It’s not every day when people my age get a chance to experience a “first,” except, perhaps, “my first knee replacement” or other aging-related horrors.
But this is an exciting inaugural event - my first column (and issue) as managing editor of Reporter Newspapers. Being a registered and card-carrying member of the imposter syndrome club, I am waiting for the powers that be to realize what a terrible mistake they made (before I have a chance to prove it).
In the meantime, let’s talk about the February issue, and the interesting news it contains. The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival is celebrating its 25th anniversary with renewed energy and an eye on the future with its new capital campaign. Logan C. Ritchie met with AJFF Executive Director Kenny Blank and wrote a great story about the festival’s past, present and future. Our associate editor Sammie Purcell weighed in on the 10 AJFF films she’s excited to see.
This issue also contains a comprehensive report by reporter Sarra Sedghi on the top six hot pot restaurants to try (pictured right), along with an indepth analysis of the different ingredients and preparation methods unique to East
VITALITY THRIVES IN COMMUNITY.
Every day, a
mingling of community
& inspiring experiences. Every moment,
Asian cultures.
Our city pages will keep you informed about government machinations in Brookhaven, Buckhead, Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, and Tucker and the impact it will have on people in those communities.
This month’s issue focuses on the drama surrounding a controversial proposal to close Spalding Drive Elementary School in Sandy Springs and information about a reduction in vehicle thefts, homicides, robberies, and property crimes in Atlanta.
It also contains heartwarming stories about two strangers coming together to help a paralyzed firefighter and a tribute to a beloved rabbi whose humor helped thousands of people get through tough times.
Programming note and confession: I love holding a printed publication in my hand. Turning the pages, looking at the pictures, re-reading articles, as I glean a new bit of information or different nuance in the text - it’s delicious.
However, I realize that I am one of a dwindling number of consumers who prefer to become informed using something that doesn’t beep, buzz, or update minute-by-minute the “news” of
the world.
The reality is that the printed word is not a sustainable forum for those who want to be fully informed in a timely manner.
However, I don’t think that this product is obsolete if we position it correctly. We curate our Reporter Newspapers content so that you can catch up on the news you may have missed, or take the time to do a deep dive into a subject that involves careful analysis and thought.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
10 films to watch at this year’s AJFF
By Sammie Purcell
This year’s Atlanta Jewish Film Festival (AJFF), which marks the festival’s 25th anniversary, includes 50 features and 14 short films. With so many movies to choose from, it can be difficult to know where to start.
The festival starts Feb. 19 and runs through March 16, so you still have plenty of time to get your viewing schedule settled. But if you need some help figuring out what to see, here are 10 movies that I’m looking forward to.
case, it was catastrophic. “From Darkness to Light” includes new behind the scenes footage about the making of Lewis’ failed Holocaust film called “The Day the Clown Cried.” The movie starred Lewis (who also directed the film) as a German clown imprisoned by Nazis and manipulated into leading Jewish children to the gas chambers. Lewis was pretty embarrassed by this whole endeavor and never really talked about the project, so I’m excited for this documentary to shed new light on a lost point of Hollywood history.
“Full Support” (dir. Michal Cohen, Documentary Feature)
In a bra shop, all are created equal. Michal Cohen’s documentary “Full Support” centers on a boutique bra shop in Jaffa, exploring the connections between the women who shop there – women of different shapes, sizes and backgrounds. My hope is this documentary doesn’t just focus on the connections, but the divisions that foster the need for that connection in the first place. I think that will make the bonds that arise all the more powerful.
“Eid” comes from Bedouin filmmaker Yousef Abo Madegem, and follows its titular character (played by Shadi Mar’i) as he grapples with artistic freedom, childhood trauma, and an unwanted arranged marriage. The film did well at the Jerusalem Film Festival, and for his performance Mar’i was awarded Best Actor at the Israeli Academy Awards – one of the few Arab-Israeli actors to do so. I don’t want to give away too much about the story here, but this movie’s themes are complex and thorny, and I’m excited to see how Madegem portrays them on screen.
“From Darkness to Light” (dir. Eric Friedler and Michael Lurie, Documentary Feature)
Throughout his decades-long career, Jerry Lewis earned himself the moniker “The King of Comedy.” But as all comedians know, not every endeavor to make folks laugh is a successful one. In this
“Tatami” (dir. Zar Amir Ebrahimi and Guy Nattiv, Narrative Feature)
Billed as both a sports movie and political thriller, “Tatami” centers on an Iranian judo athlete (Arienne Mandi) who is ordered by the Iranian government to forfeit her match against an Israeli competitor. The film is co-directed by Israeli filmmaker Guy Nattiv and Iranian filmmaker Zar Amir Ebrahimi, and it will be interesting to see how “Tatami” handles issues of human rights and women’s liberation in both countries.
“Charles Grodin: Rebel with a Cause” (dir. James L. Freedman, Documentary Feature)
From “Midnight Run,” to “The Heartbreak Kid,” to “The Great Muppet Caper,” Charles Grodin delivered laughs upon laughs to audiences throughout his long career. The actor passed away in 2021, but his legacy lives on with “Charles Grodin: Rebel with a Cause.” Grodin’s signature brand of humor was a brand all his own. I’m not sure what to expect beyond a tribute to a wonderful actor, but as long as there’s a treasure trove of clips to enjoy, I don’t see how I could have a bad time with this.
“Ain’t No Back to a Merry-GoRound” (dir. Ilana Trachtman, Documentary Feature)
This documentary from filmmaker Ilana Trachtman follows a lesser-known pressure point in the American Civil Rights movement – the struggle at Glen Echo Amusement Park in Maryland. continued on page 8
Shadi Mar’i in “Eid,” which is playing at the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival in 2025. (Photo by Edan Sasson)
“Full Support” centers on a boutique bra shop in Jaffa. (Courtesy of AJFF)
In the summer of 1960, students from Howard University and members of a Jewish community nearby joined forces, picketing outside of the theme park’s gates and demanding integration. When we talk about the Civil Rights movement, the same names tend to come up over and over again. I’m interested in how this documentary will bring new names to the table who haven’t necessarily had their stories told.
“Riefenstahl” (dir. Andres Veiel, Documentary Feature)
Leni Riefenstahl is perhaps the most controversial director in film history, her work lauded for its innovation, but also one of the signature examples of German propaganda during the Nazi era. This documentary explores Riefenstahl’s legacy, in particular her later attempts to cover up her work with the Nazis. Besides the basics, I don’t know too much about Riefenstahl, and I’ve never seen any of her work. I can’t wait to see what context and new information this movie provides.
“The Most Precious of Cargoes” (dir. Michel Hazanavicius, Narrative Feature)
This movie follows a Polish couple who take in a Jewish baby after the child is cast off from an Auschwitz-bound train. The story then cuts back and forth between
the couple as they try to hide the existence of the child, and the child’s father’s experiences in the infamous death camp. This film features hand-drawn animation, which I have a real soft spot for, as well as a score from the wonderful Alexandre Desplat (“Little Women,” “The Grand Budapest Hotel.”)
“Midas Man” (dir. Joe Stephenson, Narrative Feature)
Following a chaotic production period that started in November of 2019, “Midas Man,” a biopic about Brian Epstein (Jacob Fortune-Lloyd), is finally here. Epstein
managed The Beatles and was often called “the fifth Beatle,” helping the band along their meteoric rise to stardom. In addition to the pressures of his professional life, Epstein was also gay and kept that part of his life a secret from the public. I don’t know how much of Epstein’s life will be covered in this film, but I hope it attempts to step outside of the conventional biopic in whatever ways it can.
“The Spoils” (dir. Jamie Kastner, Documentary Feature)
In 2018, a planned tribute to Max Stern – A German-born, Jewish art
AMaiseh.
collector who fled Nazi persecution in the 1930s – at the Düsseldorf City Museum was postponed. What followed was a years-long dispute over ownership of stolen works. Nazis stealing artwork is a fairly well-known aspect of the Nazi era and World War II, but Jamie Kastern’s documentary focuses on the legal battles and ethical questions that emerged decades after the fact. I’m fascinated to see how the documentary explores modern solutions for this historical wrong.
The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival will run from Feb. 19 to March 16. You can purchase tickets at ajff.org
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Actual residents walking their dog in the gardens.
A scene from “Midas Man.” (Photo courtesy of AJFF)
AJFF’s Kenny Blank reflects on 25th anniversary
By Logan C. Ritchie
As the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival (AJFF) gears up for its 25th anniversary, its executive director Kenny Blank said that the organization has become more than an annual screening of Jewish films and accompanying discussions; it now offers year-round programming and support for filmmaking.
Blank has led the Jewish arts-andculture nonprofit for 20 years, taking it from a modest film series to the globallyrecognized festival that it is today.
When Cookie Shapiro approached her fellow board members at the advocacy organization American Jewish Committee 25 years ago, she recognized an opportunity to advance their work
for the Jewish community and beyond,” said Blank.
Another pivotal moment happened just a few years ago. The COVID-19 shutdown had forced the world into isolation in March of 2020, just after the festival wrapped. In early 2021, AJFF offered virtual and drive-in screenings, but the concept of sitting in a car fell short of a movie theater experience. So, a mini festival was introduced in August of 2021– AJFF North.
“Formative moments over the years have kept us working, engaging, challenging, and given us opportunities to grow,” Blank said. “As you look back at the history of the festival, it is tied to the history of the Atlanta Jewish community, tied to global events, tied to what’s happening in our society, tied to the film industry and how it’s evolved over the years. Through the lens of AJFF, we can see a lot of our own history as a community, and as a society.”
and mission through the power of film and cinematic storytelling. Shapiro had the foresight to bring a Jewish film festival – which had been sprouting up all around the world – to Atlanta.
According to Blank, 20 years ago AJFF was a “mom-and-pop operation” led by founding director Judy Marx that catered to a select group of Jewish Atlantans. Blank started as a volunteer, fell in love with the project, and the festival organically began to grow.
Blank became its first full-time festival director in 2005. In 2014, AJFF split from the American Jewish Committee “to produce it to its full potential.” It was one of many pivotal moments in the organization’s history. AJFF began programming year-round events beyond the annual flagship festival, expanding its reach.
“It allowed us to begin to realize our full potential as not just a film festival that was seen by the broader community, but as an arts and cultural celebration
for the future? Not just take stock and celebrate all we’ve achieved over 25 years, but to redefine our vision for the future.”
AJFF will be announcing changes throughout 2025. The capital campaign will help to establish a new filmmaker fund; make the festival accessible to all audiences regardless of physical mobility, economics, or sensory accommodations; and lean into conversations with different ethnic, religious, and cultural groups.
Education in classrooms and for students will expand with funding from the capital campaign. AJFF will partner with schools to provide curriculum
to support that teaching through filmmaking and provide access to filmmakers for students and educators.
AJFF anticipates 38,000 to 40,000 attendees to the festival this year, with options to stream throughout the state of Georgia. This year’s festival is offering 50 features and 14 shorts from 22 countries including one world premiere feature and one North American premiere.
AJFF ranks among the top Jewish film festivals along with New York, Miami, and San Francisco.
Tickets go on sale to the general public on Wednesday, Feb. 5. Visit www. AJFF.org or call the box office at (678) 701-6104 for details.
Today’s AJFF is built on the foundation of community: a cross section of professional talent, staff, and leaders representing the religious community, the film industry, arts and culture, and business and marketing sectors.
“The festival has a strong association with my long-time tenure, but it really is the community at large who makes it all possible,” said Blank. “Volunteerism is infused in everything we do as an organization.”
He estimated the festival has 200 volunteers filling nearly 400 roles.
“I have often said that my role as the executive director has been harnessing love, good will, and passion for the work that we do, the mission of the festival, and the programming,” Blank said.
Taking stock of the past and planning for the future, the Kenny Blank Vision Initiative has begun, which is a $2.5 million capital campaign honoring Blank’s years of service and his leadership in the Atlanta art scene.
The initiative is aimed at repositioning the organization for long-term growth across five key pillars in addition to the flagship festival: community engagement, education, direct filmmaker support, access, and innovation.
“Milestone anniversaries like the 25th are such a unique moment in time,” Blank said. “How can we leverage these moments to reposition the organization
Kenny Blank, the executive director of the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival (Courtesy of AJFF)
Brookhaven discusses opting into floating homestead exemption
By Logan C. Ritchie
Brookhaven Mayor John Park led the charge at the Jan. 14 city council meeting to opt in to House Bill 581, state legislation that made changes to the statewide floating homestead exemption.
House Bill 581 limits increases in the assessed value of a primary residence by linking it to an established inflationary average. In order to opt out of the exemption, municipalities must hold three public hearings, advertise in the legal organ a week before each hearing, and adopt a resolution that would be delivered to the Georgia Secretary of State’s office by March 1.
Park said that “opting out of HB 581 would not affect Brookhaven homeowners unless Brookhaven’s current assessment freeze were to be removed in the future.”
Homeowners in the city currently have a property tax freeze that Park said is more beneficial than the Georgia State legislature, 3 percent maximum growth in valuation based on inflation.
“While our school and county taxes have risen substantially, your city taxes are lower than at the city’s inception due to additional exemptions enacted by the council over the past six years. We also enjoy one of the lowest millage rates in DeKalb County,” Park said.
Other municipalities, including Fulton
Wednesday, Feb. 5
Planning Commission
7 p m (5:30 p m work session)
Tuesday, Feb. 11
City Council
6:30 p m (4:30 p m work session)
Wednesday, Feb. 12
Arts & Culture Commission
5:30 p m
Wednesday, Feb. 19 Board of Appeals
7 p m (5:30 p m work session)
Tuesday, Feb. 21 City Council 6:30 p m (4:30 p m work session)
Monday, Feb. 17
Presidents Day City Hall Closed
County Board of Education and the city of Tucker, are debating whether or not to opt out of HB 581.
Deputy City Manager Steve Chapman said that HB 581 is trying to preempt local rule. Brookhaven sets its millage rate, essentially to try to limit growth.
The city council meeting allowed for the first of three scheduled public hearings on the matter. One speaker said his neighbors were waiting until the next public meeting to speak on the matter.
“A lot of people just don’t trust what comes out of the side of everybody’s mouth,” resident Ronnie Mayer said. “Y’all do what y’all are going to do – or the other [council members] did.”
Another resident requested that the city make important issues like the homestead exemption more prominent in communication tools, like the Brookhaven Blast, a weekly e-newsletter.
“For the next meeting, if we can just have clarity on the pros and cons … what it would mean for residents who have been here an extended period of time versus new residents who have moved in and are
coming in at a different tax point,” said Caroline Lord, president of Cambridge Park Civic Association.
However, Park instructed city staff to cancel the remaining two public hearings.
“We are very much in favor of not opting out,” said Park. “We want to continue to protect the taxpayers.”
“I had an ulterior motive on this hearing, and that is to brag on our exemption. I have come across so many people that still don’t know about our freeze exemption in Brookhaven,” he continued. “Even though your school taxes and your county taxes will go up as a result of these valuations, your Brookhaven city taxes are frozen.”
Park said his city taxes are about $100 less now than when he first moved to the city.
“I thank the mayor’s leadership in canceling the next two meetings,” Brookhaven City Council Member Madeleine Simmons said. “We want to be respectful of people’s time away from their homes and their families.”
Specially equipped van donation gives DeKalb firefighter hope for independence
By Cathy Cobbs
A paralyzed DeKalb firefighter recovering from injuries sustained in a head-on collision in 2023 has made progress towards independence in the form of a specially equipped Toyota Sienna XLE van.
Capt. David McBrayer was driving home from his shift on June 11, 2023 when a vehicle driven by Axel GutierrezRameriz, which was clocked at almost 100 miles per hour, crossed into oncoming traffic and hit McBrayer head on. Gutierrez-Rameriz was charged with
David McBrayer and his new specially equipped van. (Photo by Cathy Cobbs)
failure to maintain a lane, speeding, reckless driving, and causing serious injury with a vehicle.
The impact of the collision, which occurred on Centerville Rosebud Road in Snellville around 10 a.m., caused the firefighter’s vehicle to flip over, careen into a ditch and hit a power pole, resulting in a serious spinal injury. McBrayer is now paralyzed from the chest down, but has upper body mobility.
He spent three months rehabbing at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, and has undergone surgeries to help regain his fine motor skills. While recovering, McBrayer had as his ultimate goal to return to work.
On Jan. 16, that aspiration made significant strides, when members of the Jim and Billie Ellis Family Foundation presented McBrayer with the custom-fitted van valued at more than $100,000.
“Receiving this van is probably the biggest step toward returning to work and having some independence,” McBrayer said. “There aren’t adequate words to thank everyone.”
The project came to fruition thanks to a chance meeting of two strangers.
The two men behind the effort, retired firefighter Chris Mruk and Brookhaven resident Ronnie Mayer, met at an awards ceremony and decided to use their contacts to help McBrayer.
“We met and I said to Ronnie, ‘You say you have the juice, let’s see how much juice
you have,’” Mruk said. “It took less than six months to get it done.”
The pair reached out to the foundation’s Kristi Ellis Cohron, and she green-lighted the donation. “We sat down to meet, and she said, ‘Pick a color,’” Mruk said. “And it was a done deal.”
In an emotional ceremony on Jan. 16, DeKalb Fire personnel, including Chief Darnell Fullum, community members and friends gathered at Mobility Works on DeKalb Technology Parkway to hand McBrayer the keys to the van.
His parents Allen and Frances, said they are thrilled with this latest development in their son’s journey.
“This is life-changing for him so that he can get back to independence,” Allen said.
Speakers, including Cohron, remarked on the McBrayer family’s deep faith and determination during the recovery process for the 15-year veteran.
“David has a great faith and I feel blessed to have met him,” Cohron said. “This took a village to make happen.”
Frances said her son publicly forgave Gutierrez-Rameriz while giving a victim impact statement at the 20-year-old’s recent sentencing hearing.
“David turned to Axel and said, ‘I am a Christian and I forgive you,’” Frances said. “We really believe that Axel was a good kid who made a bad decision, but there were terrible implications on both sides.”
Overall crime down by 5% in Atlanta
By Amanda Andrews GPB
A report by the Atlanta Police Department revealed vehicle theft, homicide, robbery, and property crime numbers went down in 2024 and overall crime in the city is down 5 percent.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens joined key community partners, including Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum on Jan. 14, to report the 2024 crime data and share strategies the city is using to keep numbers low.
“We didn’t just improve in the area of crime stats, reducing 911 answer times,” Schierbaum said. “The police department is growing for the first time since October of 2021. This department now has more than 1,700 officers on it, or individuals in training.”
The announcements also highlighted non-policing alternatives like diversion services, community intervention, and youth engagement.
Mayor Andre Dickens had declared 2024 the “Year of the Youth” which supported programs like midnight basketball, Next Level Boys Academy and
Interim Atlanta Labor Commissioner
Theresa Austin-Gibbons said matching young people with employers through the Summer Youth Employment Program had a positive impact.
“This program engaged over 5,000 young Atlantans, reducing youth crime by 23 percent,” she said. “Arrests among 14- to 17-year-olds dropped by nearly 200. Crimes among 18- to 24-year-olds decreased by 25 percent and violent
crimes fell by 46 percent.”
Through the One Safe City initiative, Atlanta engaged community partners to intervene and reduce crime using the Cure Violence model. In Zone 4, Chris 180 has been working in the community and completed 112 violence interruptions in 2024. In Zone 1, the Offender Alumni Association has been working to resolve incidents before they escalate to shootings.
City of Atlanta Chief Operating
Officer LaChandra Burks said the OAA has also partnered with high schools for what they call the “Safe Passage Program.”
“A lot of times we see violence right when school lets out,” Burks said. “[OAA members] have been working very intently, canvasing right after school, engaging youth, giving out snacks. We have seen zero fights right outside of [Benjamin E. Mays] High School in the year of 2024 as a result of their engagement.”
APD reports Zone 3, which covers Southeast Atlanta neighborhoods such as Mechanicsville and Peoplestown, saw the greatest reduction in crime of all the Atlanta neighborhoods last year.
City of Atlanta seeks volunteers for ‘Love Your Park’ initiative
By Rough Draft Staff
The City of Atlanta Department of Parks and Recreation announced that it is making a call for local volunteers to participate in its second annual “Love Your Park” initiative.
Taking place throughout the month of February, the yearly event brings together people of all ages to enhance city parks through projects like litter cleanup, graffiti removal and garden maintenance.
The program, which is expanding its sustainability reach from 12 greenspaces last year to 30 this year, aims to recruit 1,000 volunteers — more than triple the amount in 2024, which saw approximately 300 participants.
“Love Your Park volunteer month provides an opportunity for people from diverse backgrounds and neighborhoods to come together and take an active role in enhancing the beauty of the city they love, while also fostering a sense of civic responsibility and community pride,” said Justin Cutler, City of Atlanta Department of Parks and Recreation commissioner. Cleanup projects will run every weekend and on select weekdays in February, with support provided by numerous organizations such as Friends of the Park, Atlanta Memorial Park Conservancy and the Alliance for the Activation of Cook Park, to name a few.
School Break Safe Spaces.
Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum speaks at Thomasville Recreation Center (Courtesy of the City of Atlanta)
Longtime rabbi, teacher Alvin Sugarman dies at 86
By Cathy Cobbs
Rabbi Alvin Marx Sugarman, longtime leader of The Temple, the oldest Jewish congregation in Atlanta, died on Jan. 17 surrounded by his family.
“For his entire career, Rabbi Sugarman dedicated his life to teaching, inspiring, and leading us with compassion and unwavering faith,” an announcement from the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta said. “He touched countless lives through teachings, kindness and the genuine care he shared with each one of us.”
A post on Sugarman’s Facebook page written by his children, with the headline, “THAT’S ALL FOLKS,” said the family “promised our dad that we would make this his last Facebook post. One of his most important life missions was to make people laugh and smile! We hope you always smile when you remember him.”
Hundreds of people voiced their condolences on Sugarman’s page. Many people told personal stories about Sugarman’s leadership, deep connections to the community through weddings, bat and bar mitzvahs, births and other lifechanging events. Several said Sugarman had helped them through difficult times with kindness and humor.
A native of Atlanta, Sugarman received his BBA from Emory University and was ordained by Hebrew Union College. In 1974, he was named senior rabbi at The
Temple, where he served until taking an emeritus title in 2004.
Sugarman served as president of the Atlanta Rabbinical Association and the Southeast Association of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, as well as treasurer of the Central Conference of American Rabbis.
Sugarman also served on several boards in the Jewish and Atlanta community, including The Atlanta Jewish Federation and as a member of Emory University’s Board of Trustees.
In 2008, Rabbi Sugarman was honored with the Emory Medal, the highest award given to an Emory alumni. He also served as a consultant to the Marcus Foundation and taught at Mercer University as an adjunct professor.
In midlife, the rabbi became an avid runner, often running eight miles from his home to The Temple wearing his signature Hawaiian shorts. He delighted in sharing stories of delivering the invocation before running the Peachtree Road Race. He got a kick out of being called an “Academy Award winning Rabbi” and loved sharing that he was listed seventh in the credits of “Driving Miss Daisy” wherein he played the role of Dr. Weil, the rabbi at The Temple.
According to his obituary, Sugarman “believed deeply that we are all children of God, no matter what race, religion, color or creed. This conviction guided his actions and relationships, inspiring countless others with his kindness, generosity, and unwavering dedication to helping those in need.”
He ensured that not a single day passed without doing something to uplift someone else, and wherever he saw a need, he tried to fill it,” the obituary continued.
“Ahead of a deep winter freeze in Atlanta in 1984, he tirelessly spearheaded an initiative with The Temple’s lay leadership to find a solution for Atlanta’s homeless.”
Forty-eight hours later, the doors opened to what is now the Zaban Paradies Center, the first and only shelter in Atlanta for homeless couples.
Sugarman was a passionate advocate for social justice, interfaith work, and civil rights, working tirelessly to build a more
equitable and connected community. His dedication was recognized with countless awards including the Martin Luther King Jr. Award, the Abe Goldstein Human Relations Award from the AntiDefamation League, and the American Jewish Committee’s Selig Distinguished Service Award.
He was appointed by Governor Joe Frank Harris to the first Georgia Human Relations Commission, was asked by Ambassador Andrew Young to dedicate the Martin Luther King Jr. Street in Jerusalem alongside Mayor Teddy Kollek, and worked alongside Hosea Williams to help lead the 1987 Forsyth County protests.
Sugarman was preceded in death by his parents, Helene Marx Sugarman and Meyer Louis Sugarman. He is survived by his wife of nearly 60 years, Barbara; his children, Lanie Kirsch (Greg) and Leah Siegel (Blaine); his grandchildren, Amanda Knock (Phil), Aaron Kirsch (fiancé, Erica Thomas), Noah Siegel, and Ryan Siegel.
A memorial service was held on Sunday, Jan. 19 at The Temple Sanctuary, which is dedicated to Sugarman.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to one of the following organizations close to Rabbi Sugarman’s heart – The Temple, Our House, or Marcus Autism Center.
Rabbi Alvin Marx Sugarman (Courtesy of The Temple)
DUNWOODY
By Cathy Cobbs
The Dunwoody City Council at its Jan. 13 meeting approved on second reading a zoning change at the Mount Vernon Shopping Center’s from Neighborhood Shopping to C-1 to allow for a greater diversity of uses.
The approval came after a last-minute, on-site meeting between owner Branch, city staff members and several council members earlier that day regarding upgrades to the center.
Dunwoody Planning and Zoning Manager Paul Leonhardt said Branch has agreed to several conditions as part of the
zoning change, including upgrades to the light fixtures on the existing light poles in the parking lot and in the breezeway and installation of new LED lighting that adheres to city codes.
In addition, Branch restricted one possible use, an animal boarding facility, which can only exist as an indoor-only facility. More pedestrian access into the shopping center and raised sidewalks will be added, as well as the installation of a bike rack at the center.
Located at the corner of Jett Ferry and Mt. Vernon Road, the shopping center’s current tenants include a CVS Pharmacy, a consignment store, and several personal
care salons, but not an anchor tenant.
The February 2024 closing of the center’s latest anchor tenant, Lidl, is the fourth time that the largest retailer in the Mount Vernon Shopping Center has been shuttered in the last 10 years. It was once a Harris Teeter, then an Ace Hardware, followed by a Sprouts Grocery before its three-year stint as a Lidl.
Branch has been floating the idea of leasing a 37,000 empty space to “eatertainment” type tenants, which would have a sporting element to them as well as food and alcohol options. The change to C-1 zoning would allow that use, while Neighborhood Shopping does not.
The council commended Branch representatives for their willingness to offer more upgrades to the center and voted unanimously for its approval on second reading.
In other news, the council also listened to a report from Dunwoody City Manager Eric Linton, who discussed the establishment of a new therapeutic recreation program called Adaptive Soccer, led by non-profit, Unique Individual Ranch, which will begin in March. An
existing therapeutic recreation program called Special Pops Tennis will also return for 2025.
Linton also reported that 23,000 people visited Brook Run’s Holiday Lights display in December and that Dunwoody’s community garden donated 2,432 pounds of fresh organic produce to Malachi’s Storehouse in 2024.
In other action, the council:
■ Swore in four new police officers –Austin Chadwick, Sadarius Hutcherson, Edward McGorda, and Trey Wanstreet;
■ Discussed an expenditure of $409,000 to replace three city hall HVAC units;
■ Accepted several gifts to the Dunwoody Police Department provided by Truist Bank’s Dunwoody office representatives;
■ Heard from Cherry Hill-area resident Laurie Smith that many neighbors in the Cherry Hill/Eidson Road neighborhoods oppose 12-foot multi-use trails being installed in that area.
By Cathy Cobbs
Dunwoody Police Sgt. Trey Nelson was awarded the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) and Metro Atlanta Traffic Enforcement Network (MATEN) 2024 Officer of the Year award for his work combating distracted and drunk driving.
Nelson, who has been with the force since 2010, was recognized for his ongoing campaigns to help reduce the number of incidents caused by distracted or impaired driving and his active participation in MATEN programs and resources.
department’s biggest challenges, distracted driving, through targeted events and educational campaigns.
The Dunwoody City Council at its Jan. 27 meeting recognized Nelson’s accomplishment.
Nelson started in the patrol division, and in subsequent years served as the department’s community outreach officer, and later as its public information officer before moving to the traffic division as a sergeant. His duties also involve overseeing the department’s canine division.
“I always like to change things up, and I see the value of partnerships with outside agencies,” Nelson said. “The MATEN campaigns and information are very helpful for education and to keep track of legislative matters that affect us.”
Nelson said he is focused on one of the
That includes running targeted events that include speed enforcement in school zones, distracted driving checks and educating young drivers to the implications of cell phone use while operating a vehicle.
“I believe what you do matters,” he said. “A small correction can change someone’s unsafe behavior.”
Dunwoody Police Information Officer Sgt. Michael Cheek said Nelson “makes every department he’s in better.”
“That is one hard-working guy there,” Cheek said. “The programs he runs take a lot of advance work and preparation time.”
Nelson was given a medal for meritorious service last year by the city council for his efforts in reviving a choking toddler using a LifeVac suction device.
Dunwoody Police Chief Mike Carlson and Sgt. Trey Nelson at police headquarters.
(Photo by Cathy Cobbs)
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Fulton school board discusses Spalding Drive Elementary closure
By Bob Pepalis
The Fulton County Board of Education voted 4-3 to move forward with the closure process for Spalding Drive Elementary School during its Jan. 24 meeting.
Board members Katie Gregory and Michelle Morancie, representing parts of Sandy Springs, were joined by Franchesca Warren in voting against closing the school. The board had held three public meetings in 2024 to formulate redistricting maps.
Morancie said she did not support the closure of Spalding Drive Elementary because parents hadn’t had enough time to process the change, adding that the school district needs to learn to work collaboratively with families when these issues come up.
The school district should want to keep families engaged who are in the feeder system for the new North Springs High School that’s under construction, Gregory said. With redistricting, children who used to walk to school will now have to take long bus rides.
She said the school district might not be considering how the families bring extra
value and the board should consider that in evaluating its policies.
The Jan. 24 vote moves the closure process forward. There will be public hearings at the board’s work session at the North Fulton Learning Center in Sandy Springs on Feb. 11, and at the regular meeting at the South Fulton Learning Center in Union City on Feb. 20, where the final decision to close schools will be made.
Spalding Drive parents fighting to keep the school open said they saw some progress with the vote and board comments.
“Tonight was the first time in a sense that parents were being heard in the process, based on the strong comments from board members Gregory and Morancie. It was reassuring that no board member made any comment or indication they were in favor of closure,” Steven Guy told Rough Draft Atlanta.
The parents who formed the Save Spalding Drive Elementary committee said they understand consolidation might be needed in the future. Guy said they were asking for five years to see what a postCOVID period looks like and to get more data and understand what is needed.
“We simply ask to be given this needed
time to work with FCS on a good solution for the entire county on how to address declining enrollment – something I feel is continually lost in this effort,” he said.
Raymond J. Grote III told Rough Draft Atlanta the parents’ next step will be rallying the community, with the goal of having more than 100 parents and children at the Feb. 11 meeting, which they did for the board’s Jan. 15 meeting. They will have two minutes each to speak and will tell the board to “use us. Don’t lose us,” he said.
Superintendent of Schools Mike Looney said it doesn’t make sense to keep schools open when the cost of a replacement building would be less than or the same as building a new school. He said hallways in the schools are so narrow that people can put their hands out and touch each wall.
“Many of our older schools have so many turns and blind spots where we can’t provide the safety that we can with the larger, more thoughtful design that contemplates school safety,” Looney said.
Spalding Drive Elementary is an aging
facility with 347 students. Enrollment is projected to remain relatively stable, but below the 450-closure threshold for the coming years, FCS Director of Operational Planning Tarika Peeks told the school board.
Peeks said staff projects the Spalding Drive recommendation will impact 264 current kindergarten through grade four students by closure and 276 students by redistricting.
Before the vote, an amendment by Gregory was approved to change the redistricting map so students living in a triangle bounded by Mount Vernon Highway, Brandon Mill, and Roswell Roads would be redistricted to Heards Ferry instead of Woodward Elementary School. She said the change would keep those students in the feeder pattern for Ridgeview Middle School and Riverwood High School.
During the meeting, the board also approved on first reading moving forward with closing Parklane Elementary School in East Point.
Fulton County Board of Education members Katie Gregory, Kimberly Dove and Michelle Morancie listen to public comment during a work session. (Photo by Bob Pepalis)
Two candidates running against incumbent Paul for mayor Sandy Springs council denies request for field lights
By Bob Pepalis
Sandy Springs Council member Jody Reichel and Dontaye Carter announced their candidacies for mayor of Sandy Springs.
The current mayor, Rusty Paul, announced in September 2024 that he would seek a fourth and final term. Paul is the city’s second mayor, taking office in 2014 after the city’s first mayor, Eva Galambos. She served from 2005 to 2014.
The mayoral and the six city council seats will be up for election in November.
“The future of Sandy Springs is brimming with potential, and we need fresh, innovative leadership to meet this moment,” Reichel said. “I’m running for mayor to create more options for singles, seniors and families at every stage of their lives to live, work and play here in Sandy Springs. Our neighbors are telling me what they want from the city, and I believe I can help take us there.”
In his announcement, Carter shared his vision for a city that prioritizes working families, first responders, and teachers while addressing everyday people’s real challenges.
“Dr. King’s legacy of justice and equality is a guiding force in my life,” Carter said in a news release. “My great-great-grandfather, born into slavery in Selma, couldn’t have imagined his descendants would march with Dr. King and Rep. John Lewis across the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Their courage made it possible for me to stand here today, ready to fight for a better future—for my daughter, for your families, and for everyone in Sandy Springs.”
Reichel was elected as the District 4 city council representative in 2017. She said she’s earned a reputation as a fiscally responsible consensus builder by listening to residents and fighting for strong neighborhoods, public safety, good schools and quality housing.
Every council decision impacts another, Reichel said. The moves create resilient, vibrant communities with well-funded, long-term economic development, rich and
varied housing opportunities, easy-to-access recreation and green space, and top-quality public education.
“We can bring greater energy to every corner of our city, but we must get these fundamentals right and keep getting them right,” she said.
Carter, founder of Carter Media Group, said his campaign is focused on solving the problems that matter most to Sandy Springs’ residents:
■ Fair housing for all: Stopping rent hikes and price gouging to protect renters;
■ Strengthening communities: Building community centers that unite and empower residents;
■ Smart growth: Preventing predatory development while fostering sustainable progress.
Reichel has a real estate investment business focused on revitalization of rental properties to create quality homes and longterm housing.
She started a holiday gift program with Jewish Family & Career Services of Atlanta more than 29 years ago to support families in need. She also serves on the board of Leadership Perimeter and the Fulton County Zoning Board and is an active member of the Chamber of Commerce. Reichel was instrumental in the efforts to build a new North Springs High School, which took more than nine years to get off the ground.
Carter has served as the vice chair of the School Governance Council at Dunwoody Springs Elementary, an executive board member of the PTO, and as chair of North Fulton Democrats. He is also the first vice president of the Atlanta NAACP and serves as the communications chair for the Georgia NAACP. In addition, he served as a board member of CURE Childhood Cancer for two years, concluding in 2024. He unsuccessfully ran for mayor against Paul four years ago.
By Bob Pepalis
The Sandy Springs City Council, in a 4-3 vote, denied Mount Vernon School’s request to install lights on its Ron Hill Athletic Field at its Jan. 21 meeting.
The city council vote split, 3-3, with council members Jody Reichel, Andy Bauman, and Melody Kelley voting for the amendment for a conditional use permit that would have allowed the lights. Council members Tibby DeJulio, John Paulson, and Melissa Mular voted against the amendment. Mayor Rusty Paul, as the tiebreaker, voted against the request.
The school can bring up the request again in a year.
Reichel, who lives in Mount Vernon Woods, offered a three-part amendment to the proposal to limit the school’s use of lights and amplified sound at the field to 20 nights a year, limited only to official athletic events. Ten of the nights would occur on Fridays. Her third amendment was to allow the school to use lights without amplified sound for 60 nights annually.
“Living less than 1,000 feet from the field, I understand the potential impacts
Nothing they proposed effectively alleviates the material adverse impact the lights and after-dark noise will have on our communities,” Steve Leeds, president of the Aria West Homeowners Association, said.
Ginger Sottile, the city’s community development director, confirmed that the city development code does not prohibit lights and sound amplification at school athletic fields.
John Snodgrass of Carriage Drive in the Mount Vernon Woods subdivision said he’s lived in the neighborhood for 48 years. He and his wife agreed to give Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church and school leaders a sewer easement that made development of the upper campus possible.
“We granted the easement in exchange for the promise that lights would never be installed on the athletic field,” Snodgrass said.
The couple’s property line is 100 feet from the athletic field, and they can see kids running up and down the field on game days from their sofa, he said.
“I normally vote for kids, schools, and churches. In this case, I have to
of increased light, noise and activity on nearby homes,” Reichel said.
Mount Vernon School had its attorney, head of school, athletic director and a student speak in favor of adding lights.
The lights would enable the school to add two women’s sports, a girls’ lacrosse team, and a middle school girls’ flag football team, and help keep studentathletes out of the afternoon August heat by moving practices and games to the evening, Mount Vernon School Athletic Director Brad Dehem said.
Chip Collins, the school’s attorney, said the school had not broken promises about the lights. The no-lights agreement was in place for 20 years, and in September the agreement will expire.
Kimberly Oliver, president of Mount Vernon Woods Homeowners Association, said the lights and sporting events extending into evening hours would disrupt residents’ lives, a statement echoed by other speakers.
“The school now asks you to impose these significant adverse impact changes on four protected neighborhoods.
vote against this. I have to protect what is valuable, as to Sandy Springs, the neighborhoods, the protection of the neighborhoods, the protection of the residents,” council member Tibby DeJulio said.
Council member Andy Bauman said approving the proposal acknowledges the school’s property rights as it strives to respect neighborhood character by minimizing impacts and balancing the broader needs of the community.
The mayor said he hopes the school returns with the request after the required year, and requested that neighborhood residents be a little more flexible.
“You’ve destroyed the trust of your neighbors because they don’t believe that you’re going to live up to the agreements,” Paul told school officials.
City staff had recommended approving the amendment to the conditional user permit to allow the installation of lights on the field. The Sandy Springs Planning Commission voted to recommend the denial of the request.
Jody Reichel (left) and Dontaye Carter announced their candidacy for mayor of Sandy Springs. (Courtesy of Sandy Springs)
A packed crowd at the Sandy Springs meeting to discuss athletic field lights (Photo courtesy of Andy Bauman)
TUCKER Tucker reveals plans for dam renovations
By Cathy Cobbs
A packed crowd at Tucker City Hall on Jan. 16 learned more details about two major long-overdue dam repair projects at Johns Homestead and Henderson parks.
Lake Erin Dam in Henderson Park is rated as a Category 1 Dam because of its height, drainage basin, and potential loss of life if it ever failed.
According to the presentation materials, inspection reports dating back to at least 2010 show deficiencies that include vegetation on the dam, seepage, blocked outlet structure, insufficient spillway design, and potential overtopping of the dam.
The city took over maintenance responsibility in early 2024 and began planning for repairs, which will include the replacement of approximately 60 percent of the dam’s structure and installation of sediment control measures.
City engineer Ken Hildebrandt said
the project will cost about $3 million to complete and take at least six months. DeKalb County will kick in about $1.4 million from American Rescue Plans Funds for the repair.
Several areas of the park, including the playground and some trails, will not be accessible during the process. The entrance to the dog park will be relocated as well.
Two dams at Johns Homestead have many of the same deficiencies, said Andrea Greco, a landscaping architect/project manager at Root Design.
The $3.8 million project will involve fixes to the dam, revegetation of the area using native plants, repopulation of the lake with vegetation and fish, and replacement of several bridges.
Greco said so-called “fishing rodeos” have been held to naturally reduce the population, and that other measures will be taken to save as many fish as possible before the work begins.
City council discusses downtown parking frustrations
By Cathy Cobbs
The Tucker City Council discussed possible remedies to its downtown parking shortages at its Jan. 13 meeting, but fell short of reaching a consensus about the best solution.
FEBRUARY HAPPENINGS
• FEBRUARY 3, 6:30 P.M. Downtown Development Authority
• FEBRUARY 4, 7 P.M. CANCELLED Zoning Board of Appeals
• FEBRUARY 7, 7 P.M. Winter Concert SeriesThe Cazanovas Tucker Rec. Center
• FEBRUARY 10, 7 P.M. City Council Meeting
• FEBRUARY 14, 12 P.M. Seniors Valentine’s Day Lunch Tucker Rec. Center
• FEBRUARY 17
City Buildings Closed in Observance of Presidents Day
• FEBRUARY 20, 7 P. M. Planning Commission
Street.
Several options were discussed –limiting parking spots for two hours, three hours, or four hours for about 123 slots around Main Street. The new parking lot at Main Street Church would not be considered for time-restricted parking.
• FEBRUARY 21, 7 P.M. Winter Concert SeriesEmerald Empire Band Tucker Rec. Center
• FEBRUARY 24, 7 P.M. City Council Meeting
• FEB. 25-MARCH 2
Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are held at Tucker City Hall, 1975 Lakeside Pkwy., Ste. 350B, Tucker, GA 30084 tuckerga.gov
Tucker Restaurant Week
Micah Seibel, assistant to the city manager, made a presentation to the council regarding long-running frustrations about the availability of parking along and around Main Street.
“This is causing residents to avoid the area altogether, which is further impacting local businesses,” Seibel said.
In 2017, the Tucker Northlake CID completed a parking evaluation of downtown and identified several opportunities and recommendations, including using available parking at existing institutions.
The city executed a parking agreement in 2024 with nearby Main Street Church to provide 103 new parking spots to the public during specific hours.
However, parking availability around Main Street was further reduced when nearby Railroad Avenue was closed for construction of the city’s new Town Green, Seibel said.
After discussing the issue with downtown merchants, Seibel said the staff is recommending consideration of an ordinance that would impose timerestricted public parking along Main
Seibel also presented several options regarding days and times that the timerestricted parking would be implemented.
“Many comments thus far have highlighted that parking Monday through Friday ought to be restricted, but that weekend restrictions to parking may not be needed,” he said.
The council, while acknowledging the parking woes, questioned how the timerestricted parking would be enforced.
“There’s a question of how it would be enforced and the cost of it,” council member Alexis Weaver said. “I’m leery of drafting and passing an ordinance before the Town Green opens and we know the implications of that.”
Weaver said she believes research is needed to discover who is currently parking along Main Street, whether it is customers, people who work at its businesses, or Tucker High School students.
Councilmember Virginia Rece encouraged staff to reach out to the public to gauge their opinions about the parking issues and possible solutions.
The council directed staff to research further and return with more information before taking official action.
In other news, the council discussed whether or not to opt out of a floating homestead exemption that was passed by the Georgia Assembly last year.
House Bill 581 limits increases in the assessed value of a primary residence by linking it to an established inflationary average. Several local entities, including the Fulton County School System, are considering opting out of the exemption.
“Some have argued that policies granting generous homestead property tax exemptions unfairly shift the tax burden to commercial property and new residents,” Tucker City Manager John McHenry said. “Others maintain they are appropriate measures that contribute to home ownership affordability, neighborhood stability and allow longterm residents on a fixed income to stay in their home.”
If the city elects to opt out of this measure, it would be required to complete three public hearings, advertise in the legal organ a week before each hearing, and adopt a resolution that would be delivered to the Georgia Secretary of State’s office by March 1.
McHenry said the city’s current homestead exemption is “far more generous” than the relief that HB 581 would provide.”
Mayor Frank Auman proposed that the city schedule hearings on the optout possibility that would keep the city’s options open and allow for further research and discussion. The motion passed unanimously.
In other action:
■ Mayor Frank Auman commended the city’s public works department for its hard work in handling road conditions during early January’s snow event;
■ Passed an ordinance that requires
a permit for film production within the city;
■ Heard from Tucker Finance Director Beverly Hilton that a snapshot of the city’s finances show expenditures and revenue tracking according to projections;
■ Implemented a newly passed measure to declare a property at 4971 Lavista Road to be in a state of blight, which authorizes the city to implement the tax rate multiplier against the property’s owners.
This graphic shows proposed areas around Main Street that could restrict parking times. (Courtesy of the City of Tucker)
Atlanta’s hot pot scene is booming. Here are six places to try.
by Sarra Sedghi
With the holidays and a chill in the air, the timing is ripe for a warm shared meal. That includes gathering friends and family to enjoy a hot pot. In fact, for many of Metro Atlanta’s Asian community members, a hot pot dinner serves as a default vehicle for celebration.
“In the Japanese tradition, hot pot is usually shared between close family and friends, and even co-workers, at their holiday meal,” said Sachiyo Nakato Takahara, third-generation owner of Nakato Japanese Restaurant. It’s also the preferred way to welcome someone into a circle — a new team member joining the staff, for example.
“The same chopsticks that you use in the hot pot go back into your mouth,” Nakato Takahara said of serving yourself from the same dish. “It’s a trust thing where you’re part of the family now.”
It’s difficult to narrow down a Western equivalent to hot pot — in terms of execution, the closest relative is fondue, but the family-style ethos is a tenet in countless cultures. Nakato Takahara likens hot pot nights at home to the pizza nights that carried the U.S. back in the 1980s and 1990s. “In Japan, it’s like mom prepares leftovers or leftover ingredients from the week and then [does] a big hot pot at the end of the week on Fridays.”
The origins of hot pot trace back to China. During the 12th century, when Chinggis Khan was conquering the Chinese mainland, the Mongolian emperor had his soldiers flip their metal helmets over and boil water. “All the vegetables and beef were cut really thin so they could eat it quickly and efficiently and save the resources of wood burning,”
sauce. Fun fact: “shabu-shabu” is an onomatopoeia referencing the sound of the boiling meat.
Sukiyaki starts in a cast-iron pot, starring meticulously tender beef and a sweetened sauce served with vegetables and rice.
Yosenabe (“to gather”) cooks all the ingredients – typically seafood, mushrooms, and vegetables – together in a dashi broth.
Today, it’s fair to say most East Asian cultures (and regional subcultures) have their own style of hot pot. Each has unique quirks, preferred ingredients, and cooking styles. The biggest distinction between Chinese and Korean hot pot is the type of broth, said Ming Han Chung, co-founder of Korean beverage company Minhwa Spirits in Doraville.
Chinese hot pot has a wide spectrum of broths and sauces. An increasingly popular style of broth is mala, a numbingly spicy Sichuan or Chongqing broth made with beef tallow, chili oil, and spices. (In 1997, Chongqing became separate from Sichuan, its surrounding province, but the culinary and cultural overlaps remain.) However, non-spicy broth is common in Chinese hot pot as well.
Korean hot pot, known as jeongol,
Nakato Takahara says.
Nakato serves three types of Japanese hot pot: shabu-shabu, sukiyaki, and yosenabe.
Shabu-shabu is a mizutaki (“cooked in the water”) that starts with dried kelp and aromatics like vegetables and mushrooms and gives way to flash-boiled, thin slices of beef dipped into ponzu or a sesame
leans towards heartier, spicier broths and regional ingredients.
“[Koreans will] put in certain things early on into the hot pot just because we know that flavor will come out as a soup develops,” Chung said, citing tomatoes, corn, and clams as go-to ingredients in a liquid akin to Southern potlikker.
J’s Mini Hot Pot Deluxe serves traditional Chinese-style hot pot. (Courtesy of J’s Mini Hot Pot Deluxe)
Examples of Sukiyaki cooking (Courtesy of Nakato’s Hot Pots)
Atlanta offers a wealth of hot pot restaurants with Chinese, Japanese, and Korean styles (the most widely available style in the metro area). Newer establishments even combine cultures.
Chubby Cattle Shabu in Duluth, for example, simultaneously honors Japanese hot pot’s dedication to quality beef and Chinese hot pot’s luxury of accouterments, most notably the wide variety of sauces found in Chinese hot pot establishments.
Chung said that hot pot’s appeal has grown among Western nations as large format East and Southeast Asian soups — think the pho and ramen crazes of the 2010s — have become an efficient way to feed a group. Restaurateurs have caught on to hot pot, too, and particularly mala’s appeal.
“There’s a lot of immigrants who opened up new hot pot places, especially Chinese-style where there’s a lot more broth, and I think people just started opening up because [they] got introduced,” Chung said of why there seems to be a sudden proliferation of hot pot restaurants in Metro Atlanta.
Hot pot’s greatest gift is the agency it grants individual diners – a delicious, piping-hot paradox.
“It’s a very group-[oriented] thing, but you can also be very personal at the same time because of the choices of what you want to eat and the sauce,” Chung said. “It makes it very interactive.”
Hot pot styles run the gamut at Metro Atlanta restaurants. Below are six hot pot restaurants of varying styles to try.
China Hot Pot
Intown Plaza, 5090 Buford Highway, Doraville
This Doraville spot is one of Atlanta’s better values for Chinese hot pot. The all-youcan-eat menu doesn’t skimp on quality and is well worth the price.
J’s Mini Hot Pot Deluxe
Orient Center, 4897 Buford Highway, Chamblee
According to We Love Buford Highway, New York-based J’s Mini Hot Pot’s Chamblee outpost was the first Metro Atlanta restaurant to serve Chinese hot pot.
Nakato Japanese Restaurant
776 Cheshire Bridge Road, Atlanta
When Nakato opened in 1972, sukiyaki was one of the restaurant’s initial draws. Now, Nakato offers three styles of Japanese hot pot: sukiyaki, yosenabe, and shabushabu.
Xi Hot Pot
Duluth International Village, 2645 N Berkeley Lake Road, Duluth
Get yourself a good dose of mala at Xi Hot Pot, a Chongqing-style hot pot restaurant in Duluth’s International Plaza. Expect a higher bill in exchange for premium meats like abalone and sliced lamb.
9292 Shabu
Satellite Shops, 3780 Old Norcross Road, Duluth 9292 Shabu specializes in Korean shabu-shabu, serving a variety of broths, including deungchon spicy, dashi, and maratang (mara). The restaurant also features a glutenfree menu.
Chubby Cattle Shabu
GW Marketplace, 2180 Pleasant Hill Road, Duluth
As home to a J’s Mini and Nine Spices Hot Pot, GW Marketplace is no stranger to good hot pot. Chubby Cattle Shabu, which opened in May 2024, lifts the standard even higher. Come here if you want a spectacle or high-end Wagyu beef.
Souper Jenny moving to Chamblee location
By Logan C. Ritchie
After 10 years of feeding customers in Brookhaven, soup-and-sandwich cafe
Souper Jenny is moving to a standalone location in Chamblee this summer.
Souper Jenny serves seasonal soups, salads, and sandwiches made with locally grown ingredients. It also has locations in Decatur, Westside, Roswell, and at the Atlanta History Center. The original location opened in 1999 on East Andrews Drive in Buckhead, before moving in 2016 to the Atlanta History Center.
Restaurant owner Jennifer Levison
told Rough Draft that the company has purchased a building at 4847 Peachtree Road in Chamblee, just about a mile from the current Brookhaven location.
Levison called buying the building “a big step for us as a company.” She’s currently waiting on building permits to start renovations on the Chamblee location.
“We won’t skip a beat. We will close in Brookhaven and open in Chamblee the same week,” she said.
Souper Jenny has outgrown the space at the corner of Peachtree and Kendrick roads, where the cafe shares a building with natural food grocery store Nuts N’ Berries. The Brookhaven shop started as a pop-up in 2014.
When it opens later this summer, Souper Jenny’s Chamblee location will have a dedicated parking lot. It’s a notable addition because the narrow parking lot at the Brookhaven location is situated along a congested intersection, which Levison called “tricky.”
Residents have been pushing for the closure of Kendrick Road since 2023, when Brookhaven City Council requested city staff analyze the area based on concerns about cut-through traffic and pedestrian safety. In February 2024, Brookhaven city staff did not recommend closing the road based on feedback from DeKalb Fire and Rescue, fire code requirements, and the potential impact to businesses and surrounding residential properties.
Levison also runs a nonprofit called The Zadie Project, which provides soup to school programs, community clubs, children’s homes, senior citizen facilities, food banks, and homeless outreach programs. Since its inception, the Zadie Project has packaged and distributed more than 100,000 quarts of soup to those in need.
Jennifer Levison of Souper Jenny (Courtesy of Souper Jenny)
Courtesy of Chubby Cattle Shabu
Georgia DOE honors 18 Atlanta schools for achievements
By Rough Draft
The Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) recently honored 18 Atlanta Public Schools with distinctions for their respective academic achievements in 2024.
The first distinction, titled “Title I Reward Schools,” was given to Title I schools that made “the most significant improvement, exceptional achievement and progress,” according to a release.
Among the Atlanta-area Title I schools that were recognized included Parkside Elementary School, Heritage Academy Elementary School, William M. Boyd Elementary School, Emma Hutchinson Elementary School, L.O. Kimberly Elementary School, Hope-Hill Elementary School, West Manor Elementary School, William J. Scott Elementary School, F. L. Stanton Elementary School and Benteen Elementary School (which has received the recognition for two straight years).
In addition to honoring Title I schools, the education department also recognized Atlanta schools that “improved their CCRPI Content Mastery score by at least 5% from 2023 to 2024,” with honorees including Continental Colony Elementary, Harper-Archer Elementary, Paul L. Dunbar Elementary, Michael R. Hollis Innovation Academy, KIPP Soul Academy, KIPP Vision Primary Charter and KIPP Ways Academy Charter.
Finally, GaDOE commemorated Carver Early College for successfully improving outcomes for its underperforming student groups, allowing it to exit the “Targeted Support” classification.
The named educational institutions are all part of the Atlanta Public Schools system, which stands as one of the largest school districts in the state of Georgia (serving around 50,000 students citywide).
New attendance zone proposed for overcrowded Idlewood Elementary
By Cathy Cobbs
DeKalb County School officials at a Jan. 9 meeting introduced their final recommendation to ease overcrowding at Idlewood Elementary School that involves sending 418 students to Smoke Rise Elementary starting in the 2025-2026 school year.
Students living in areas west of Brockett Road, north of E. Ponce DeLeon Avenue, east of Montreal Road E. and south of U.S. Route 78 will move to Smoke Rise Elementary, located at 4789 Hugh Howell Road.
Smoke Rise, located about three miles from Idlewood, was rebuilt in 2021 and has about 500 students, which is 51 percent of its capacity. Idlewood, with more than 900 students, is at 115 percent of its capacity, according to a presentation made by the school board at the meeting.
The move to balance attendance at both schools is driven by Idlewood’s upcoming $30 million renovation, which will involve upgrades to its bathrooms, HVAC system, and major improvements to its exterior. When the students change schools, Idlewood will be at 61 percent capacity and Smoke Rise, 95 percent. This move will allow areas at Idlewood to be closed off and renovated while students move to other classrooms, DeKalb County School Superintendent Dr. Devon Horton said.
DCSS Chief Operating Officer Erick Hofstetter said the recommendation to move
a geographic block of Idlewild’s attendance area was based on feedback from the community.
Several options were discussed at two meetings held in December 2024, which included:
■ Do nothing
■ Move fourth and fifth grades to Stone Mountain Middle
■ Rezone 100% of Brockett to Smoke Rise
■ Move three grades from Idlewood to Brockett
■ Balance enrollment at all schools in the cluster
■ Redistrict parts of Idlewood to Smoke Rise
■ Redistrict parts of Brockett to Smoke Rise and parts of Idlewood to Brockett
Hofstetter said the overwhelming consensus was to balance attendance with the Idlewood/Smoke Rise redistribution.
The 60 or so parents attending the Jan. 9 meeting submitted questions about the plan, which Horton and Hofstetter answered. Most of the queries centered around the topic of Title 1 services, and whether or not the same level of services would be offered to students at Smoke Rise, as well as those who stay at Idlewood. Idlewood is a Title 1 school with 100 percent of its population qualifying for
free or reduced lunches. About 71 percent of Smokerise students qualify for free or reduced lunches.
Horton assured attendees that steps are being taken to make the transition to Smoke Rise seamless.
“Any time we are discussing attendance boundaries, it’s difficult,” Horton said. “We will do everything we can to make these students welcome at Smoke Rise.”
Rising Idlewood fifth graders can petition to remain at the school, officials said,
but they would have to supply their own transportation.
The group also inquired about whether the attendance zone changes would be permanent, or just put into action while Idlewood undergoes renovations.
Horton said the move will be in place for at least four to five years, but that the school system routinely evaluates attendance through its student assignment program, so it’s possible that further balancing may take place as a routine move.
Photo courtesy of KIPP Ways Academy Charter
This slide shows the new attendance zone area for Smoke Rise Elementary. (Photo by Cathy Cobbs)
Negotiations break down for industrial site near Beltline
By Dyana Bagby
The long-awaited redevelopment of a 20-acre industrial site adjacent to the Atlanta Beltline’s Westside Trail is now in doubt after two years of negotiations broke down.
Atlanta Beltline Inc. announced Jan. 10 it has issued a notice of termination for the sale of Murphy Crossing in southwest Atlanta to Arizona-based Culdesac Inc. and Urban Oasis Development of Atlanta. Culdesac and Urban Oasis Development were picked as the development finalists in September 2022 and were later approved as the developers by the ABI and Invest Atlanta Board in March 2024.
The redevelopment of the former Georgia State Farmers Market property into a vibrant community with more than 1,000 residences, retail spaces, and a new MARTA infill station promised to be a catalyst for the area surrounded by the Adair Park, Oakland City, and Capital View neighborhoods.
ABI said in a news release that negotiations for the sale and redevelopment of Murphy Crossing “faced significant challenges” which prevented the parties from coming to final terms and threatened to further delay development activities.
Since 2022, tightening conditions, such as higher borrowing costs for commercial real estate and particularly mixed-use developments contributed to changes to the project and delays in
pre-development activities for the project, according to ABI. Delays in pre-development activities included entitlements, ABI told Rough Draft. Entitlements are the legal agreements granted by the city to developers to use a piece of land for a specific purpose.
ABI will now begin the process again to redevelop the property. A community stakeholder meeting will be held in February to discuss next steps.
“We remain committed to the redevelopment of Murphy Crossing. We
will continue to advance our work to realize a high-density, mixed-use, equitable development project on this site that will meet the needs of our Oakland City, Adair Park, Capitol View, and Bush Mountain residents,” said Atlanta Beltline, Inc. President and CEO Clyde Higgs in the release.
Culdesac did not return a request for comment from Rough Draft. Culdesac Chief Investment Officer Caroline Lerner Perel told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution the developer remains “committed to the project” but did “not believe that
ABI (Atlanta Beltline Inc.) had the right to terminate the purchase and sale agreement.”
“Our priority is fulfilling our fiduciary responsibility to the public and delivering on the promises made throughout the many community engagement activities for this site,” said Dennis Richards, Jr., Atlanta Beltline, Inc., Vice President of Housing Policy & Development. “ABI will continue with the planning and development of this site, and we look forward to sharing our next steps with the public in the coming weeks.”
Council for Quality Growth announces 2025 board leadership
By Rough Draft
The Council for Quality Growth officially introduced its 2025 board of directors and officers after ratifying them during its 39th Annual Meeting and Legislative Reception back in December of last year.
This year’s board consists of Gerald McDowell (ATL Airport CIDs) as vice chair, Rob Garcia (Pinnacle Financial Partners) as treasurer and Ellen Smith (Parker Poe) in the secretary role.
The board will be overseen by the board’s newest chair, Clyde Higgs, who takes over for the Council for Quality Growth’s previous chair, Sally Riker. Higgs, president and chief executive officer of Atlanta BeltLine, Inc., steps into the leadership role after serving on
the Council of Quality Growth board’s executive committee since 2021.
Speaking at the board’s first convening of 2025, Higgs laid out the Council for Quality Growth’s vision for the year — the Council’s 40th as an organization.
“Our platform for moving forward is driving growth,” said Higgs. “Growth of our membership, growth of our programs and growth of our impact on this region.”
In addition to growth, Higgs also said that the board’s executive committee aims to “programmatically curate the organization’s offerings and advocacy to better serve its members” and “fuel longterm sustainability in 2025.”
Higgs has served as president and CEO of Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. since 2019, and in those six years since has helped the multi-use corridor generate $9
billion in economic development, 11.3 miles of completed trails and over 4,100 affordable housing units, according to a release.
The Council for Quality Growth’s new chairperson said that he hopes to continue the nonprofit’s partnership with the Atlanta BeltLine, with plans including the completion of the BeltLine’s loop and the development of several projects in advance to the 2026 World Cup’s arrival in the city.
“We are really looking forward to Clyde’s energy and guidance this year,” said Michael E. Paris, president and chief executive officer of the Council for Quality Growth. “His expertise of bringing the public and private sectors together for a common goal makes him uniquely positioned to lead the Council.
It’s a big year for us, and a big year for the Beltline, and we’re ready to get to work.”
In addition to announcing its board leadership, the Council for Quality Growth also revealed its 40th anniversary logo and the seven new directors joining the board for 2025.
The new additions were Mason Berryman (principal engineer with Geo-Hydro Engineers), Cedric Clark (president of Southeastern Engineering, Inc.), Stanley King (founder of S.L. King & Associates), Matt Kraczon (associate with PGAL), Brian McHugh (project manager with HDR Inc.), Shayla Nealy (principal of public policy with Stantec) and Chris Sizemore (founder of INCISIVE).
Murphy Crossing is a 20-acre site in Southwest Atlanta adjacent to the Atlanta Beltline’s Westside Trail. (Photo by LoKnows Drones)
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