went fishing together.

She’s getting pretty good at it, too. In fact, the last few outings, she has (how to put it) outfished me, sometimes by a factor of two or three.

Now I tell myself that this is because of the expert instruction that I have provided. That may be true, a little, but the real reason is that she appears to be a natural. She just has that intuitive sense of how to make it work. And she does.

The creek is one that I’ve fished

before. I know it pretty well. But today it’s different. There was a storm a week or so ago, and it was a big one. It dumped a deluge of Biblical proportions into the little channel. The force of that hydrologic rampage moved rocks and reshaped everything, erasing long-loved pools but simultaneously sculpting new ones. And the wind? The wind toppled trees, blocking familiar pathways and redirecting currents, obscuring the familiar even as it created opportunities anew.

And so I find myself – I find us – in a familiar landscape, yet with unfamiliar nuances. It is a known space, familiar from dozens of visits over the arc of many years, and yet today it is also brand new.

That can play with your mind, if

you let it.

But what of the fish? There have always been lots of them in this creek, and I know that they will still be there. They will simply have adjusted, finding new spots to hold in the wake of the storm as they sit patiently in the current and wait for the likes of us to arrive.

We just have to find them.

Today, she is the first one to reach the water and the first one to cast. She’s fishing a place where she has fished before, but today there are those subtle changes and nuanced shifts in the flow. Here, a tree has toppled into the creek, and over there are new eddies and swirls. Here, high water has cut a new channel through the gravel, and yonder there are new

deep spots to explore.

She apprises the situation, moves into position, and makes a cast. Thirty seconds later she has her first fish. It hits a small buggy-looking fly which sported a pink body and some wiggly elastic legs, and it is a decent fish by any measure.

She brings it in and unhooks it and admires its vivid coloration and then slips it back into the water. Then she turns to me and says, “That’s one!”

She casts again, and a half a minute later I hear her voice call to me again, a lyrical counterpoint to the music of the creek as it splashes happily through a riffle on its way to wherever it is going.

See HUDSON, Page 12

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF Columnist

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF/APPEN MEDIA

The 1939 home of Earl and Vivian Smith once sat along Chamblee Dunwoody Road, just north of Vermack Road.

STEVE HUDSON Columnist

THE INVESTMENT COACH

Bidenomics, mixed messages and your ten year plan

Continued from Page 11

LEWIS J. WALKER, CFP

In late June, President Biden was in Maine touting the benefits of his economic plan, proclaiming that Bidenomics is driving an American manufacturing boom and is helping workers and innovators invent and make more goods here at home. On the same day, speaking in Iowa, Vice-President Kamala Harris said, “Most Americans are a $400 expense away from bankruptcy.” So which is it? Joe says his plan is benefiting workers while his veep says most Americans are broke. Talk about “mixed messages!”

At the household level, economics is about income and expenses. Incomes are rising and jobs are plentiful. But is your income keeping pace with inflation? Does your net after-tax income exceed your monthly expenses, allowing you to save for future expenses, say, big ticket items like buying a first home or a vacation home, upgrading your existing home, raising children, paying for educations, weddings, career advancement, ultimate retirement?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, on a net after-tax basis, it takes $118.27 as of June, 2023, to equal the buying power of $100 in January, 2020. That’s inflation! Years ago, Milton Friedman, the acclaimed economist and educator at the University of Chicago, told students that inflation, pure and simple, is a monetary phenomenon. “It’s always and everywhere, a result of too much money, of a more rapid increase in the quantity of money than in output.” In other words, “too much money chasing too few goods.”

We know what happened. During the height of the Covid-19 epidemic, people stayed home, factories shut down, and the supply chain was interrupted. President

DEATH NOTICES

Elizabeth Alty, 97, of Milton, passed away on August 20, 2023. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Harry Anderson, 86, of Alpharetta, passed away on August 27, 2023. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Biden poured trillions of dollars into the economy, and while some folks saved money and paid down debts, most of the created and borrowed money found its way into increased spending midst shortages of goods. Why was surging inflation a surprise?

Long range forecasting is an exercise in guesswork. But suppose you are in your mid- to late-50s, and in ten short years, by 2033, you want to retire, or just be economically self-sufficient to the point where work is optional. According to the Alliance for Lifetime Income, 51% of consumers age 45 to 75 don’t have sufficient retirement savings to last their lifetime. What would a thirty-year nonworking time frame look like? Pensions are increasingly rare and distributions from tax-qualified retirement accounts are taxed at ordinary income rates. If your total annual income is more than $25,000 for an individual or $32,000 for a married couple filing jointly, you must pay federal income taxes on your Social Security benefits. Also, depending on your total taxable income, which can include interest from savings or from bond portfolios, dividends from stocks or other income producing assets, and capital gains from asset sales, you may pay more for Medicare Part B premiums. Premiums for a current year are based on your tax return filed two years ago. For 2023, for example, Part B premiums range from $164.90 per month, up to $560.50 per month for top earners. Medicare is not free! Tax planning is important in preparing for retirement, especially if major asset sales involving a closely-held business or other property are contemplated as prelude to retirement or financial independence.

According to “The Wall Street Journal,” as of August 3, 2023, since June, 2022, “All Items” inflation is up by 3%. “Core Inflation” which measures the change in the costs of goods and services, excluding food and energy, is up by 4.8%. Use the latter figure in thinking about your next ten years, especially if you plan

to eat and move around. Suppose you and your significant other want to take a quality dream trip in 2034 in comfort, say an eleven day European sojourn featuring Switzerland and a Rhine River cruise on a top-tier ship with a highly rated tour operator, upper deck with a French balcony. The 2024 fare for a couple is $22,790, air transportation not included. In ten years at a mere 2.50% annualized inflation and cumulative inflation of 28.01%, the price for our happy couple would approach $30,000. With Congress fighting over federal budget restraint, and with continued borrowing and money printing required to support federal spending, what’s your outlook as to tax rates and inflation rates going forward?

Some tour operators and cruise lines proclaim “air fare is included from select cities.” That normally is for basic economy, not upgraded economy, or first or business class. Always look for the “tour only” price and then compare that with what you could book on your own, especially if you can use airline points. An experienced travel agent can help you sort out options and make good choices.

What do your “next ten” years look like, in terms of basic necessities compared to higher style dreams and comfort? What about needs for other family members or grown children or grandchildren that you may be called on to fund? What about your health care needs or that of loved ones?

Planning can tax the mind. But “someday” is not a time frame. Procrastination is not a strategy. Your “next ten” can get complicated fast. Start planning now!

Lewis Walker, CFP®, is a life centered financial planning strategist with Capital Insight Group (CIG); 770-441-3553; lewis@ capitalinsightgrp.com. Securities & advisory services offered through The Strategic Financial Alliance, Inc. (SFA), which is otherwise unaffiliated with CIG. Lewis a Gallup Certified Clifton Strengths Coach and Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA).

“That’s two!” she says. Meanwhile, I stand there on a shady gravel bar rigging up my own rod. I open the fly box and consider the possibilities. For perhaps a minute I peruse the available flies –

“That’s number three!” she says, her voice floating to me over the song of the dancing creek.

– and then I select a small and fuzzy creation with a body of tan yarn and wing made from the hair of an elk. I tie it to my line, taking my time –

“Four!” I hear her say, her voice a little fainter now that she has worked her way upstream a few yards. I see the sun glint off her rod as she makes another cast.

Rigged at last, I finally make my own first cast and immediately draw a strike, a good fish, a big fish. I move to set the hook, but I miss it completely, probably because I am distracted by her voice again. She is saying, “That’s five!”

I turn toward the sound and see her looking my way. And I see a splash as yet a fish rises. I see her rod bend again.

“Six!” she calls, and I hear laughter in her voice.

That’s how it has been, the last few outings. We fish. We catch. But she catches more.

I recall something I read once, something about why we fish. If I recall it right, we start fishing simply to catch something. Then we fish to catch many fish, and then to catch big fish, and finally we fish just to be there, to be in the moment, to savor the whole thing and then some.

The water is noisy as it splashes over the rocks at my feet. I look upstream again, see her there, watch her cast. It is beautiful.

Sylvia Baldow, 84, of Roswell, passed away on August 28, 2023. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Alleen Dixon, 97, of Roswell, passed away on August 24, 2023. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Robert King, 72, of Roswell, passed away on August 23, 2023. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Lakshma Komatireddy, 87, Alpharetta, passed away on August 24, 2023. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Then I turn my gaze downstream to see where the water is going, and I wonder what, in this reconfigured landscape, might be around that bend. But I can’t quite make it out. Trees toppled by the storm obscure my view. Yet I’ve fished around that bend before, in other times, before the storm came and shook everything up. I know the shape of the landscape, the broad curve of the channel. Yes, I know that it will be different in the wake of the storm. But I also know that it’ll be okay.

So I turn downstream, walking in the once-familiar channel towards new water, following a streambed that is as comforting as it is brand new.

“Seven!” I hear her call to me, and I smile.

Columnist The Investment Coach

Workforce Development Coordinator is responsible for developing programs and services for NFCC clients and students seeking employment, post-secondary education, or other career options. The workforce development coordinator collaborates with local employers to help match job seekers to open positions. They work directly with clients on the job application, resumes, and interview preparations and provide tips for successfully securing and improving employment to foster financial stability.  Bachelor’s degree in a human services, human resources, or other related field required and 2 years of professional experience in human services, human resources or career counseling preferred.

To view the entire listing visit https://nfcchelp.org/ work-at-nfcc/. To apply, please submit resume to Carol Swan at cswan@nfcchelp.org.

Part-time

Donor Operations Associate

The Donor Operations Associate greets and removes donations from vehicles and sorts merchandise in a designated area.  They are responsible for keeping the merchandise secure, all areas free of debris and the donor door area neat and clean.  This position is the face of NFCC so they are expected to provide excellent customer service and treat each donor with a professional and friendly demeanor.  High school diploma or equivalent preferred. Ability to perform low to moderate facility maintenance tasks.  To view entire listing visit: https://nfcchelp.org/work-atnfcc/  To apply, please complete an application for employment and email to Marten Jallad,  mjallad@nfcchelp.org.

Hall:

Continued from Page 1

“These chefs will progress their original concepts into multi-unit operations growing alongside Politan as the company expands,” officials said. “We’re beyond excited about this.”

Like their Colony Square location, which features the disco-era cocktail lounge Jojo’s Beloved, under Politan Row’s guidance Ashford Hall will debut Benton Bourgeois, a late 1980s—early 1990s theme cocktail concept.

In addition to their Dunwoody and Colony Square locations, Politan Row is also working on another food hall concept in Peachtree Corners at The Forum development, which is expected to open in Summer 2024.

Officials have not announced an opening date for the Dunwoody food hall but say it is expected later this fall.

For updates and more information on this project, visit https://ashfordlane. politanrow.com.

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