Sandy Springs - June 2023

More off-duty officers to patrol Buckhead

DEKALB COUNTY WEEKLY NEWS

By Dyana Bagby

More police officers are patrolling some of Buckhead’s busiest commercial thoroughfares thanks to a privately funded initiative to provide more security in the affluent north Atlanta neighborhood.

The Buckhead Safety Alliance said private security patrols by off-duty Atlanta Police Department officers will patrol five commercial districts, including:

■ Howell Mill from Collier Road south to I-75

■ Northeast Parkway north from Moores Mill to the Atlanta city limit

■ Peachtree Road south from Pharr Road to Brookwood Station

■ Roswell Road north from East Andrews Drive to city limit

■ Piedmont Road south from Pharr Road to I-85

The new patrols were formed based on recommendations from a 2022 report by the Buckhead Public Safety Task Force.

The cost to operate the patrols for a year is estimated at $575,000. The Atlanta Police Foundation donated three police cruisers for the patrols. The Buckhead Safety Alliance has raised so far this year $450,000 from businesses, organizations, and individuals. Of that

total, the Buckhead Coalition donated $250,000.

The $450,000 will cover operating costs through the end of the year and the alliance, a membership organization, is seeking donations to fund future patrols.

At a May 22 press conference in the OK Cafe parking lot on West Paces Ferry Road, Atlanta City Councilmember Mary Norwood said the new security patrols said the new security patrols “will actually make us safer in Buckhead for our residents and our visitors.”

Later in the day, Norwood announced via a press release she was donating $100,000 to the alliance.

Zone 2, which includes Buckhead, has seen crime drop two years in a row, according to APD. Crimes against persons are down 25% throughout the city, Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said at the press conference.

Schierbaum said through the Buckhead Safety Alliance’s initiative, there will be more Atlanta Police officers on patrol to assist with directions, assist with traffic control and respond to 911 calls.

The off-duty officers will have full arrest powers. They will also have dedicated cell phones with a number available to Buckhead Safety Alliance businesses and members to call for immediate assistance.

Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum discusses the new Buckhead safety patrols.

(Photo by Dyana Bagby)

Fun, Exciting, event with a Purpose! at Mercedes Benz Stadium

ATL on STAIRoids

The Ultimate Charity Climb

SPONSORED BY:

ATL on STAIRoids is a fun and exciting climb-with-apurpose event. individual, corporate and friends and family teams raise awareness and funds to support the work of the Atlanta Neuroscience Foundation. The Climb creates an atmosphere that will enhance corporate culture, teamwork and camaraderie. dedicated to maximizing the advancement of treatment and diagnosis of people with MS, Parkinson’s, Epilepsy and Alzheimer’s.

It’s a family affair! Music, Food for all, Rock Climbing for Kids!

SUNDAY JULY 2023 1610AM 2PM

First wave starts at 10:00 am

Registration Fees:

www.aTlantaneurosciencefoundation.org

April 1 – 30 $40

June 1 – 30 $65

May 1 – 31 $55

July 1 – 14 $75

Day of Event: $250 First Responders: $25

Fundraising Minimum: $250 Per Participant

top fundraising prize: trip to machu pichu! * goal: $250,000

Publix to replace ‘Disco’ Kroger

By Dyana Bagby

A Publix grocery store will replace the “Disco” Kroger as part of a revamping of an aging Buckhead shopping center on Piedmont Road. Kroger closed the iconic Buckhead store in December after nearly 50 years.

Regency Centers, owner of the 1970s-era shopping center at 3330 Piedmont Road, is redeveloping the roughly 10-acre site to bring in new retail and restaurants over the next two years.

Razing “Disco” Kroger is part of the plan with construction of the new 55,000-square-foot Publix expected to start in July and be completed by

September 2024.

The shopping center, known as Piedmont Peachtree Crossing, is also being rebranded as Buckhead Landing.

“Disco” Kroger got its nickname because it was located in the same shopping center as The Limelight, Atlanta’s answer to Studio 54. The grocery store became a haven for late-night partiers seeking food and drink after long nights of dancing and debauchery.

The nightclub closed in 1987, but the Kroger nickname lived on thanks to a mirrorball that hung in the store’s entrance and a giant mural painted outside featuring John Travolta in his classic “Saturday Night Fever” dance pose.

The former ‘Disco’ Kroger will be demolished to make way for a Publix. (Photo by Dyana Bagby)

compares to what’s next.

Financial crunch forces closure of Brandon Hall School

By Bob Pepalis

A Sandy Springs private school has notified parents it lacks the finances to operate during the 2023-24 term.

Brandon Hall School notified parents via email on May 22 that it would not hold classes this fall.

“Although the Board has been persistently engaged in the search for a financial partner, it is necessary to report that a viable partner has not been identified to date. Without this financial support, the school does not currently have adequate resources needed to sustain our school’s operations. Thus, with great sadness, we are informing you that Brandon Hall is not equipped to educate your child for the 2023-24 school year,” the school’s Board of Trustees wrote in the email.

Parents who had already paid a deposit for the next school year were warned about the financial situation in an email on May 1.

Board Chair Karen White wrote in the May 1 email that the extended impact of COVID-19 on enrollment had the school operating with reduced financial resources. That led the board to engage with the Halladay Education Group to seek a strategic partner.

Head of School Zoë L. Hauser, who was hired in an interim position before the 2022-23 academic year, has not responded to phone and email requests for comment.

In its letter, the Board of Trustees said the deposits paid by parents for enrollment in the next school year will be returned “as expeditiously as possible.”

In the last IRS Form 990 on file, the school had liabilities of approximately $7

million in 2018 and assets of $3.8 million. That put its fund balance in the red by $3.2 million. The negative fund balance was $1.1 million higher than the previous year.

Brandon Hall School listed 38 faculty and staff members on its website, including administrators, teachers, and dorm staff, as of May 23. The dining staff was employed by Flik Independent School Dining.

The school listed its student population at 84 students, with 48 percent boarding and 52 percent attending as day school students in grades 6-12. Students who attended came from 15 countries and 11 states, with 19 percent international and 81 percent domestic students.

Tuition for the 2023-24 school year had been listed on its website as $30,250 for day school students, boarding tuition at $59,150, and international students would have paid $62,150.

The school was founded in 1959 by Theodore and Shirley Hecht, according to its website. Located on a 24-acre campus on the Chattahoochee River, the campus is the former summer estate of Atlantan Morris Brandon and his wife, Harriet Inman, and includes the original 1920s residence.

Police officers to patrol Chattahoochee River

By Bob Pepalis

The Sandy Springs Police Department has transformed its River Rescue Unit into a River Patrol Unit on the Chattahoochee between Island Ford and The Palisades.

The newly formed unit will begin its patrols over Memorial Day Weekend to enforce Georgia laws and Sandy Springs ordinances, according to an SSPD spokesperson. The goal will be to deter any criminal activity on the river and the immediate surrounding areas inside the city limits.

The River Patrol Unit also wants to reduce the number of drownings and

educate local swimmers, floaters, and boaters on the best safety practices all while enjoying their time on the river.

SSPD has 11 members on the team consisting of two sergeants and nine officers. The Sandy Springs Fire Department continues to operate the River Rescue Unit for the city.

Brandon Hall School

Courtesy Sandy Springs Police

Lauren Kiefer announces mayoral bid

By Logan C. Ritchie

On THE TOWN Movies

Thursdays, Beginning at Dusk

Free movies

6/8: SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE

6/15: THE BAD GUYS (2022)

6/22: BIG (1988)

6/29: 80 FOR BRADY

7/13: TOP GUN: MAVERICK

7/20: MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU

Movies

First-time candidate Lauren Kiefer has announced her bid for Brookhaven mayor.

A small business owner, Kiefer serves as the interim executive director of the Peachtree Creek Greenway and chair of the Brookhaven Arts and Culture Commission.

She has also served as a board member of the Alliance Theatre, Georgia Shakespeare, Callanwolde Fine Arts Center, and HUB404 Conservancy. She served on the advisory board of the Marcus Autism Center and on the Oglethorpe University President’s Advisory Council. She is currently a class member of Leadership DeKalb.

She hails from Illinois, where she started a software company, and attended the Illinois Institute of Technology and Chicago-Kent College of Law.

Kiefer and her husband moved to Georgia in 1995. They have two adult children who live locally. Kiefer moved to Brookhaven in 2020 from Peachtree Corners.

Kiefer said she is running because she wants to see Brookhaven continue to grow and thrive. She also wants to reevaluate the city’s methods of operation, she said.

“I’m concerned that the new public safety building is three years behind schedule and 50 percent over budget,

Second

By Logan C. Ritchie

Brookhaven City Council approved the next step toward extending the Peachtree Creek Greenway at its May 23 meeting.

Don Sherrill, director of public works, presented an acquisition of right-of-way contract with the Georgia Department of Transportation for phase two of the Peachtree Creek Greenway. The contract will allow Brookhaven to seek reimbursement up to $4.5 million.

Phase one of the Greenway opened to the public in 2019. The second phase runs from North Druid Hills Road to the Atlanta border. Brookhaven has been granted federal funds to aid in design, right-of-way acquisition, and construction for phase II.

In other action, city staff recommended approval of a permanent sewer easement agreement between Brookhaven and

and despite this situation, the current administration rushed into the new City Hall construction which is an even larger and significantly more expensive capital project,” Kiefer said. Kiefer is critical of the city’s proclaimed commitment to social justice and equity.

“Their actions do not support that, as is evidenced by giving the architect a no-bid contract in order to expedite the groundbreaking of City Hall. The architect is qualified, and their team may have been awarded the contract anyway, but there was no reason to rush into the contract,” said Kiefer. “Our citizens deserve more.”

Kiefer has collected $56,000 in campaign fundraising from 130 donors, 30% of whom are Brookhaven residents. According to her campaign, this is the fastest start for any campaign in the city’s history.

“I’m so thrilled at this outpouring of early support for my campaign. I am so excited to hit the ground running and keep engaging with the Brookhaven community and working towards building a better Brookhaven together,” she said.

The Brookhaven municipal election is Nov. 7. Candidates must qualify with the city manager between Aug. 23-25.

The winner of the November election will succeed current John Ernst, who is in his second and final time as mayor.

DeKalb County for Murphey Candler lake house. The city council voted unanimously to approve the ordinance.

“The lake house project funded by the park bond requires the realignment of a large sewer main on the western part of Murphey Candler Lake … This easement agreement allows the city to make the main more efficient and not conflict with the project,” said city manager Christian Sigman.

Lauren Kiefer

Peachtree Creek Greenway

Council approves bond referendum vote for parks, trails

By Cathy Cobbs

The Dunwoody City Council voted 6-1 to let voters decide if they want to finance major improvements to their city’s parks and trails.

At its May 22 meeting, after listening to a presentation by member Tom Lambert, the council approved a resolution that will put a $60-million, $20-year bond referendum on the Nov. 8 ballot. Councilor John Heneghan was the lone dissenting vote.

Heneghan did not elaborate on his reasons for voting against the measure but said after the meeting that his dissenting vote reflected the lack of specificity regarding the projects on the bond list.

“In negotiating for a possible bond referendum, I was hoping for a more detailed list of specific projects that would be funded with the bond proceeds and I also requested several bond questions on the ballot vs the ‘all or nothing ‘aspect that was finally presented,” Heneghan said. “During my questioning of the proposed projects, the city attorney explained that the question being presented to the electorate on the ballot will give ultimate flexibility to the city council and that no specific list will need to be followed, but instead the items listed Monday are highlevel aspirational items to be funded where numerous changes can be made.”

Heneghan said his vote against the bond referendum “was me stating that

I wanted more transparency as to where specifically the proceeds would be going and additional referendum options on the ballot.”

At the meeting, Lambert and other officials said that since there is another measure on the November ballot asking for a renewal of the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, having more than one question about city improvements could be confusing.

Lambert laid out the options for financing the improvements, which include paying the cost out of the city’s existing operating budget, allocating the expenditures in a “pay-as-you-go” model, or issuing bonds.

“Across the nation, bond financing is the most common means to fund infrastructure improvements,” Lambert said. “With a bond vote, the decision will be made by the residents of Dunwoody.”

The improvements were narrowed down by council after considering public input for months, and will include:

■ Buildout of Homecoming Park, formerly referred to as Vermack Park and the yet-to-be-named park on Roberts Drive;

StoryWalk

June

By Cathy Cobbs

Dunwoody and Doraville’s police departments are partnering on a new coresponder program that provides officers with much-needed expertise and support when responding to calls involving a mental health crisis.

In a joint statement, Dunwoody and Doraville announced that they have signed a contract with the DeKalb Community Service Board to share the services of a licensed behavioral health clinician.

“This program gives our officers access to an expert to help recognize and deescalate situations while also providing important resources,” Dunwoody Police Chief Billy Grogan said. “We look forward to this important partnership with Doraville Police.”

The new clinician, Gregory Lazzara, began in this new role in late April. He has a master’s degree in community counseling from Concordia University Chicago and has worked for the past 10 years in various roles in crisis management, crisis intervention, and de-escalation

“Our partnership with Dunwoody Police enables us to provide a greater level of service and support to our community,” Doraville Police Chief Chuck Atkinson said. “We’re pleased to welcome Mr. Lazzara and look forward to learning from

■ The acquisition of land and construction of softball fields at a site that has yet to be determined;

■ Improvements at Brook Run and other area parks;

■ The construction of four multiuse trails (in the Dunwoody Village area, Winter’s Chapel Road, North Peachtree Road and Mt. Vernon Road).

The average annual tax increase for a resident with a house valued at $500,000 would be around $160, according to city officials.

“There is nothing hasty about this decision (to ask for a bond vote),” Lambert said. “The final decision, by the voters, will be fair, equitable and democratic.”

In other news, the council discussed spending $600,000 in federal monies to fund a dedicated ambulance that would service Dunwoody residents. According to Dunwoody Police Chief Billy Grogan, the ambulance service would not replace the contract the city currently has with American Medical Response, but rather enhance response times.

The cost for one year of services would be about $566,000, according to Grogan.

him and his experiences.”

Under the new contract, the DeKalb CSB will contribute $33,400 toward the cost in the first year and $16,600 in the second year. Dunwoody’s cost for the first year is $81,020, which represents 83 percent of the total cost, while the City of Doraville’s cost for the first year is $16,653, which represents 17 percent of the total cost. The cost was divided based on population.

According to the statement, the Dunwoody Police Department began a similar program in 2022 through a contract with View Point Health, which struggled to maintain staffing for the position. The Dunwoody City Council approved American Rescue Plan funding to pay for the program.

Gregory Lazzara

Mid-Year Real Estate Report

Metro market still strong despite interest rate hikes, low inventory

By Kathy Dean

Real estate markets have been thriving across the U.S. for the last few years, and the Atlanta scene has been especially robust. Still, the local housing market has been affected by the recent interest rate increases, as has the rest of the country.

Compared to April 2022, the number of sales in metro Atlanta, covering 11 counties, has dropped 33%. There has been a 24% decrease in new listings and an increase of 14% in total active listings. Still, the average home sales price of

$497,864 has stayed the same since April 2022.

We checked in with several area professionals for the local perspective.

“The first half of 2023 has been interesting, to say the least,” said Erin Yabroudy, Lead Realtor, Erin Yabroudy & Associates, Harry Norman Realtors. She and her team cover the Buckhead, Intown, Sandy Springs, and Vinings areas.

“When interest rates began to approach 7% in late third quarter and early fourth quarter 2022, the market softened considerably. The overall economic forecast seemed relatively dismal, and buyers and sellers really paused,” Yabroudy stated. Rates are currently down from those highs and buyers seem to have accepted the new normal, she said. “We are seeing even more multiple offer situations and properties selling above list price than we

were last spring. Certainly, rates are higher than they were in recent history, but they are far lower than historical highs — they are actually lower than the average since 1971!”

According to Yabroudy, “Initially, we were expecting historical seasonality trends to continue in 2023, including a slight pause in the market in the early summer months when kids are out of school. However, the volatility of mortgage rates and inventory constriction felt earlier this spring has likely delayed sales activity that I believe will re-emerge during the upcoming summer months as inflation and interest rates continue to cool,” she said.

Multiple offers

Chrissy Neumann, agent with Neumann & Co., Ansley Real Estate, covers the Sandy Springs/Buckhead area. She stated that despite news reports, those areas have done extremely well. “Inventory is still low and buyer demand is still high. Looking at the $1 million to $2 million price point in 30342, there are still only 16 active homes, eight are pending and 32 have sold in the last six months.”

She said those numbers show that there is still a large demand for housing in the

area. “The average days on the market with that same data is only 19 and the average list price/ sales price ratio is 99.6%. In other words, if you put a good home on the market that is priced right, we are still seeing multiple offers every time.”

Neumann said that the good news is the slight increase in interest rates has seemed to take the “insanity” out of the market. “In spring 2022, all sense of making offers based on market data was thrown out the window. Buyers were making offers, sight unseen, $100,000 to $200,000 over list price, waiving their due diligence, appraisal, and finance contingencies.”

While the demand hasn’t decreased, things have settled back to a more balanced market in which buyers may only be competing against one or two offers and being allowed to have a due diligence to inspect the property.

“Overall, I think the rate increase was very positive for our area and something that needed to happen to ensure a more balanced market,” she said.

Neumann expects inventory to stay low for the foreseeable future and said that there is talk of a rate cut. “You couple those two together and I think we might actually experience a big surge of activity in the second half — more than even the first half!”

This home at 1625 E. Sussex Road NE in Morningside-Lenox Park was on the market from Engel & Völkers Atlanta.

Erin Yabroudy

Chrissy Neumann

Serious buyers or kicking the tires?

The first half of the year has been busy for Matt LaMarsh, Atlanta Real Estate Advisor and Director of Communications for Engel and Völkers Atlanta. He covers the Sandy Springs area, and says “Low inventory, bidding wars, and increasing values still make the metro a great investment.”

“The uncertainty of interest rates for the last eight to 10 months has created a separation of buyers between the serious ones — those who have to move, relocations and exhausted renters with healthy down payments — and the tire kickers trying out the market passively,” LaMarsh added.

He noted that economists are predicting that there will be fewer sales this year “and the data definitely supports that so far.”

“The low inventory is making it a challenge for those would-be sellers to become buyers. I hear several times a month, ‘Matt, we would love to sell and realize that great equity jump, but where would we move? There’s nothing on the market in the area we want to live.’”

In LaMarsh’s own neighborhood of Mount Vernon Woods, comparable sales range as low as $300,000 and as high as $1.3 million. “That is a really wide gap for only 270 homes,” he said.

Looking forward, LaMarsh expects activity to pick up during the summer.

“So far in 2023, average prices inside the perimeter (ITP) are up 10.6% at the end of April over where we started in January,”

reported Kristen Pollock, Real Estate Advisor, Engel & Völkers Atlanta. “But that’s only part of the story. We’re also seeing homes selling a little slower on average than they were in the spring of 2022, which is to be expected.”

Although she’s licensed to help clients throughout the state, Pollock often works with clients in Intown areas including Morningside, Virginia Highland, Druid Hills, Midtown, West Midtown, Candler Park, Lake Claire and Decatur. She said that a year ago, the market was at its height with frequent multiple-offer scenarios.

“Rates had already started to rise, and buyers were trying to secure a home before they got much higher,” Pollock reported.

“Now, rates are higher, and with fewer buyers in the market, some of the frenzy we were seeing back then has gone out of the market. Still, the pace of sales is faster than it was pre-pandemic. On average, homes ITP sold almost two weeks faster this April than in April 2019, a typical real estate year.”

Pollock stressed that Intown real estate is holding its value, and she’s not seeing the steep price drops that some buyers were expecting. New listings were down 22% in Intown this April compared to last, which can be in part attributed to sellers who are perhaps happier with their locked-in interest rate than their current home.

Intown Atlanta has been in a low inventory situation for years and metro Atlanta would need 62,000 more homes

this year to reach a balanced market, she explained. “We’re not on track for that. For this reason, we expect housing prices to hold, and an investment in Intown real estate to be a wise one for years to come.”

Still, Pollock is optimistic that the next dip in rates will result in an increase in sales and inventory as more sidelined buyers and sellers come back to the market. “I am seeing so many buyers and sellers waiting for the right opportunity to come their way. Even a slight dip in rates can set that in motion as it improves home affordability,” she said.

Low inventory remains

For Allen Snow, Broker Associate / Vice President, Developer Sales and Marketing, Atlanta Fine Homes

Sotheby’s International Realty, the overall Intown market has remained strong.

“Atlanta still has exceptionally low housing inventory, which is driving the strength of the market despite rising interest rates,” he said. “In my experience, the impact of higher interest rates is affecting home sales differently depending on price point. Homes of all types priced under $550,000 are moving quickly and the luxury market over $1.2 million remains robust.”

Snow noted that homes priced between $550,000 and $1.2 million are remaining on the market longer than the other two price point categories. As rates rise, purchasing power lowers, which explains why the lower price point homes are selling quickly, he said.

“Buyers in the luxury home market appear unphased by the higher rates as most of them are purchasing with cash or mostly cash with a small mortgage,” Snow explained. “From what I see in the market, the higher rates are impacting the mid-priced — $550,000 to $1.2 million — market the most, due to the aforementioned reduction in purchasing power

and because the majority of buyers in this price range are obtaining larger mortgages.”

Snow said he’s hopeful interest rates will settle in 5% to low 6% vicinity later this year. “Even if they don’t drop and remain at the current rates between 6.5-7%, they are reasonable compared to historical averages,” he stressed.

“Additionally, I’m not seeing any evidence Intown housing inventories will rise significantly for the foreseeable future.”

Leigh Schiff is a Real Estate Advisor with Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty. She and her husband Michael head The Schiff Team; she’s the lead listing specialist, and he’s the lead buyer specialist.

In their territories of Buckhead / Sandy Springs, activity has been strong and constant in the first half of 2023, according to Leigh. “The homes that are priced correctly and in move-in condition are the properties that receive multiple

offers the first weekend they hit the market. Roughly one-third of new listings are selling the first weekend they are on the market,” she said.

Leigh said she thought the higher rates would reduce the number of buyers looking for homes, “but there are still plenty of buyers looking for a new place to live. Until inventory levels start rising to a level where it is a balanced market for buyers and sellers, it appears that the higher interest rates will have little to no impact on the buyer pool in Atlanta.”

And there’s no slowdown in sight. “I hate to be repetitive, but this is due to the limited inventory on the market and the constant influx of buyers into the local market. I feel that the market will stay stable for the unforeseeable future,” Leigh predicted.

Kristen Pollock

Allen Snow

Leigh & Michael Schiff

Matt LaMarsh

This home at 90 Palisades in Brookwood Hills was marketed by Erin Yabroudy & Associates, Harry Norman Realtors.

Atlanta

Atlanta

Elizabeth

Elizabeth

North

Catherine

Benjamin

Fulton

Riverwood

Marilyn

Maya

North

Aidan

Happy

DeKalb

Cross

Jenny

Ayeman

Chamblee

Magnet:

Resident:

Druid

Greater Atlanta Christian School’s Class of 2023 tosses its caps at graduation in May. (Courtesy GACS)

Continued from page 16

Dunwoody High School

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Lakeside High School

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Samuel Lim (S)

Tucker High School

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Zunairah Jama, Amarachi Nnabue, and Jennifer Vu (S)

Private Schools

Atlanta International School

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Elliott Faa (S)

Nelson Mendels (S)

Sofia Nystrom (S)

Atlanta Jewish Academy

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Jemima Schoen and Rebecca Solon (S)

Ben Franklin Academy

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Capstone Academy

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Cristo Rey Atlanta Jesuit High School

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Holy Spirit Preparatory School

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2023 National Merit Scholarship Winners

Elizabeth Richter, Atlanta Classical Academy

Asanshay Gupta, Atlanta International School

Sunney X. Gao, Druid Hills High School

Jeffery S. Finger, Dunwoody High School

Emil J. Sacco IV, Holy Spirit Preparatory School

William D. Doster, Marist School

Benjamin Y. Song, North Atlanta High School

Rohan Ram Chanani, Alec Hutchinson, Skyler C. Marks and Alexandra Schroeder, Paideia School

David L. Grice, Marit A. Uyham and Emma E. Neville, Pace Academy

Dov M. Karlin, The Weber School

Hana M. Hafeez, Clara Wang and Brandon Y. Yao, Westminster

Lake Forest students receive gift of shoes

By Bob Pepalis

Every student at Lake Forest Elementary School received a gift of tennis shoes in May thanks to Mount Vernon School sophomore Collin Maher, who organized a 5K race fundraiser to buy them.

“I don’t even think he [Maher] realizes the scale and the depth of what this means for the children, and what it’s meant to this community,” Lake Forest Principal Laryn Nelson said.

Some of the students had their feet properly measured for the first time because of this event, she said. Some have been wearing shoes that are too small, and many haven’t had new shoes recently.

With this gift of shoes their parents don’t have to suffer or strain their income

to buy their children a new pair of shoes, Nelson said.

“This is a gift, no strings attached, just pure joy. Pure joy,” Nelson said. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Maher and fellow Mount Vernon School students helped hand out the shoes to each student, with teachers arranging to pick up shoes for any student who was absent.

Students gave Maher handmade cards and posters, with some sharing hugs in thanks of the gift.

“It was just so heartwarming. It was awesome man… That’s what I worked for,” he said.

He promised a repeat of the Cocoa

modeling a dress by Alix (Madame Grès) for Vogue. Courtesy of the Horst P. Horst Estate and @TheArtDesignProjectGallery.

Classic 5K. This year’s event was held on Feb. 18 with the start and finish at Mount Vernon School. It was Maher’s Eagle Scout project.

Collin Maher, left, held a fundraiser to buy shoes for students at Lake Forest Elementary School.

(Photos by Bob Pepalis)

Media literacy goal of kids’ film festival

By Sammie Purcell

During the run of the 16th Annual Atlanta Children’s Film Festival from June 9-25, organizers hope to promote media literacy for the children and families who attend.

The festival, which is put on by a media arts nonprofit called Kids Video Connection (KVC), will kick off with a free Opening Day Celebration on June 9 at the Fulton County Public Library. From there, the festival will feature a mixture of in-person and virtual events and screenings for children and their families to enjoy.

According to KVC’s Board President Amy Aidman, this year’s roster includes films from the United States as well as from 20 other countries.

“The quality of the films that we get

from these independent filmmakers is just amazing,” Aidman said. “They’re the kinds of stories that you’re not really seeing in mainstream media. They’re very personal stories, many of them. And to me, that’s exciting because it gives children and families the opportunity to see a different kind of content.”

KVC started in 2006, but the festival began a year later in 2007. Through the film festival and other initiatives, KVC aims to help teach children media literacy skills and how to think critically about the media they see. Alesia C. Johnson –CEO and founder of KVC as well as the director of the film festival – gave the example of teaching children to look for upward-facing camera angles in political advertisements, and how those angles can be used to make a candidate appear larger-

Congratulations, Scots! PRE-K3

than-life.

“We specialize in teaching children media literacy, communication skills, and video production,” Johnson said. “The main thing is media literacy.”

But for KVC, the concept of media literacy extends beyond political adverts and into the film, television, and other media that kids consume every day.

“Everybody’s always vying for our attention, and they don’t really want us to maybe think about things too much,” Aidman said. “But when you start really paying attention and you realize that every single thing that happens on the screen, whether it’s visual or whether it’s audio, that it involved decision-makers, and that it involved different people and different equipment, and lighting decisions and sound decisions – when you start to think about it that way, it deepens your appreciation of what you’re seeing.”

Aidman said during the submission process for the film festival, selectors were looking for films that were educational, entertaining, and well-made. The films are made for children, but oftentimes, they’re also made by children. Last year, Aidman said, the festival had submissions from kids as young as seven years old – with the help of their parents, of course.

The festival offers access to more than just films, however. During the opening

day event on June 9, there will be a media career fair for young people, workshops throughout the week, and a Film Camp from June 12-16.

“During the festival, we’re introducing underserved youth to careers in media,” Johnson said. “I think that’s the point [where] the festival is so unique.”

Both Aidman and Johnson said they were excited about multiple films playing the festival this year, but both singled out films about climate change and environmentalism. One film playing the festival this year comes from a 10-yearold girl from the Bahamas and details her concerns about oil drilling and the potential harm that it could bring to her home, said Aidman.

“It’s a beautiful film – it’s only three minutes long, but she is expressing her fear and her love for her country,” Aidmand said. “It’s extremely convincing and compelling, and it really sticks with you.”

The full schedule of events for the Atlanta Children’s Film Festival can be viewed at kidsvideoconnection.org/acff23/.

According to a press release, films made by youth will be available to start screening virtually free of charge on June 9, and all other films will be available beginning June 17.

At St. Martin’s, we celebrate the journey of growing up—from the formative preschool years to graduating young adults.

Congratulations Class of 2023 on your outstanding high school acceptances!

The 78 members of the Class of 2023 will continue their education at 50 different colleges and universities across 24 states and the District of Columbia.

3110-A Ashford Dunwoody Rd., Atlanta, GA 30319 404.237.4260 stmartinschool.org

8th-Grade Grand Canyon Trip, 2023

Way down yonder on the Chattahoochee

ABOVE THE WATER LINE

Sally Bethea

Thirty years ago, country singer Alan Jackson released his hit single about muddy water, a lot of living, and a little loving on the Chattahoochee River near his hometown of Newnan — located on the southern (downstream) fringes of metro Atlanta. Way down yonder on his boyhood river, Jackson recalls learning how to swim and who he was on days “hotter than a hoochie coochie.”

The music video that accompanied this timeless summer classic — with Jackson water-skiing in torn jeans and a cowboy hat — won the Country Music Award for video of the year in 1993. If you’ve never seen it, the clip is worth a watch. The song’s upbeat tempo and images of youthful enthusiasm will put a smile on your face.

As “Chattahoochee” co-writer Jim McBride said at the time: “People just associate with that song. With most people, there’s a river that they have memories about.”

The season for making new summer memories is now upon us. Where will you head? To the beach, your favorite river, or a lakeside cabin? Perhaps you’ll play with

your children or grandchildren beside a neighborhood creek. Wherever you go to cool off on the hot days that are sure to come, I wish you clean, safe, and trash-free waters. Today, your favorite swimming and fishing holes are likely to be cleaner than they were when Jackson’s most successful song was released three decades ago.

Holding Polluters Accountable

Over the past 30 years, as journalists, photographers, and filmmakers produced stories about environmental threats, the general public took a closer look at the waterways in their hometowns: the streams

in their backyards and the rivers and lakes that serve as playgrounds and drinking water supplies. Concerned about more harm to their communities and armed with new scientific data, the public demanded that clean water laws be enforced; they insisted that polluters be held accountable to protect people, wildlife, and property.

Environmental advocates became more numerous and effective in their strategies to achieve clean, swimmable waters, using legal actions when needed. With greater resources — thanks to volunteers and generous donors — substantial improvements have been made. Our rivers, lakes, streams, and beaches are cleaner and safer, although the specter of emerging contaminants, such as microplastics and “forever chemicals,” remains, as does the ubiquitous problem of trash.

Around the world, the “waterkeeper” movement (waterkeeper.org) began to proliferate in the 1990s. There are now seventy-five waterkeeper groups in the Southeast alone, including my former organization, Chattahoochee Riverkeeper (CRK, chattahoochee.org), which will celebrate its own thirtieth anniversary next year. Alan Jackson’s song was a prelude, then the soundtrack, for CRK’s early years, when, joined by downstream communities and riverfront landowners, the organization successfully sued the city of Atlanta to stop its chronic sewage spills

e.g. chemical manufacturing, poultry processing, landfills, mining, and hazardous waste treatment.

When large, even small construction sites are graded without installing erosion control measures, muddy water flows offsite and downslope to the nearest stream every time it rains. The results include harm to aquatic plants and animals, clogged stream channels, toxic green-blue algae fed by excess nutrients, and higher bills for more expensive drinking water treatment.

This type of pollution is significant because — unlike the water that goes down a sink or toilet in your home — stormwater is untreated. It flows directly to a lake, river, or the ocean, unless it is slowed by trees, plants, and rain gardens that allow the water to soak into the ground. Dense urban areas, like Atlanta’s core with its sixteen-lane Downtown Connector (I-75/85), produce massive floods of stormwater.

Making matters worse, the increasing air temperatures of climate change bring more intense storms to the Southeast: more polluted runoff, more flooding, and more days that are hotter than a “hoochie coochie.”

Although the government, at all levels, is required to manage this pollution, agencies rarely have sufficient resources or political will to get the job done; environmental groups and others have had to step up and take some responsibility. Over the years, CRK has invested heavily and successfully in training, monitoring, policy-making, and enforcement programs to stop muddy and toxic stormwater from leaving construction sites and industrial sites, respectively.

Despite ongoing challenges, the news about today’s Chattahoochee is good. As the river slowly meanders past Alan Jackson’s hometown, the water is dramatically cleaner; one day, the time may even be right to drop “muddy” from the lyrics of his biggest hit.

Ways You Can Stop Stormwater Pollution

Because you deserve the facts. It’s

After spending more than $2 billion to upgrade its crumbling sewer system, the city no longer regularly dumps untreated sewage into the river and its tributaries. With the help of tens of thousands of volunteers, more than 2.2 million pounds of trash have been pulled from the Chattahoochee and its watershed by CRK over the decades. Other Georgia waterways have experienced similar successes fostered by collaboration, monitoring, land protection, policy changes, and legal actions.

The Problem with Rain

Polluted storm runoff remains a big problem. Anything dumped or dropped on the ground or in a gutter can end up in the nearest body of water. Stormwater pollution results from materials, chemicals, and trash washed into the storm drains from streets, yards, rooftops, parking lots, construction sites, and industrial operations,

■ Maintain your car or truck. Never dump anything into a storm drain. Recycle used oil, antifreeze, and other fluids. Wash your car at a commercial facility or on a lawn, not on a paved surface.

■ Reduce your use of fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides. Mulch lawn clippings. Plant trees. Replace some of your lawn with native, droughtresistant plants.

■ Direct downspouts to vegetated areas, not a storm drain in the street.

■ Have septic systems regularly inspected and pumped out when needed.

■ Scoop pet poop and properly dispose of it.

Alan Jackson in the “Chattahoochee” music video.

Former teacher turned author celebrates 108th birthday

By Bob Pepalis

Peggy

Vanstrom

Cobb has kept her passion for learning and writing for more than a century and turned her “scribbling” into published books.

A Sandy Springs resident for the past 20 years, Cobb celebrated her 108th birthday on May 23.

Cobb said she has been “very curious about things for longer than I can really remember” and always kept a pad for journaling close at hand. However, she considered her writing as just a bunch of random thoughts and never considered publishing them.

But with the encouragement of her family, Cobb’s first book, “A Bat Named Belinda,” was published in 2006. The idea for the book came from raising a daughter with disabilities in the 1950s. Doctors told them when their daughter, Katie, was born that she would never walk or talk, or even stand.

Katie was never self-sufficient, but she learned how to ride a bike, swim and even jump off a diving board. Music was a large part of Katie’s life, so the family set up a music therapy program at the hospital where she was born.

“People that have never heard of Katie Cobb will benefit through music because of her,” her mother said.

Cobb’s next book, “Design and Sign,” was an art activity workbook that used illustrations created by family members along with her own text.

Her latest book, published in March, has a long history. “Painter Pan, the Rainbow Man” came from writings she did in the 1950s and the watercolors she painted for the story around the same time.

Her sons, Peter and Bill, helped her get the materials to River Lane Press in Minnesota.

She got the idea of the character Painter Pan as a short fellow who has a cape with the primary colors, red, yellow, and blue. “And when he flies through the air, those three primary colors mesh to the colors that we see in the sky,” she said.

Her next passion project is a book about fabric and its history. Cobb said she’s learning facts with the help of her family, like how they get yards of silk strands from a silkworm.

Cobb was born in Minnesota on May 23, 1915, growing up with five siblings and her college-educated parents. She graduated from St. Cloud Teachers College, now known as St. Cloud State University, with an art education degree. Her first job was in Edina, Minnesota where she taught and was the art supervisor.

But Cobb says the “big turning point” of her life was attending a teaching conference at George Peabody College in Nashville, Tennessee.

As fate would have it, Cobb missed her train, so she had to fly to Nashville from Chicago. Upon her arrival at the airport, she was met by Jacob Cobb, a Tar Heel from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, who had been assigned to meet her plane and bring her to the college.

For three days, Jacob was Peggy’s Nashville tour guide. By the end of her trip, Jacob had declared to his family that Peggy was the girl he was going to marry. Two years later, they did.

Jacob’s deployments as a U.S. Navy officer during World War II had them moving around to places like New Orleans and Tulane University, where she earned credits toward a master’s degree in art.

After the war, she taught art at Ward Belmont College for girls in Nashville, while Jacob completed his doctorate. They moved to Terre Haute, Indiana, where he accepted a position as a professor at what became Indiana State University. Peggy taught and was art supervisor at its Laboratory School. She took evening and Saturday courses while raising three children, earning a master’s degree in art in 1962.

Since then, she’s taught every level from preschool to college. Jacob passed away 20 years ago, but Cobb remains surrounded by family, friends, and a long lifetime of memories.

One of the best compliments from her teaching days was when a boy who didn’t like art, told Cobb he fell in love with it after having her as a teacher.

Cobb said she still lives by an old family quote: “Furnish your mind well, and you will always have a comfortable place to live.”

Peggy Vanstrom Cobb

Local resident leads Liver Life Walk Atlanta after a battle for survival

life, she had the luxury of retiring at age 36 to devote her time to volunteer work and her beloved husband Tony.

WORTH

KNOWING

Sandy Springs resident Beth Lehman is very lucky. Instead of being chained to a desk, she spent most of her career with a top national consulting firm that took her to places the rest of us only dream of visiting, including Napa, California, the country’s premier wine country, where she acquired a taste for fine wine.

When she’d tired of the travel, she could afford to quit her consulting job and switch to a less exciting job closer to home. Eventually, seeking greater meaning in her

Her volunteer work became her fulltime occupation. She served on the boards of some of the area’s most prestigious cultural non-profits and met a lot of interesting, even powerful people. Befitting her leadership role, she lived in a large brick home in an elegant neighborhood where she and Tony, a successful attorney, entertained their friends and associates at lavish parties. It was a life many people would envy.

But it was all a façade. Her love of fine wine had become an addiction. On Dec. 19, 2019, a doctor diagnosed her with cirrhosis of the liver. If she wanted to live,

she would need a liver transplant. She told no one but Tony and continued to drink.

In January 2020, her good life crashed to a humiliating halt as she sat at the top of her foyer stairs immobilized by agonizing stomach pain. Below were the guests at a party she and Tony were hosting. A friend sent the guests home early.

A trip to the emergency room confirmed her visibly swollen belly was filled with fluid, a condition called ascites – a symptom of both cirrhosis and liver cancer. It would persist as long as she kept drinking.

Two months later, the entire country shut down. She then began a struggle for survival challenged by an unending onslaught of life-threatening obstacles. To drain the fluid from her belly, she endured paracentesis, often eight liters at a time, twice weekly. Because of COVID, no one, not even Tony, could accompany her to the hospital – a loneliness she would face throughout her ordeal.

To enter the liver transplant waitlist, she went through six months of required sober counseling. Though she stopped drinking in March, the full effects of her drinking accelerated.

In July during an exam to prep her for the transplant, she was diagnosed with another problem: liver cancer. Because the tumors were too small to be treated with radiation, she was required to wait for months for them to grow. The waiting took its toll, and she grew increasingly frail.

When the tumors were large enough, she underwent months of radiation that attacked every part of her body. In December, a full year since she’d been told she needed a liver transplant, her family visited for what they thought would be her last Christmas. Her favorite gift was a walking stick from her grandmother.

What followed was a shattered tailbone caused by her rapidly declining health, bleeding esophageal veins and an umbilical hernia – all surgeries and procedures, all endured without Tony at her side. She and Tony called them “little fires.” Each new “fire” weakened her body and delayed her transplant. A severe brain fog called hepatic encephalopathy eventually rendered her incapable of caring for even her most basic needs.

By February 2021, the cancer was still there but not growing. She was down to 80 pounds, and her body was “too torn up” to survive more radiation. Her life’s clock was ticking, so she and her doctors agreed to go

for the transplant.

In April, her parents came to plan her funeral. Two hours after they left, she got the call that her life-saving transplant would occur the next day, April 19. Of course, nothing was without obstacles. She got to the hospital at 6:00 am as planned, but the plane carrying her liver was delayed by bad weather. Hours later, she was finally wheeled into the operating room. The surgery lasted 5½ hours. The transplant was successful.

Unlike many alcoholics, Beth went public about her ordeal and began to document her journey in detail on Facebook. It was a tale of caution: No one is immune from the consequences of bad decisions. Her story is detailed, honest, at times humorous and always devoid of self-pity.

On April 19, 2022, a year after the transplant. she and Tony celebrated her “rebirthday” by planting a magnolia tree in honor of her donor. The tree bloomed the very next month.

She wouldn’t know for another year that she owed her life to the family of a 43-yearold man from North Carolina. She hopes to thank the family personally someday.

Today, Beth devotes her volunteer time to lifesaving groups like LifeLink, Donate Life Georgia, the Georgia Transplant Foundation, the American Liver Foundation and the Donate Life Advisory Board.

She also speaks publicly about liver disease and organ donation. In November 2022, just a year and a half after her transplant, she was a speaker at the “The Liver Meeting” of the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease in Washington, DC. In attendance were medical professionals from around the world, including her own doctors from Atlanta.

This year, she is the co-chair of the second annual Liver Life Walk Atlanta on June 10 in the Meadow at Piedmont Park. A signature event of the American Liver Foundation (ALF), its goal is to bring together people affected by liver disease to raise awareness and funds while supporting one another in a festive, inspiring environment.

Beth says the 1.5-mile walk is really more of “a stroll.” Children, people in wheelchairs, dogs and strollers are all welcome. In addition to being co-chair, she’s leading a team of walkers and invites people of all ages and abilities to join her or even form their own team.

All funds raised go to the ALF. Currently in first place, Beth’s team has raised over $3,000. Anyone who raises $100 by June 10 qualifies for a free T-shirt, though particular sizes are not guaranteed.

The cost to walk is $20. Children under 17 are free. Register online or onsite at 9:00 am. The walk is 10:00 am-12:00 pm. For details, go to liverlifewalk.org/atlanta.

Carol Niemi

Tony and Beth Lehman

June events

By Collin Kelley

There are plenty of events happening around the metro this June (be sure to check out HowDoYouAtlanta.com to see more), but these definitely need to be on your calendar.

▲Water for Elephants

The Alliance Theatre is staging the world premiere of the musical based on the bestselling novel from June 7 to July 9. Romance, deception, and a little bit of magic are all thrown in about this traveling circus. Tickets are on sale now at alliancetheatre.org.

Virginia-Highland Summerfest

The 38th annual free event is Saturday, June 10, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. featuring fine art, live music, a 5K run, children’s activities, and more. There will be music all day and the event will be capped off by headliners Perpetual Groove. The festival is produced by the VirginiaHighland Civic Association, this nonprofit fundraiser supports the maintenance of the neighborhood and highlights area shopping, dining, and nightlife. Get more details and the full music lineup at vahisummerfest.org.

Midnight Market

Head to Atlantic Station in West Midtown on June 9-10 from 6 to 11:55 p.m. There will be more than 30 restaurants and food trucks serving tastes from around the world, multiple bars, outdoor vendors and an artist market, free roller skating, live DJs and dancing, free games, and more. Tickets range in price from $25 for general admission to $55 for VIP. Visit atlanticstation.com for more details.

Juneteenth Celebration

The Atlanta History Center in Buckhead will hold its annual Juneteenth celebration on Sunday, June 18 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The commemoration will connect visitors to the crucial moment in American history when the last slaves were emancipated in Texas. This year’s immersive celebration will feature live music, storytelling, interactive activities, and more. Get more details at atlantahistorycenter.com.

Family

Food Fest

The 9th annual Father’s Day celebration is set for Sunday, June 18, from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Georgia Freight Depot next door to Underground Atlanta. There will be plenty of food to taste from local chefs, cooking demonstrations, live entertainment, a kid’s zone, and much more. The event raises funds for the nonprofit Atlanta Culinary Charities, which supports afterschool and weekend programs for youth. Tickets are $35 in advance or $40 at the door. Visit familyfoodfest.org for more information.

Home cooks unite to create Chow À La Carte

Lindbergh station platform to sample small plates (priced $3 and up) from chefs that hail from Nigeria, Italy, Colombia, Philippines, the Caribbean, and more.

Chef Deborah Kudelka, a private chef with 25 years of culinary experience, will prepare Italian, French, and Polishinfluenced cuisine, including meatballs, sautéed radicchio, and arancini (a stuffed fried rice ball).

a strong impression with the heat from the Ethiopian Berbere spice rising in your mouth after a bite of cold creamy Italian chocolate.”

Chef Andrea George, founder of Rapid Gourmet, cooked salt fish cakes (“an island favorite”), rum and raisin bread pudding with rum sauce, and tropical mango pineapple lemonade for the May 18 opening.

“Anything that brings the community together, that celebrates culture and diversity excites me because I think we need it more than ever,” George said. “Food is one of the main ways we can understand each other, celebrate each other and create community.”

Chow À La Carte has opened at Uptown Test Kitchen in Buckhead.

By Clare S. Richie

Chow À La Carte, where Atlanta home cooks and chefs from different cultural backgrounds prepare lunch and dinner offerings Friday through Sunday is officially open at Uptown Test Kitchen.

The idea for Chow À La Carte was born from the popular monthly supper club, Chow Club Atlanta, co-founded by Yohana Solomon and Amanda Plumb. The supper club brings people together to share a unique menu, connect with the featured chef and learn about Atlanta’s immigrant and refugee communities.

“We learned through Chow Club

that people come for the food but come back for the community,” Solomon said.

“I always dreamed of a brick-and-mortar space that will allow home cooks a chance to grow.”

Solomon said she’d seen too many hard-working, talented home cooks give up because of impossible overhead and lack of access to customers.

To make her dream a reality, Solomon teamed up with Uptown Test Kitchen, a restaurant space at 2440 Piedmont Road in the 120,000-square-foot mixed-use Uptown Atlanta destination. Accessible by MARTA, it’s a quick walk from the

“Everything I’m doing is street food,” Kudelka said. “Pick it up in your hands and eat it. Even the sauteed radicchio will be in sleeves or rolled up in packs to take home.”

As the days get hotter, cool off with a 5-ounce cup (or two!) of Ciao Chow’s Ethiopian-Italian fused gelato, the cocreation of Solomon and Kudelka.

“We tested our gelato with about 100 Chow Club members in April,” Kudelka said.

“‘Ponce de Limone’ [the lemon sorbet] was the favorite but ‘A Woman Scorned’ made

Chow À La Carte will also offer traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremonies, cooking classes, monthly Chow Club dinners and more.

“Come join our village,” Solomon urged.

More details and the latest information about Chow À La Carte will be available at uptownatlanta.com, or follow @ UptownAtlanta on Facebook and Instagram.

Yohana Solomon

Deborah Kudelka

Food That Rocks returns to City Green on June 8

By Bob Pepalis

Food That Rocks returns to the City Green in Sandy Springs on Thursday, June 8 from 7 to 10 p.m.

Visitors to Food That Rocks can enjoy all-you-can-eat food tastings from Sandy Springs restaurants. The event will include wine, beer and cocktail tastings, cooking demonstrations, live music, and entertainment.

VIP early access will be from 6 to 7 p.m. to the event at the City Green at 1 Galambos Way Sandy Springs.

Food and alcohol tastings will end at 9:45 p.m

All-inclusive craft, cocktails, wine and beer and all-inclusive signature bites from Sandy Springs top chefs will be offered. Live music will be performed by The Geek Squad.

Guests must be 21 or older to attend and show valid ID. The event will be a rain-or-shine event.

No outside food or beverages will be allowed. Other items that are not allowed include pets, chairs, umbrellas, coolers, drugs, weapons, fireworks or glass.

General admission tickets will cost $85, with VIP Early Access tickets selling for $125 and available at foodthatrocks. org/#tix.

Parking will be available in the parking deck for the first two hours free of charge. The city recommends rideshare with Uber or Lyft so guests do not drink and drive. Drop off and pick up will be at Johnson Ferry Road and Blue Stone Road.

A Weekend in Destin

White sand, blue water, delicious seafood, and memorable sunset cruises

any of these activities and see options at destinboardwalk. com.

The boardwalk is a little hectic with tourists, but we decided to book a sunset cruise with Southern Star (southernstardolphincruise. com) to see the dolphins. I’ve been on these types of tours before and it's usually hit or miss, but we were inundated with dolphins. They were racing alongside the boat, leaping out of the water, and being very playful.

The nearly 1.5-hour cruise ended with an incredible sunset view across the harbor as the boat took us back to the boardwalk. The cruise was $35 per person, but it was worth it in my opinion.

By Jacob Nguyen

If you’re ready for a break from Tybee Island and want something less raucous than Panama City, then head to Destin, Florida for its famous white sand beaches and crystal

Destin is a little over five hours away from Atlanta, so my friend and I left around 9 a.m. on Friday, gained an hour crossing into the central time zone, and were having lunch on the beach by 1:30 p.m.

Our first stop was the Crab Trap (crabtrapflorida.com), which was just a short walk from our Airbnb. We were seated on the porch overlooking the beach and ocean. We ate a mound of crab legs with corn on the cob and a side of gumbo.

Then it was time to hit the beach. The water is clear and warm, and it really is the reason to visit Destin. We spent the majority of our time lounging and swimming. Be sure to bring a beach umbrella and plenty of sunscreen!

Evening is the best time to explore Destin and check out some of the attractions and sites. Destin Harbor Boardwalk is the epicenter of the town and is full of restaurants, bars, souvenir shops, and where to find sunset and dolphin cruises, parasailing, charter fishing trips, and snorkeling. You can book

Then it was on to what I consider the best restaurant in Destin – Boshamps Seafood and Oyster House (boshamps.com). Yes, it’s pricey, but so delicious we ate there two nights in a row. The seafood gumbo and Oysters Rockefeller were my favorites. There’s usually a long wait, but you can sit on the dock overlooking the harbor until a table is ready. You might spot a frolicking dolphin or a blue heron.

After another day on the beach, we headed back to the boardwalk to take a Hydrojet boat tour (hydrojetboats. com). These are long, sleek speedboats that take you on hour-long tours of the harbor, so if you feel the need for speed then hold on tight. This tour might not be for everyone. It’s bumpy, you get wet, but it is so much fun. We didn’t see many dolphins this time, but the boat experience is really what you pay $35 per person for.

One last food recommendation is to have breakfast at The Pancakery (thepancakery. com). There’s usually a wait here, too, but you can browse the adjoining beach shop until they text that your table is ready. The Blueberry Hill stack of pancakes topped with fresh berries is amazing.

While we stayed in a really comfortable Airbnb just across the street from the beach (the website Worldwide Traveler says there are more than 300 properties available in Destin), there are plenty of hotels. Whether you want something upscale or no-frills motel, there are plenty of options at hotels.com.

For more about visiting Destin go to destinflorida.com.

blue water.

Destin Beach

Dolphins frolic in Destin Harbor.

The shops and restaurants at Destin Harbor Boardwalk

A Destin sunset.

Summer Fun

Concerts, festivals, rodeos, and more in North Georgia and North Carolina

By Collin Kelley

If you’re headed to the North Georgia Mountains and North Carolina in June, there are plenty of events and activities to keep you entertained along with the usual hiking, paddling, and scenic views.

Check out these events:

The country star will perform at the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds in Hiawassee on Saturday, June 10, at 7 p.m. Get tickets and more information at georgiamountainfairgrounds.com.

Blue Ridge Mountains

Wine & Jazz Festival

Head to Ellijay on Saturday, June 24, for this day-long event (11 a.m. to 9 p.m.) featuring music, food, fine art, and wine from regional vineyards. The cost is $70 per person. Get more details at gilmerchamber. com.

Mountain Top Rodeo

Gazers of the Galaxy Travis Tritt

Mountain Top Rodeo

The 34th annual rodeo is set for June 9-10 starting in Dahlonega. There will be steer wrestling, team roping, barrel racing, bull riding and more. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for kids, Get more info at mountaintoprodeo.com.

Authentic Unlimited

Slip over the border to Franklin, NC, to see the bluegrass band perform Friday, June 23, at 7:30 p.m. at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts. Get tickets and details at smokymountainarts.com.

Gazers of the Galaxy

Ascend Georgia’s highest peak, Brasstown Bald, on Saturday, June 24, at 8:30 p.m. to get closer to the stars! Expert astronomers will be on hand to guide visitors on a

tour of the night sky. Find out more at exploregeorgia.com.

Thunder in the Smokies

The oldest and largest motorcycle rally in the southeast takes place in Maggie Valley, NC from June 30 – July 2. There will be music, games, and rides on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Visit handlebarcorral.com for more.

Tennessee Aquarium adds new exhibitions

For more than 30 years, the Tennessee Aquarium has served as a must-see attraction for visitors to Chattanooga and now there’s even more to see and do this summer.

The new “Ridges to Rivers” gallery, which opened March 1, allows visitors to get nose-to-fin with dozens of species of colorful minnows, iridescent darters, and gleaming sunfish that live in Appalachian waterways.

The new gallery is anchored at one end by a massive 22-foot-long exhibit recreating the fast-flowing rapids and placid plunge pools of the Upper Tennessee River. On the opposite side of the new space, guests can experience a redesigned Lake Sturgeon touch exhibit, renamed Sturgeon Bend. Made possible by support from the Tennessee Valley Authority, this expanded experience features three times the footprint of the previous sturgeon touch exhibit, all the better for even more guests to lay fingers on these true living fossils.

Just down the hall from “Ridges to Rivers,” two more newly opened exhibits welcome guests to the “Rivers of the World” gallery. This pairing of habitats –collectively called “Seasonal Floodwaters” – features some of the species found above and below the waters of South America’s Amazon River basin. On one side, brilliantly colored Poison Dart Frogs hop from mossy log to leafy bromeliad alongside an electric green Amazon Basin Emerald Tree Boa. Next door, beautifully patterned, shimmering Discus – large, flat fish nearly the size of dinner plates – and schools of neon Cardinal Tetras flit through roottangled water.

“Deeper Dives: Feeding Frenzy”

pairs a group of up to six guests with a knowledgeable guide from the Aquarium’s education team who will take them on a personal adventure through some of the facility’s seldom-seen areas. Along the way, they’ll learn about the animals exhibited and their roles in their wild ecosystems. However, the tour’s appeal is its namesake, a chance to scatter feed the 618,000-gallon Secret Reef and its resident sharks, rays, and saltwater fishes.

Find out more about the new exhibits at tnaqua.org.

Rough Draft Staff

Chef Sessoms makes mark on Asheville’s dining scene

TUCKER

Saturday June 17 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Unity Parade on Main Street at 10 a.m. followed by live music, guest speakers, kids area, food trucks, merchant vendors & more

Church Street Greenspace 4316 Church Street, Tucker GA 30084

JUNE MEETINGS & EVENTS

Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are held at Tucker City Hall, 1975 Lakeside Pkwy., Ste 350B, Tucker, GA 30084

JUNE 2, 7 P.M

First Friday Concert

Departure

Church Street

Greenspace

4316 Church Street

JUNE 5, 6:30 P.M.

Downtown Development Authority Meeting

JUNE 6, 7 P.M.

Zoning Board of Appeals

JUNE 10, 11 A.M.-2 P.M.

Tucker Cruise-In Main Street, Tucker

JUNE 10, 11 A.M.-3 P.M.

Walk for the Paws

Henderson Park

JUNE 12, 7 P.M. City Council Meeting

JUNE 15, 7 P.M.

Third Thursday Movie in the Parks

DC LEAGUE OF SUPER PETS

Montreal Park 1341 Montreal Road Tucker, GA 30084

JUNE 19 City Buildings closed in observace of Juneteenth

JUNE 26, 7 P.M. City Council Meeting

By Collin Kelley

Acclaimed chef and James Beard Award nominee Jacob Sessoms has made a culinary mark on downtown Asheville, NC’s dining scene.

The Nashville native founded Perfectly Ad Hoc hospitality group, the parent company for Asheville staples Table, Right There Bar, and All Day Darling. Sessoms pays homage to the Southeast and has cultivated long-standing relationships with local farmers and artisans.

After studying culinary arts and baking and pastry at New York City’s French Culinary Institute, now named The International Culinary Center, and working with renowned chefs, including Jonathan Waxman and Peter Hoffman in Manhattan, Sessoms moved to Asheville in 2004 to open Table.

While working on the opening, he continued to hone his skills by working as a sous chef and pastry chef at Reza’s from nationally recognized chef Reza Setayesh.

Table opened in 2005 and has become one of the city’s go-to dining destinations with its daily-changing menu of fresh takes on classic American cuisine under the direction of executive chef Patrick Rumley.

Perfectly Ad Hoc’s bar director Malcolm Knighten develops drink menus that tell a story and are centered around seasonal ingredients from small producers and family farms nearby that complement the culinary offerings.

Curated by Sessoms and wine director Brett Watson, the wine list is filled with bottles designed to inspire conversation among the team and guests about where it came from geographically, who made it, why it should be on your table, and most importantly, “does it excite you?”

tuckerga.gov

Next door, Table’s sister eatery Right There Bar serves the same craft cocktails list, plus beer, hot dogs and burgers.

All Day Darling, opened in the city’s

Montford neighborhood in 2018, is a casual restaurant that is open daily from “sun-up to sun-down.” The menu includes fresh daily baked goods from Ashley Cort and her team, breakfast dishes, hearty salads, bowls, sandwiches, seasonal dinner specials, and snacks for kids.

The beverage menu is driven by Counter Culture Coffee and has an emphasis on coffee and tea infused with fresh herbs and spices. Bar director Knighten also serves a tight list of classic cocktails, including a bloody mary, margarita, negroni and dirty martini, plus craft beer and wine. Like at Table, Sessoms and Watson curate the wine list that features bottles from around the world.

Throughout the year, All Day Darling hosts monthly events including live music, guest chef dinners, collaborations with fellow local businesses and popular woodfired pizza nights.

Top, All Day Darling restaurant in Asheville, NC. Above, Chef Jacob Sessoms

Georgia Tiny Home Festival is June 24-25

THE DUST Y COIN

By Collin Kelley

The United Tiny House Association (UTHA) is bringing the 8th annual Georgia Tiny House Festival to Lake Country on June 24-25.

The event will be held at the Madison Lion’s Club Fairgrounds, 1311 Fairgrounds Road, in Madison, GA. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday.

Tiny houses on wheels, skoolies and bus conversions, van conversions, and other styles of small homes will be available to tour during the festival. There will also be tiny house celebrities, recognized leaders from the tiny house

community, entertainment, speakers, vendors, artisans, food concessions, workshops, and more.

TheTiny House Festival will be UTHA’s 29th for-charity tiny house event, which has donated more than $773,000 from the admission ticket proceeds of its first 28 for-charity tiny house festivals to more than 100 different charities, non-profits, and to the local communities where it has held its events.

As UTHA Chairman and CoFounder John Kernohan states, “We held our very first for-charity tiny house festival in Eatonton, Georgia, back in March 2016, and now we’re returning to the area with our 29th for-charity tiny house festival. As they say, it’s good to be home.”

UTHA founders Kernohan and Fin Davies-Kernohan built their 304 square foot, off-grid tiny cabin more than a decade ago and travel the country in their towable 148 square foot tiny house, the “Tiny Firehouse - Station No. 9,” which is a tribute tiny house on wheels honoring firefighters and emergency responders.

Tickets are $15 online or $20 at the gate. For tickets and more information, visit unitedtinyhouse.com