Sandy Springs Crier - December 8, 2022

Pillars of Hope raises funds for fight pancreatic cancer

Groups challenge Georgia Power bid for rate hike at state hearing

By DAVE WILLIAMS Capitol Beat

ATLANTA – Georgia Power customers can ill afford a nearly 12 percent rate increase at a time rampant inflation is making it harder to buy food and fuel, more than a dozen witnesses told state energy regulators Nov. 29.

“I’m tired of seeing companies making record profits … when good people working every day are not get ting increases in their wages,” Linda Pritchett, a city council candidate in South Fulton, told members of the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC}. “People simply cannot afford this rate hike.”

Pritchett was among several cur rent and former politicians to address the commission at the start of two days of hearings on Georgia Power’s request to raise the average residen tial customer’s bill by $16.29 a month starting Jan. 1.

Former state Sen. Vincent Fort, DAtlanta, said the rate hike is only the first of several the company is expect

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POLICE BLOTTER

All crime reports published by Appen Media Group are compiled from public records. Neither the law enforcement agencies nor Appen Media Group implies any guilt by publishing these names. None of the persons listed has been convicted of the alleged crimes.

Mother accuses daughter of hijacking accounts

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Sandy Springs responded to a number of reports over the past week.

PUBLIC SAFETY

ments for the business she operates.

Police released no further informa tion.

An apartment resident on Cliftwood Drive notified police Nov. 24 that some one had broken into a storage unit and taken his Trek Marlin 5 bicycle valued at $750. The victim said he noticed the door to the storage unit ajar while taking out the trash. He said he also noticed the lid to one of his storage boxes was open.

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A Sandy Springs woman reported Nov. 25 that her daughter had stolen her personal information and accessed her bank account and cash app. The woman said she checked with her bank and found that her passwords and phone number had been changed.

So far, the daughter is reported to have raided the bank account of more than $10,000, and she has allegedly filled out county paperwork to receive $19,000 to pay rent in the mother’s name.

The mother told police she is worried the daughter will take over her credit ac counts and apply for federal reimburse

Police said a Sandy Springs man walked into police headquarters Nov. 22 to report he’d received harassing com munications and may have been target ed in a swindle scheme.

Police responded to two disorderly conduct reports Nov. 21.

The first incident occurred at an apartment on Roswell Road Nov. 21. Authorities reported the suspect was a woman from Jonesboro. The police report provided no other information about whether anyone was injured or whether the woman was arrested.

Shortly before midnight, police re sponded to a disorderly conduct report at an apartment on Hammond Drive. Again, the report had no information about whether there were any injuries or whether any arrests were made.

Sandy Springs government is declining to release complete incident reports, which are part of the public record and subject to disclosure under Georgia’s Open Records Act. Because of the city’s actions, Appen Media is unable to provide any more information about these events and answer questions about the city’s safety. The situation is ongoing and Appen Media will continue to fight for the release of public information. If you have concerns or tips, contact newsroom@ appenmedia.com.

Police: School shooting report at Cambridge High was a hoax

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

MILTON, Ga. — Police officials say news of an active shooter at Cam bridge High School in Milton Nov. 30 has been deemed a hoax.

Milton Police officers responded to the school off Bethany Road and Ga. 9 on Wednesday after receiving a 911 call from an unknown source claiming

to be a teacher, saying that shots had been fired.

“Milton Police contacted Cambridge High’s administration, which reported no incidents they were aware of, though they did put the school on a hard lockdown,” police said in a state ment.

While the school was in lockdown, police officers completed a sweep of the school and found no indication

that shots had been fired, Milton Po lice Capt. Charles Barstow said.

He said similar threats have been reported at schools across Georgia, including one threat made at a Savan nah school earlier the same day.

Milton Police, in conjunction with the Fulton County School System will continue investigating this event, he said.

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Hike:

ed to bring before the commission in the next two to three years. Together, those increases could drive up rates as much as 45 percent, he said.

“If you vote for this, you’re about to send working people in Georgia into a cri sis,” Fort told commissioners. “Don’t raise these rates on Georgia working people.”

After the public witnesses gave their testimony, representatives of Georgia Power defended the utility’s rate increase request as necessary to make the capital investments required to strengthen the electric grid and maintain quality cus tomer service.

“We operate a capital-intensive busi ness,” said Aaron Abramovitz, Georgia Power’s chief financial officer.

Abramovitz pushed back against recommendations by the PSC’s Public Interest Advocacy Staff to reduce the size of the proposed rate hike. Among other things, the staff is asking the commis sion to lower the return on equity (ROE) Georgia Power is seeking from 11 percent to 9.5 percent.

“Any radical reduction of the compa ny’s requested ROE … would be unprec edented and unwarranted, with such severe changes significantly impairing the

company’s financial integrity and its abil ity to raise capital at a reasonable cost upon reasonable terms for the benefit of customers,” the CFO testified.

The PSC staff also has recommended the commission order Georgia Power to reduce the operation and maintenance costs it can recover from ratepayers and reduce its electrical transmission and distribution investments.

Michael Robinson, vice president of planning, operations, and policy at Geor gia Power, said the company needs to make major investments in its transmis sion and distribution systems to replace aging infrastructure that is up to 70 years old.

“The company cannot delay or take shortcuts in implementing these grid investments,” Abramovitz added.

Dan Walsh, a lawyer representing the PSC staff, objected to Abramovitz’s use of the word “radical” in describing the staff’s proposal to reduce the ROE requested by the company. Walsh said the aver age ROE awarded to utilities across the industry since 2020 is less than 9.5 percent.

The PSC, which held two rounds of hearings on the rate hike request earlier this fall, is scheduled to vote on the rates Dec. 20.

This story is available through a news partnership with Capitol Beat News Service, a project of the Georgia Press Educational Foundation.

select Synovus locations only.

Economic crisis doesn’t wait for the holidays

NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS

Charity assists needy near Perimeter

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — If there were ever a “Jack-of-all trades” charity in Metro Atlanta, it would almost certainly be the Community Assistance Center off Roswell Road in Sandy Springs.

But far from being “a master of none,” the Community Assistance Center has spent the last three decades building a dedicated network of community resources and partnerships to help people during their darkest days, no matter what they might need.

It all started in 1987 when five church congregations came together to form a simple food pantry for community members who were having a hard time making ends meet. Just a small group of neighbors helping neighbors, the charity’s Communications Manager Laura Deupree said.

“These neighbors were just not able to put food on the table,” Deupree said. “So, these five congregations came together, took over the Boy Scout shack at Mount Vernon Presbyterian, and turned it into a food pantry.”

Since then, the organization’s services and reach has grown dramatically, helping thousands of families with food, clothing, financial assistance and education each year. But what hasn’t changed, is the community-led mission that first launched the group.

While the organization only has 18

Community Assistance Center volunteers mark donations that will be distributed to Sandy Springs and Dunwoody through the group’s food pantries.

staff members, Deupree said they see 250 to 450 volunteers each month to help run a number of food pantries in Sandy Springs and Dunwoody, the Community Assistance Center thrift store and offices for financial assistance, adult education and career center.

“That spirit has completely stayed

at the core of what CAC is,” she said. “It’s going from an all-volunteer organization to what we like to call a volunteer-led organization.”

No big crisis spurred the creation of the Community Assistance Center, but throughout the years the charity has faced every sort of challenge imaginable, from recessions and the

housing crisis of 2008 to the COVID-19 pandemic. In each time of crisis, the community stepped forward to make ensure the nonprofit could fulfill it’s mission in the community.

Right now, Deupree said the North Fulton community is facing an “insidious” threat from across-the-

LAURA DEUPREE, Communications Manager, Community Assistance Center

COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE CENTER/PROVIDED

Neighbors:

board increases in the prices of rent, gas, food, which is pushing people to a breaking point.

Rent increases have had the greatest impact, she said, because many of their most vulnerable clients are already living on the edge of what they can afford. Any shift in that balance can be devastating.

“It’s never one thing that goes wrong that completely derails your life,” she said. “It is often a series of things that just keep piling up until you can’t sustain it financially anymore.”

To combat that threat and put clients back on their feet and in a better position from when they started, Deupree said they were able to launch a Career Center last year.

At the CAC Career Center, clients and anyone in the community who needs help, can find higher paying job opportunities, learn new marketable skills, and get resume and interview help. In the short time the career center has been open, the organization has assisted more than 150 people either find a new job, or progress in their career.

“About 80 percent of the clients at the Career Center already have a

full-time job,” she said. “This year just has been really tough on people who normally do not need help.”

One example of the charity’s mission of allowing neighbors to help neighbors is its annual holiday program, which pairs donors with children and families in need to provide personalized Christmas presents.

Like nearly everywhere else, Deupree said they’ve seen a spike in the number of families that need help during the holidays. Out of 1,600 kids registered to receive presents, they’ve been able to pair up about 1,450.

“The need is just up, especially for things that are considered luxuries like holiday gifts, which is a little heartbreaking to think about,” she said.

If you want to help with the Community Assistance Center’s Holiday Adopt-a-Family program, email adoptafamily@ourcac.org.

But beyond the holidays, Deupree said they need help and donations year-round, especially during the summer and other major holidays when people go on vacation and things get lean.

“Economic crisis doesn’t wait for the holidays,” she said.

For details on how donate and learn more about volunteer opportunities with the Community Assistance Center, visit www.ourcac.org.

COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE CENTER/PROVIDED

Community Assistance Center volunteers inventory gift donations for the group’s Holiday Adopt-a-Family program. During the holidays CAC pairs donors and recipi ents to make sure that children in need get presents for Christmas.

Dunwoody reservist praises community for support

By DELANEY TARR delaney@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — After 30 years of service, longtime Dunwoody resident Bill Dyer was promoted to the rank of major general in the U.S Army Reserve at a re cent ceremony in Washington, D.C. Dyer has spent 26 years in the Army Reserve with two combat deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Major general is the highest perma nent peacetime rank in the army. Dyer will command the Army’s 108th training command, leading over 10,000 soldiers in providing initial entry training to fu ture Army members.

Dyer doesn’t take the responsibility lightly.

“Rather than view the rank as a reward, I use it as a tool to accomplish good,” Dyer said.

Across the decades, Dyer has worked his way up in the military. He credits the Dunwoody community with motivating him to this point in his career, especially through difficult combat tours and long periods away from home.

“I was representing people, including my tribe here in Dunwoody,” Dyer said. “That sometimes gave me a little extra boost that I needed to push through a difficult situation or work a little harder

when I was really tired.”

Dyer’s work in the military began after he gradu ated the Virginia Military Institute in 1985 and enlisted with the Air Force as an engineer. After his first tour, Dyer decided to attend law school. The jobs were sparse after graduating.

“A friend sug gested I look at the Army’s legal func tion,” Dyer said. “It seemed like a great opportunity to get experienced quickly.”

Newly married, Dyer signed up for a few years of service and moved to Fort Gordon in Augusta, Georgia. After four years, he joined the Army Reserve for a “more stable existence” for his wife and young daughters. In the Army Reserve, Dyer could hold a “civilian” job and live at home while fulfilling military duties.

The work started off small — a week end here, a summer trip there. Over the years, his military responsibilities grew to the workload of a full-time job. Shortly after moving to Dunwoody, Dyer briefly

considered leaving the military to spend more time at home with his children.

Then came the Sept. 11, 2001, at tacks.

At the time Dyer’s longtime neighbor Rod Warren barely knew the family, but he knew what Dyer would do.

“I asked, ‘When are you going over to Iraq’ before he even told anyone,” Warren said. “I knew he had to go.”

Dyer decided not to leave the mili tary, and instead opted for a combat tour in Iraq.

“I owed it to my country and my family and my community to do these things,” Dyer said.

When Dyer deployed to Iraq, he had to leave his family behind. Dyer said his wife became a single parent overnight.

“I couldn’t imagine for his wife, Jill, having to be in a new house with two little kids in a new neighborhood,” long time neighbor Sharon Hobby said.

Thankfully, the Dunwoody commu nity came together to help the family. Dyer recalls the way neighbors and new friends rallied around his family, ensur ing Jill could take breaks and his daugh ters could participate in family-oriented events. Warren even acted as a father figure to Dyer’s daughters in the early days of his combat tour.

“A lot of times we would put together

baskets to send, like care packages,” Hobby said.

When he came home from a combat tour, the neighborhood lined the street with yellow ribbons. When he was pro moted to major general, they decorated his driveway with American flags.

“Things randomly like, the trash cans at the bottom of the street would get taken to the house,” Dyer said. “The little things like that were just remarkable.”

Warren sees the community support as a given.

“It’s important that we support the military so that they can support us,” Warren said.

Still, Hobby said that even with Dyer’s work commitments, the family is a consistent presence in the community.

“They would always find time to vol unteer to host a cookout for the neigh borhood,” Hobby said. “So just super generous with their time to the commu nity as well as in the service, which I just found so admirable.”

For Dyer, it’s important that the sup port run both ways. It’s why he’s stayed in Dunwoody for so long.

“This just became our family,” Dyer said. “Dunwoody is not just the people who live in my neighborhood, it’s the broader community. It’s the friends we have across Dunwoody.”

DYER

City leaders begin deep dive into revitalizing Dunwoody Village

By DELANEY TARR delaney@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Members of the City Council and Dunwoody Development Authority put their heads together Nov. 30 to map out first steps in transforming Dunwoody Village into a more walkable and livable community focal point.

Drawing from the revised Dunwoody Village Master Plan, officials focused on identifying projects to reinvigorate the array of commercial spaces that the city calls “The Heart of Dunwoody.”

Dunwoody Village is a neighborhood of shops, offices and residences along Chamblee Dunwoody Road near Mt. Vernon Road.

The original Dunwoody Village Master Plan was created in 2011 through a Livable Centers Initiative grant through the Atlanta Regional Commission. LCI grants provide funds to revitalize areas into self-sustaining communities offering a mix of amenities for work, shopping, entertainment and dwelling.

The plan, last updated in 2020, is designed for communities to become more walkable and pedestrian friendly, with a focus on reinvigoration.

Dunwoody officials stressed that public opinion is essential to forming Dunwoody’s

future.

“There was robust public comment in developing the plan,” Dunwoody Communications Director Jennifer Boettcher said. “Now these leaders are using that document to implement it.”

The meeting focused on implementation strategies for the master plan with a focus on results from a 2018 survey regarding the area’s architectural and design style. The survey was conducted by Historical Concepts, an architecture and planning firm in Atlanta. The survey drew more than 1,800 responses.

Dunwoody Economic Development Director Michael Starling said Dunwoody

Village previously had a style reminiscent of Williamsburg, Va., with red-brick and minimal aesthetic variety.

“We felt we needed to move away from that design,” Starling said.

The survey results showed a particular interest in the style of Canton Street in Roswell and Avalon in Alpharetta, both significant commercial hubs.

Following the survey, Dunwoody officials updated the zoning code to allow more freedom in architecture and design.

At the Nov. 30 meeting, councilmembers and Development Authority board members discussed which elements of Canton Street and Avalon

were best suited to the plan for Dunwoody Village.

“(The meeting) was a starting conversation on how we move to the next step,” Starling said.

In the past few years, the city has made infrastructure improvements, like adding street trees and widening sidewalks.

Dunwoody has also seen growth in the dining scene, with the opening of multiple new food spots, including the stationary Funwoody Food Truck.

Officials at the meeting discussed a need for more commercial spaces and walkable areas. They also highlighted green spaces, parking and a possible nature trail as key areas of focus. They also stressed the need for immediate steps as well as long-term goals.

“It’s sort of a beginning stage, but there’s not really an end in sight,” Starling said. “It’s sort of a constant process all communities go through.”

Starling said that the Dunwoody Devel opment Authority will take key points from the Nov. 30 discussion and draw up an action report with clear guidance. Starling said he anticipates more joint meetings as they develop implementation plans.

“More is to come in the Village,” Starling said. “We’re focused on how we keep that momentum and what’s next.”

DELANEY TARR/APPEN MEDIA

Councilmembers and Development Authority Board members brainstorm pros and cons of existing city centers like Canton Street in Roswell.

Taking time to reflect

Year-end holidays and the coming New Year bring back memories of fam ily times, and the opportunity to make new ones. We can all take a moment to reflect on what we are grateful for and take stock of what life has bought our way. It’s a good time to stop and consider changes that may have oc curred within our family structure due to the advancing needs, health or recuperative challenges of older loved ones.

Life can get complicated as we age, and the impact on a spouse, siblings, children or family members can also be life changing. Perhaps you live in another state and are worried about your loved one’s well-being but aren’t close enough to help. Alternatively, you live nearby and find yourself in the midst of filling a caregiving role that can be extremely hard to man age both mentally and physically. Balancing parental or spousal needs and your own needs can often have compelling and competing emotions and commitments. The relationships and family dynamics we knew are forever altered, and without a plan of care that is thoughtfully created it can be difficult and stressful for both you and your loved ones.

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Dunwoody UMC, Tebow Foundation to present special needs prom night

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody United Methodist and the Tim Tebow Foundation will host the Night of Shine Feb. 10, celebrating local individuals with special needs with an in-person prom night experience.

Church officials announced this week that the event will be held at the church as part of worldwide movement to change how cultures embrace people with disabilities and rally the community around people with special needs.

“We are blessed to be able to host this community event,” Dunwoody UMC Senior Pastor Phil Schroeder said. “If you want to see and experience joy, come be a part of the Night to Shine.”

Every guest at the Night of Shine will receive a red-carpet welcome, with a friendly crowd and paparazzi. Inside, they’ll be treated at hair and makeup stations, shoe shine areas, limousine

rides, corsages and boutonnieres, a catered dinner, karaoke, prom favors, a dance floor, all leading up to the moment when each guest is crowned king or queen of the prom.

The Night to Shine launched in 2015 with 44 host churches and 15,000 volunteers honoring more than 7,000 kings and queens of the prom. In February 2020, 721 host churches and 215,000 volunteers came together to celebrate 110,000 honored guests with special needs.

Over the last two years the Night to Shine has endured through the COVID-19 pandemic with virtual experiences and socially distanced drive-thru events. But now, group founders say they are back and stronger than ever.

“I’m so excited Night to Shine 2023 will be back in-person,” Tim Tebow, founder of the Tim Tebow Foundation said. “All around the

Individuals with special needs walk down the red carpet during the Night of Shine hosted by Dunwoody United Methodist and the Tim Tebow Foundation. The annual prom is back in full swing following several years of virtual and socially distanced events.

world, individuals with special needs are going to be celebrated like they should be.”

For more information about

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Dunwoody UMC’s Night to Shine event visit dunwoodyumc.org/night-toshine/.

A rendering shows the proposed update to Dunwoody Veterans Memorial at Brook Run Park. To kick off the renovation efforts, DeKalb County Commissioner Robert Patrick has allocated $100,000 from his district discretionary funds.

Dunwoody launches revitalization of Brook Run veterans memorial

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Planning efforts are underway to revitalize Dunwoody Veterans Memorial at Brook Run Park.

During a 2022 Memorial Day Ceremony earlier this year, a concept plan to upgrade the memorial was unveiled by the City of Dunwoody’s Department of Parks and Recreation. The city has committed to the legacy and to working with DeKalb County to continue honoring men and women in uniform through their annual Memorial Day and Veterans Day events, held at the memorial for all DeKalb County veterans.

However, city officials would like to re-imagine the memorial for a more engaging, modern and approachable experience for veterans, their families and the public as a space to reflect on the sacrifices our veterans have made.

To kick off the renovation efforts,

DeKalb County Commissioner Robert Patrick allocated $100,000 from his district discretionary funds, recognizing the importance of keeping the memorial as an attraction and sacred space for veterans in DeKalb County and across Metro Atlanta.

According to the proposed rendering, the roof and glass of the existing building would be removed. The existing brick columns would remain but will be clad in granite with an overhead steel ring encircling the columns with extended arms representing a salute.

The monuments representing the six branches of the U.S. Military would also remain and the engraved ceremonial bricks would be relocated to the walkway approaching the memorial. Spotlights will illuminate the memorial at night to enhance its sense of place and importance.

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DUNWOODY UMC/PROVIDED

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THIS HOLIDAY SEASON TIP YOUR NEWSPAPER DELIVERY PERSON

This holiday season, consider giving your newspaper delivery person a tip for their weekly delivery of the free community newspaper to your driveway. These folks work hard to make sure you are informed of all the local happenings, rain or shine, week in and week out. Importantly, at Appen Media, we have always been intentional about our desire to keep delivery of our newspapers free. That said, it would mean the world to us if you would consider tipping your newspaper delivery person so that they will have a little extra money for the holiday season.

If you can help us help these amazing people, we promise to keep delivering high quality news to your driveway, for free, every week. Free home delivery of 105,000 homes is hard work –and we couldn’t do it without our amazing delivery folks.

How you can give your delivery person a tip:

We have created an online portal at www.appenmedia.com/deliverytip.

100% of every dollar you contribute will be spread out evenly between the 24 newspaper delivery people that Appen Media employs. Whether you give $5 or $50, they will greatly appreciate it.

If you prefer, you can also mail a check made out to “Appen Media Group C/O Newspaper Delivery Tip” to 319 North Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009.

Cancer nonprofit raises nearly $1 million in ’22

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Purple Pansies founder Maria Fundora says that No vember, Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, has been a success, marking more than $4 million raised by her group for cancer research and support of local families.

“The last two years, 2020 and 2021, we’ve been able to raise over a million dollars for our nonprofit,” Fundora said. And in September, Purple Pansies held its 13th annual Pillars of Hope Gala, raising $850,000 in one evening, she said.

Fundora founded Purple Pansies in 2009, after her mother’s death from pancreatic cancer. From that moment on, Fundora committed herself to rais ing awareness for pancreatic cancer, which has the highest mortality rate of all major cancers.

“I lost her three months after diag nosis and I could not just sit still,” she said. “I had to do something.”

The American Cancer Society says that over 1,800 new cases of pancreatic cancer were diagnosed in 2022, and 1,450 pancreatic cancer deaths were

reported.

What makes pancreatic cancer so deadly is that it can’t be detected eas ily and often is in its late stages before symptoms appear, Fundora said.

“It’s a very slow growing cancer, you could have pancreatic cancer for 10 years and not know you have this cancer growing inside of you,” she said.

“So, it is very hard to detect. Usually when they find it early, it’s because they’re looking for something else.”

Purple Pansies holds events throughout the year to raise money and awareness, because most people aren’t familiar with pancreatic cancer or how it affects people in the community. But in November, the group steps those

projects into overdrive, partnering with local businesses and using Fundora’s restaurant, Casa Nuova, to host events.

“We need the dollars for research to be able to come up with one easy, early detection piece, like they have a mam mogram for breast cancer,” she said.

They also donate a lot of funding for medical clinical trials, but one of the most important parts of their funding goes toward scholarships and donations for families that are facing an immedi ate need.

“This is the second year that we have rolled out our scholarship pro gram for students that their guard ian, or their family member is facing a pancreatic cancer diagnosis,” she said. “The stories that you hear from some of these kids are just heartbreaking.”

And if Fundora is right, since 2009 when she founded Purple Pansies, the work of her group and others like it has had a noticeable impact on the outcomes for those facing a pancreatic cancer diagnosis.

In the past 13 years, Fundora said the pancreatic cancer survival rate has risen from 2 percent to 14 percent.

“Maybe it doesn’t sound like great, but it’s a huge progress,” she said.

PURPLE PANSIES/PROVIDED Maria Fundora, founder of the pancreatic cancer nonprofit Purple Pansies, speaks to a crowd at the 13th annual Pillars of Hope Gala hosted Sept. 19. The group used the event to raise more than $850,000 for pancreatic cancer research and support of local families affected by the disease.

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Opened: October 2022 Address: 160 N Main St, Alpharetta, GA 30009

Phone: 678-436-5308 Website: dutchcrafters.com/

Description: Lean Kitchen provides convenient, delicious meals for on-thego. Our mission is to save you time and money by offering you prepared meals that are healthy, fresh, and never frozen. Your diet is the most important part of achieving your goals.

Opened: October 2022

Address: 4905 Alabama Rd #140, Ro swell, GA, 30075

Phone: 770-609-6747

Website: https://leankitchenroswell. bottle.com

Just opened?

Appen Media publishes New Busi ness Spotlights to highlight local businesses as they get started. Submit yours for free at appenme dia.com/newbusiness.

Business: Lean Kitchen

Owner: Jay Johnson

CALENDAR

JUST FOR FUN:

THE NUTCRACKER BY ATLANTA DANCE THEATRE

LOCAL

HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR BY NORTH GEORGIA SCHOOL OF BALLET

What: Celebrate the season with Holiday Spectacular, presented by North Georgia School of Ballet. This performance will feature beauti ful classical ballerinas, joyful jazz and tap performers, festive hip hop dancers and elegant modern dancers.

When: Sunday, Dec. 18, 6 p.m.

Where: Byers Theatre, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs Cost: $25-35 More info: sandyspringsga.gov

COMMUNITY:

HOLIDAY ARTIST’S MARKET

What: Searching for the perfect gift for that special person? The Holiday Artist’s Market is filled with handcrafted items by local Georgia Artists. From jewelry to silk scarves to ceramics to greeting cards, this thoughtfully curated collec tion is sure to please.

When: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. & Saturdays, 10 a.m.- 2 p.m., Dec. 2-23 Where: Johns Creek Art Center, 6290 Abbotts Bridge Road Bldg. 700, Johns Creek

More info: johnscreekarts.org

DUNWOODY FARMERS MARKET

What: The Dunwoody Farmers Market brings together a variety of vendors sell ing local and organic fruits, veggies and produce, coffee, breakfast, baked goods, prepared meals, frozen treats, eggs, grass-fed meat and fresh seafood. When: Saturday, Dec. 10 & Dec. 17, 9 a.m. -12 p.m.

Where: Brook Run Park, 4770 North Peachtree Road, Dunwoody More info: dunwoodyga.gov

VINTAGE GARDEN TREATS & TEA WORKSHOP

What: Join naturalist Katie Hendrick son for a festive morning workshop where you will create fresh garden teas and taste heritage treats prepared with heirloom ingredients like gingerbread, rose petal jam, and local honey. This fun and educational workshop for adults is served in a vintage friendship tea party setting.

When: Monday, Dec. 12, 10-11:30 a.m. Where: Dunwoody Nature Center, 5343 Roberts Drive, Dunwoody Cost: $30

More info: dunwoodynature.org

VINTAGE SOUL, MODERN VIBES: INTUITIVE BOOK COLLAGE, OPENING RECEPTION

What: Vintage Soul, Modern Vibes is an exhibit and sale with an Intuitive

Book Collage by Megan Reeves William son. Williamson is an art instructor of Roswell’s creative art programs at the Visual Art Center. The exhibition runs Dec. 13-16 and Jan. 3-13. When: Friday, Dec. 9, 6-8:30 p.m. Where: Roswell Visual Art Center, 10495 Woodstock Road, Roswell

LEARN AND LEAD: WINTER BIRDING

What: Join Master Birder Rose Guerra as she guides you through the Nature Center trails and helps you to identify the birds present at this time of year. This program is great for beginners and experienced birders alike. This program is for ages 13 and up. Some terrain may be rocky and/or uneven. Please let the Nature Center know of accessibility con cerns, as this program can be modified for ADA accessibility. Some binoculars will be available to borrow. Registration is required.

When: Saturday, Dec. 17, 8-10 a.m. Where: Dunwoody Nature Center, 5343 Roberts Drive, Dunwoody Cost: Free for members, $10 for non members

More info: dunwoodynature.org

HANUKKAH CELEBRATION

What: This unique and engaging pro gram will offer educational and fun STEM activities for both preschoolers and older children to get in the Hanuk kah spirit. Activities come from Georgia Tech University and Emory University STEM programs, URJ 6 Points Sci-Tech Academy, Snapology of Smyrna, Nur ture from The Davis Academy and more. The event will conclude with the light ing of the menorah for the first night of Hanukkah.

When: Sunday, Dec. 18, 2-4:30 p.m. Where: MJCCA Zaban Park, 5342 Tilly Mill Rd, Dunwoody Cost: $10

More info: Learn more and register at atlantajcc.org/science. For questions, contact kelly.cohen@atlantajcc.org

What: At a grand Christmas Eve party Clara receives a beautiful Nutcracker from her Godfather Drosselmeyer. But when the clock strikes midnight strange things begin to happen. Clara and her Nutcracker Prince battle the Rat Queen, travel through the magical snow forest and enjoy the amazing, confectionary celebration with the Sugar Plum Fairy in the Land of Sweets. Is it magic or all just a dream?

When: Friday-Saturday, Dec. 9-11, times vary

Where: Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forrest St, Roswell Cost: $24.50-32.50

More Info: roswellgov.com

WINTER PUPPET SERIES: TROUBLE IN TOYLAND WITH LEE BRYAN

What: Oh no! It’s Christmas Eve — but the toys aren’t finished, the elves are on strike, Santa has lost his laugh, and Rudolph has a runny nose. Will we have to cancel Christmas? Of course not! This show brings hilarious holiday hijinx to the stage that is fun for the whole fam ily.

When: Thursday-Saturday, Dec. 15-17, times vary

Where: Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forrest St, Roswell

Cost: $10, ages 2 and under are free More info: roswellgov.com

THE GRINCH REMIXED

What: The magic of the beloved Dr. Seuss classic “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” comes to the stage. Join The Grinch, Max, Cindy Lu Who and all the dancing characters help the Grinch find the true meaning of Christmas.

When: Saturday, Dec. 17, 3 p.m. & 7 p.m.

Where: Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forrest St, Roswell Cost: $15 More info: roswellgov.com

HOLLY DOLLY CHRISTMAS WITH KATIE DEAL

What: Holly Dolly Christmas is a con cert event that celebrates the spirit of country music legend, Dolly Parton. Katie Deal delivers a touching and joyful evening of music with songs from Dolly’s Christmas albums, famous duets and much more.

When: Sunday, Dec. 18, 7 p.m.

Where: Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forrest St, Roswell

Cost: $40 for adults, $35 for seniors, student, military More info: (770) 594-6232, roswellgov. com

OPINION

1978 Crier holds treasured memories

the church was across the road.

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF

Charlie and Myr tice Lee Lloyd mar ried on Christmas Eve, 1922. The story of their life and mar riage were preserved in a Dec. 21, 1978, Dunwoody Crier when Arden Stra bane interviewed and wrote about the couple in “A Life Shared and Times Remembered.” Archives of the Dun woody Crier going back to 1977 are maintained by Dunwoody Preservation Trust at Donaldson-Bannister Farm.

In 1978, the couple had been mar ried 56 years, but Charlie remembered well the day they met. It was 1920, and he was walking down Winters Chapel Road when he ran into two cousins and a brown-haired young woman named Myrtice Lee Loyd. His family owned a farm on Winters Chapel Road where North Atlanta Memorial Park is now located. Her family lived in the Grogan’s District of Milton County.

Charlie immediately thought this was the woman he would marry. The couple married two years later. Myrtice wore a brown dress with an embroi dered cape for the small ceremony which took place at the Dunwoody Methodist Church parsonage. The parsonage sat where Dunwoody United Methodist Church is now located, and

That night the couple stayed at the home of Charlie’s parents, Jesse and Eliza Spruill Blackburn. Charlie’s friend Calvin Eidson decided to play a trick on the newlyweds, setting off two sticks of dynamite outside their window and shouting, “I’m shot.” When Charlie went outside to investigate, Eidson and other friends took Charlie down the road half a mile. He had to walk home barefoot on that freezing December night.

Charlie’s grandparents were Frank lin Blackburn and Malinda Rudisill Blackburn, who moved from Dawson County, Georgia, to Cross Keys in DeKalb County. They lived near Silver Lake at Oglethorpe University. Their house was on land where an old jug factory was located. Pots and other clay products were manufactured there.

His maternal grandparents were Mary Jane Copeland Spruill and Cal houn Spruill. They owned a farm on Chamblee Dunwoody Road, across the road and south of Dunwoody Elemen tary School.

Charlie and Myrtice Blackburn had many happy memories, but they also told of the hard work involved in operating the farm. There was plowing, digging ditches, picking and bailing cotton, tending the vegetable garden and feeding livestock. They worked not only on the farm of Charlie’s parents,

Charlie and Myrtice Blackburn as they appeared in a December 1978 issue of the Dunwoody Crier. They had been mar ried almost 56 years.

but also at his grandparents, Calhoun and Mary Jane Spruill.

In addition to keeping the house clean, Myrtice did the laundry, which involved standing outside over a pot of boiling water, washing, wringing and hanging clothes up to dry. Myrtice was

DEATH NOTICES

Robert Cichocki, 64, of Alpharetta, passed away on November 26, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Robert Clifton, 90, of Roswell, passed away on November 26, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Betsy Coble, 77, of Dunwoody, passed away on November 18, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Chad Jason Fields, 49, of Cumming, passed away November 15, 2022. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral & Crematory.

Marlene Joiner, 87, of Roswell, passed away on November 19, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Theresa Lenich, 87, of Roswell, passed away on November 26, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Garland Loudermilk, 91, of Alpharetta, passed away on November 15, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Marlene Mahotiere, 82, of Roswell, passed away on November 19, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Lena McGuyer, 87, of Alpharetta, passed away on November 26, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Mariellen Naegele, 95, of Alpharetta, passed away on November 18, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Paul Scholfield, 81, of Milton, passed away on November 16, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Michael Smith, 62, of Johns Creek, passed away on November 17, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

the oldest of five children and only 5 years old when her mother died. She was accustomed to hard work.

A fun childhood memory for both Charlie and Myrtice was playing town ball. Children could play town ball year-round after their chores were completed. The ball was a tightly wound yarn ball, sometimes made from an old, unraveled sock. A wooden plank served as the bat. Charlie ex plained the game, saying you had to hit the runner with the ball to get them out. “After that ball had laid out in the rain for a while, it sure did get hard, and it hurt when you got hit.”

The couple later bought their own home on Chamblee Dunwoody Road and lived there for 25 years before moving to Pitts Road. After they sold the property, Blackburn was sad to see the house torn down to make way for a Southern Bell office.

He worked for the Chamblee Fire Department for many years and at Thompson’s Grocery at the southwest corner of Mount Vernon Road and Chamblee Dunwoody Road.

In the next Past Tense, I’ll share Charlie and Myrtice Blackburn’s mem ories of Christmas in Dunwoody.

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

Brian Spandau, 32, of Roswell, passed away on November 22, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Harold Vogel, 79, of Roswell, passed away on November 22, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Barbara Whalley, 86, of Alpharetta, passed away on November 19, 2022.

Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Reba Wright, 90, of Milton, passed away on November 14, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

PROVIDED

Around and around we continue to go

It hardly seems possible, but little over a decade ago, there were no roundabouts in Metro Atlanta.

overnight flight overseas, in which I enjoyed no sleep, I rented a car at the Shannon, Ireland, airport. The car had a steering wheel on the right and a four-onthe-floor gear shift on the left.

Gary, who lived in Cumming, took up his mother’s fight, arguing the project would lower nearby property values and lower his mother’s quality of life.

PAT FOX Managing Editor pat@appenmedia.com

Today, you can’t gather a head of steam without coming across one. They’re everywhere.

I have one in my driveway.

Governments love roundabouts because they save on the cost of traffic signals which can run anywhere between $80,000 to half a million dollars. That doesn’t include the expense of signal maintenance and diverting police to run traffic control when a light malfunctions.

For a roundabout, all you need is someone who can draw a circle, perform some engineering, a bit of land, and bam!

Traffic experts praise roundabouts for safety.

A 2020 report from the Georgia Department of Transportation reported that where roundabouts have replaced traditional intersections, accidents of all types declined 35 percent, while accidents resulting in injuries fell 60 percent.

Outside the safety and cost benefits, roundabouts also provide a donut hole, a sort of island refuge filled with pretty flowers, trees or other interesting things you can enjoy as you drive by.

Down in Sandersville, Ga., you can actually see a freight train running through the middle of the roundabout, and you can orbit a bronzed horse on the Mayfield Road roundabout in Milton.

A groggy introduction

My first encounter with roundabouts came some 30 years ago. Following an

I am right-handed.

After a quick run-through in the parking lot, I pulled out onto the freeway and settled in. Then, in less than a few miles, there it was – like that monster wave in “The Perfect Storm” – a two-lane roundabout. I had no idea what it was. Nothing I could do but dive headfirst into it.

I went around and around and around before figuring out how to extricate myself. I pulled into a gas station to collect my wits and surveil the anomaly.

After a while, I figured it out and continued my journey.

The first roundabout in North Fulton County opened in Roswell in 2012, and it created a furor. I was there at the ribbon cutting, and it’s an interesting story.

Roswell Transportation Director Steve Acenbrak introduced the project as a way of relieving the ghastly rush-hour gridlock at Grimes Bridge Road and Norcross Street, which up till then had been a fourway stop.

Acenbrak told me later he faced a storm of criticism from residents opposed to the contraption, and I have no doubt there were some on the City Council who felt the same. A petition with 100 names was presented to the City Council opposing the project.

It’s important to note, though, how the city went about completing the project.

Listening to residents

One of the most strident opponents was 104-year-old Mattie Smith, who had lived on the southwest corner of the intersection for 30 years. Smith’s son,

After weeks of negotiations, the city decided to buy the home for $180,000 and let the elderly Smith rent for as long as she liked. It also offered to extend a berm along the corner and install a privacy fence.

Throughout the negotiations, Acenbrak told me he and the city were committed to avoiding imposing eminent domain to obtain use of the Smith property through litigation.

Two weeks into construction, Mattie Smith died.

Another resident with property at stake was Barney Burroughs, who told me at the time that he worried construction would damage several historic willow oaks on his lot and impede access to his driveway.

The matter was settled when the city agreed to pay $55,000 to move his driveway and modify the house to reorient the garage. It also hired an arborist to prepare the trees for the construction.

Not long after traffic began flowing through the roundabout, public sentiment changed, and Acenbrak became known on the street as “The Roundabout Man.”

“I’ve never gotten a thank-you note before,” he told me at the time. “People stop me in the grocery store and tell me how much they like it.”

Maybe that’s because of how Roswell treated its residents.

The city originally budgeted $1.4 million for the project, but it came in at about $771,000, counting a $200,000 water line relocation paid for through grant money.

Sometimes, paying extra for some good will can be a bargain.

ALPHARETTA-ROSWELL HERALD | FORSYTH HERALD | JOHNS CREEK HERALD | MILTON HERALD DUNWOODY CRIER | SANDY SPRINGS CRIER

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