Sandy Springs Reporter - August 2023

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Atlanta City Council adds $12 million for street improvements

By Dyana Bagby

The Atlanta City Council approved adding $12 million to the city’s Department of Transportation budget to go toward street resurfacing and safety improvements.

The council voted in July to amend the 2024 General Budget to authorize the transfer of $3 million from the city’s reserves and $9 million in interest income proceeds from the 2015 General Obligation Public Improvement Infrastructure bond proceeds to the Atlanta Department of Transportation.

“We are investing in our infrastructure as we ensure that Atlanta is a city built for the future, ready to meet demands that growth and the unknown bring,” said Mayor Andre Dickens in a news release. “This additional funding will help complete existing projects and equitably deliver results for our residents.”

The $12 million was added after the council and residents raised concerns about the mayor’s plans to slash the ATLDOT budget from roughly $57 million to $50 million.

The new funding will be used for resurfacing and safety improvements in

all 12 city council districts, according to the mayor’s office. The council requested a selection of resurfacing/ safety projects for roughly $1 million per council district be coordinated by the commission of the ATLDOT and district council members by Sept. 30.

The resurfacing and safety improvement projects will also include ADA repairs, sidewalk repairs and upgrades, crosswalk enhancements and lane width reductions where feasible, according to the ordinance.

District 9 Council member Dustin Hillis introduced the legislation and noted that there was no resurfacing done in the city for two years under former mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms’ administration.

“With the passage of this legislation, the City Council has funded more resurfacing projects this fiscal year than it has in over a decade,” Hillis said in a written statement.

“We look forward to working with Mayor Andre Dickens and his ATLDOT team to identify $1 million in projects across each council district.”

For more information on ATLDOT projects, visit atldot.atlantaga.gov.

Courtesy Atlanta DOT

City awarded $1.6 million grant for crime reduction

By Bob Pepalis Sandy Springs

City Council

approved the acceptance of more than $1.6 million in grants that will enable the police department to hire three civilian employees and purchase equipment for its Violent Crime Reduction Team.

The Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget awarded the city $869,675 for staffing and $752,514 for equipment and technology in grants funded by the American Rescue Plan Act. The city does not have to match the grant.

“With the acceptance of this grant, we’ll establish the Violent Crime Reduction Program and the other funds we’ll use to increase the police department staffing by three: one civilian criminal intelligence analyst and two crime scene investigators in developing the violent crime reduction team,” Police Chief Ken DeSimone said.

The grants will fund two civilian crime scene investigators and one civilian

criminal intelligence analyst. CSI training and forensic software user licenses will also be funded.

The grants will also allow the city to establish a cellular camera network for deployment in areas of the city experiencing higher crime. The city will purchase 35 cameras, cellular service, installation, maintenance, and license fees. It also funds a server for the camera network.

The city will add 20 license plate readers with the grant funds. Multiple agencies will be able to share crime data, jail booking data, crime mapping, predictive analytics, and reporting with the implementation of an Accurint Virtual Crime Center.

DeSimone said that if the city continues the program after grant funds run out as its currently structured, the continuing yearly cost would be approximately $127,655 for equipment and $325,000 for the additional positions.

Chattahoochee River reopens after sewage spill

By Bob Pepalis

All sections of the Chattahoochee River have been reopened by the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (CRNRA) after being closed due to elevated E. coli contamination.

A 15-mile of the river was closed in late June as a safety precaution after E. coli levels increased, stemming from a sewage spill at Big Creek Water Reclamation Facility operated by Fulton County.

Daily water quality sampling has been conducted by the park and Chattahoochee Riverkeeper daily since detecting the spill, according to CRNRA Superintendent Ann Honious.

“U.S. Public Health Service officials supported the reopening after seeing continual improvement in sampling results and process improvements at the Fulton County facility. The park is assessing impacts on wildlife, vegetation, and aquatic resources,” Honious said.

The park will continue its BacteriALERT partnership with Chattahoochee Riverkeeper and the U.S.

Geological Survey to monitor water quality at Medlock Bridge, Powers Island, and Paces Mill.

She advised park visitors before getting in the water to always remember to wear a life vest and check the flow rate, weather forecast, and bacteria levels.

The Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) said on July 13 that it will decide what enforcement action to take after partially treated wastewater flowed into the Chattahoochee.

Current information about the river is available on social media and at www.nps. gov/CHAT.

Chief Kenneth DeSimone

Chattahoochee River Keeper staff test bacteria levels. (Courtesy CRK)

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Thank You, Dunwoody!

Thank You, Sponsors!

Once again, our community was able to celebrate our Independence Day tradition and the 2023 Dunwoody 4th of July Parade was a huge success. Thank you to everybody who attended and to our wonderful sponsors who made this year’s event possible.

A Place Where You Belong

Annexation application for Toco Hills neighborhoods withdrawn

By Logan C. Ritchie

An application to annex 462 acres of privately owned land in unincorporated DeKalb County into the city of Brookhaven has been withdrawn by the applicant.

The annexation application for Toco Hills neighborhoods and commercial districts was filed by resident Howard Ginsburg in May.

Ginsburg’s withdrawal ends the annexation process for this petition, but it does not stop residents from making another annexation application in the same area. Six additional areas south of Brookhaven are working on applications to annex.

“While we have over 60% of the registered voters in the area, due to some questions raised about the application, I have decided to withdraw the current application,” Ginsburg said. “My neighbors and I remain very interested in becoming a part of Brookhaven and intend to pursue another annexation application soon unless DeKalb County gives us a chance to vote in a referendum.”

Brookhaven City Manager Christian Sigman said the withdrawal is not surprising given the issues that were raised during the public input process.

“The silver lining is that community’s voice does make a difference, and the difference is possibly a referendum in the area and a battle-tested annexation review process. Either way, we continue to welcome all adjacent residents who want to join the city of Brookhaven,” Signan said.

At a special called meeting on June 30, Ernst asked DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond for a on the November ballot to allow residents to vote on annexation.

The county’s response to Brookhaven was a 9-page letter, dated July 18 written by DeKalb County attorneys asking the state to get involved in the fight between the two parties.

In the letter to Department of Community Affairs Commissioner Christopher Nunn, DeKalb requested the agency appoint a panel to review the application and process.

DeKalb claimed in the letter to DCA

that the annexation application was “null and void” and “riddled with confirmed fraud, containing confusing and conflicting information, and failing to comply with Georgia law.”

Of several cited issues, DeKalb claims Brookhaven misreported the number of registered voters.

The 60/60 law states in the area to be annexed at least 60% of property owners plus at least 60% of the resident electors must sign a petition in favor of annexation.

Brookhaven is legally required to investigate the application for compliance of the 60/60 law. The annexation application states there are 1,394 active voters in the area in question, and that 896 signed in favor of the annexation. That’s 63.4% in support, more than the required 60%.

DeKalb Elections sent data on May 15 to Brookhaven City Clerk Susan Hiott showing the number of active voters is 1,946 in the area proposed to be annexed, which brings the support percentage to only 46%.

“Brookhaven has ignored the concerns expressed by the public as to the confusing and incomplete information provided, affidavits confirming the submission of fraudulent consents, and improper financial motives of the city, as well as the public call to slow down and add transparency to this process,” DeKalb’s letter states.

DeKalb confirmed forged signatures from Temima High School, Torah Day School, St. Bartholomew Episcopal Church, a resident on Jody Lane and two residents on Reindeer Drive.

Toco Hill Shopping Center

Tree-planting program set for second year

By Cathy Cobbs

The city of Dunwoody is partnering with Trees Atlanta to plant up to 80 shade trees in front yards across Dunwoody. This is the program’s second year in existence.

A total of 54 front yard trees were planted in 2022, according to city officials. Planting for 2023 will begin in October and continue through March 2024

Property owners interested in being part of the program can submit an online application at dunwoodyga.gov/ frontyardtree. Trees will be allotted on a first-come, first-served basis.

“Last year was our first year, and we had complete support for the program from city council. We also had immediate buy-in from residents, who rushed to fill out online applications,” Dunwoody Community Development Director Richard McLeod said. “This program furthers our goal of protecting and building up Dunwoody’s tree canopy.”

Trees Atlanta, a nonprofit organization committed to the care and replenishment of metro Atlanta’s urban forest, manages the processing of tree requests and coordinates with each homeowner for the selection, placement, and installation of up to two front yard trees per yard

4

through this program.

“We were excited to see how Dunwoody residents embraced this program from the start, demonstrating their desire to beautify their yards while creating cleaner air and water, shading their homes and sidewalks, and providing habitat for wildlife,” Mike Vinciquerra, Trees Atlanta Business Development Director, said. “We look forward to

planting even more trees in Dunwoody this fall and winter.”

The Dunwoody City Council voted in July to commit $22,000 to the program, so there is no cost to property owners. The new trees must be planted on private property within 35 feet of a right-ofway. After planting, property owners are responsible for watering and maintaining the new trees.

City council discusses cannabis dispensary regulations

By Cathy Cobbs

The Dunwoody City Council discussed proposed regulations for stand-alone stateregulated medical cannabis distribution facilities that may want to locate in the city.

At the July 10 meeting, Zoning and Planning Director Paul Leonhardt discussed proposed limitations that the city could impose, including only allowing the facilities to operate in certain commercial areas and adding restrictions about its proximity to schools, daycare centers, and houses of worship.

A public hearing was held at the meeting, but nobody spoke either for or against the proposal.

In April, the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission issued the state’s first five medical cannabis dispensaries. Five licenses were issued to Botanical Sciences LLC and Trulieve GA Inc. for dispensaries in Cobb County, Bibb County and Chatham County.

Leonhardt said his staff researched similar operations in neighboring states, including already established locations in Florida.

“The staff has reached out to staff in Florida communities to identify concerns and experiences with existing medical cannabis facilities in that state,” Leonhardt wrote in a memo to council. “Typically, in suburban settings similar to Dunwoody, medical cannabis dispensaries will frequent in-line and free-standing retail buildings between 2,000 square feet and 5,000 square feet in size. The traffic impact is similar to other retail uses and no nuisances were reported.”

No action was taken by the council. It will come back on the agenda at its regularly scheduled Aug. 14 meeting.

Courtesy City of Dunwoody

High School Football Preview

Score Atlanta, founded in 2004 as a weekly sports paper, now produces television and digital broadcasts along with a multitude of promotional print projects for partners such as the Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta United, the Georgia High School Association, National Guard, and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Score has the most-used app for state high school scores and operates events such as the Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic, the Great Atlanta Bash, the Drive for the GHSA State Title, and the Georgia Elite Classic. Score also started the Georgia High School Football Hall of Fame, which will have its second induction ceremony on Oct. 21. In partnership with Rough Draft and Reporter Newspapers, these team previews were authored by Seth Ellerbee, Najeh Wilkins, and Craig Sager II.

Chamblee High School Dunwoody High School

Head Coach: Bob Swank

Head Coach Record: 35-56

2022 Record: 8-3

2022 Region Record: 4-1

2023 Region: 4-AAAAA

Stadium Name: North

Head Coach Bob Swank led Chamblee to their best postseason finish since 2007 when they reached the semifinals last year. With back-to-back eight-win seasons, Swank has instilled a winning culture within the program. In 2021, Chamblee was 9-1 and had their first nine-win season in over a decade. The Bulldogs are coming off an 8-3 season and now have three consecutive winning seasons under their belts. Chamblee had a high-powered offense last season averaging 38.4 points per game and eclipsing 50+ points in three games. Their most impressive win was a 62-13 victory against McIntosh in the first round of the playoffs. Chamblee will return with senior wide receiver Tristan Sizemore who was a force on offense and led the Bulldogs with 635 yards receiving and six touchdowns. Sizemore also had nine sacks leading the team. His exceptional skill set and versatility make him a valuable asset to the Bulldogs’ roster. With Sizemore’s return, the team can rely on his leadership, experience, and playmaking abilities to propel them to new heights in the upcoming season. Chamblee will replace senior quarterback Fabian Walker who threw for 2,108 passing yards and 21 touchdowns last season. The rushing attack will remain intact as running back Larry Harris returns to the offense. Harris led Chamblee in rushing yards and touchdowns last season. On the defensive side of the game, Jeffery Thornton will return. He was second on the team with 75 tackles. Chamblee will look to build upon last season’s success and make a deeper run in the postseason.

Cross Keys High School

Head Coach: Eric Quarles

Head Coach Record: 0-0-0

9/21 vs. Harvester Christian Academy 10/20 @ Seckinger

After another tough season, Cross Keys will have a new signal caller and coach in 2023. For Cross Keys, a program that has endured a two-year winless streak, the upcoming season marks a turning point. With their third head coach in as many years, Eric Quarles, at the helm, Cross Keys is poised to rewrite their narrative and change the culture that has plagued them for far too long. While the team has struggled throughout its history, there are glimmers of hope, particularly in their talented secondary. Returning will be rising junior SS Brandon Castro who led the Indians with 61 total tackles and four interceptions last season. Rising sophomore Marquis Earl had 56 tackles and three interceptions last season as a freshman. Their outstanding performance is a testament to their skill and growth potential within the team. With the right guidance and support, these players could become integral to Cross Keys’ future success. On offense, rising senior Luis Hernandez led the Indians in rushing yards last year. Hernandez rushed for 389 yards and a touchdown. Although Cross Keys may have never reached the playoffs in their team’s history, this should not overshadow the potential that lies within the program. The appointment of Eric Quarles signifies a renewed focus on creating a winning culture. With a dedicated coaching staff and talented players in the secondary, Cross Keys is well-positioned to break free from the shackles of their past and make a push towards the postseason.

Head Coach: Michael Nash

Head Coach Record: 22-56

2022 Record: 5-5

2022 Region Record: 1-4

2023 Region: 4-AAAAAA Stadium Name: North

Dunwoody had their first .500 or better season since 2011 and the first under Mike Nash as head coach. It was also the highest-scoring team under Nash’s Dunwoody tenure. The Wildcats scored 255 points last season and averaged 25.50 points per game the highest since 2011. Dunwoody also went on an impressive three-game winning streak where they shut out all three opponents and scored 30+ points in each game. Dunwoody will replace the bulk of their rushing production in Jordan Wade and Porter Ledoyen who graduated in May. QB Ledoyen made first-team allregion offense last season. Both players made up 85% of the rushing attack last season and combined for 18 rushing touchdowns. The Wildcats will be a very young team offensively after graduating the majority of their upperclassmen including their playmakers at wide receiver. A bright spot will be the return of Porter Allison who will be a focal point of the offense. Last season, Allison was third on the team in receiving yards. Defensively, Dunwoody will be very experienced as they return their entire linebacking core and the majority of their secondary and defensive line. One of the standouts returning is Luke Cole. Cole led the Wildcats in tackles and sacks last season. Cole accumulated 103 tackles, eight sacks, and 15 tackles for loss. He was named first-team all-region defense last season proving how vital he is to the team. The Wildcats are seeking their first playoff appearance since 2009 when they made the second round.

Greater Atlanta Christian School

Head Coach: Tim Hardy

Head Coach Record: 123-47

2022 Record: 5-6

2022 Region Record: 3-3

2023 Region: 6-AAAAA

Stadium Name: Spartan Stadium

After moving up to 5A last season, Greater Atlanta Christian made the postseason in an impressive region that included Kell, Cambridge, and Centennial. Under head coach Tim Hardy, the Spartans have made the playoffs every season since he took over in 2012. Their remarkable consistency is reflected in their sustained success and the team’s commitment to excellence and ability to perform under pressure. Hardy has five semifinal finishes in his GAC career. GAC returns nine of their all-region players from last season including quarterback Jack Stanton who was second-team all-region. Stanton threw for 20 touchdowns to only four interceptions while completing 60% of his passes. GAC will also return their two leading receivers Xavier Daisy and Braylen Burgess who made up 50% of the offensive production. Both players had five or more touchdowns and made all-region teams last season. On the defensive side of the ball, rising senior Harrison Voelzke will return. He led the team in tackles last season and three interceptions. One standout player to watch out for in the upcoming season is GAC’s impressive sophomore linebacker. Reid Voyles was tied for the team lead in tackles and sacks last season and was selected for the all-region team as a freshman. Another player to watch for will be rising junior Gabe Williams. He will be another critical piece on offense for the Spartans and is a dynamic playmaker with the ball in his hands. The Spartans are looking to win their first region title since 2020 when they finished 12-1 and made the semifinals.

Chamblee High School (Photo by Bella Pappas)

Greater Atlanta Christian School (Photo by Art of Life Photography)

Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School

Head Coach: Todd Winter

Head Coach Record: 82-43

2022 Record: 9-4

2022 Region Record: 4-1

2023 Region: 6-AAAA

Stadium Name: Hoskyn Stadium

2023 Schedule:

8/18 @ Pace Academy

8/25 vs. Riverwood

9/01 @ Seckinger

9/08 vs. Lake Highland Prep

9/15 vs. Douglass-Atlanta

9/29 vs. Westminster

10/06 @ Miller Grove

10/13 vs. Southwest Dekalb

10/26 @ Stephenson

11/03 @ Hapeville

Holy Innocents’ had their fourth consecutive winning season and went 9-4 last season. Led by head coach Todd Winter, he has consistently shown the ability to guide and inspire young men and be an excellent coach for the Bears. This resulted in him winning region six coach of the year. The Bears won six consecutive games last season and outscored their opponents by 19 points during the streak before falling in the quarterfinals to Troup County. Offensively, the Golden Bears were exemplary, averaging 27 points per game led by William Wright who made all-region last season. Wright will not return after graduating in May. Wide receiver Zack Jackson will return after an all-region selection last season leading the Bears in receiving. Jackson is a dynamic player with the ball in his hands and was a main reason behind the Bears potent offensive attack last season. Holy Innocents’ boasts an exceptional talent in Jacobi Murray, who won Player of the Year. Murray’s sheer force and dominance on the defensive line make him a formidable presence on the field. A position to watch this season is the offensive line for the Holy Innocents’ Bears. It is pertinent to acknowledge that the team will face the challenge of replacing four all-region linemen. This will undoubtedly test their ability to adapt and maintain their winning momentum. However, with the exceptional talent and resilience displayed by the Bears in the past, there is no doubt that they will rise to the occasion.

Marist School

Head Coach: Alan Chadwick

Head Coach Record: 419-78

2022 Record: 10-3

2022 Region Record: 5-0

2023 Region: 4-6A

Stadium Name: Hughes-Spalding Stadium

2023 Schedule:

8/18 @ Gainesville

8/25 vs. Pike Rd, AL

9/01 vs. Savannah Christian

9/08 vs. Woodward Academy

9/15 @ Blessed Trinity

9/29 @ Dunwoody

10/13 @ South Cobb

10/19 @ North Atlanta

10/27 vs. St. Pius X 11/03 vs. Riverwood

Legendary Marist head coach Alan Chadwick returns for his 39th season for the War Eagles. Coach Chadwick has led the War Eagles to six consecutive 10-win seasons and has never had a losing season in his coaching career. The past three seasons, Marist has remained undefeated in region play, winning three region championships during that time. Coach Chadwick has also won three state championships and 21 region championships in his illustrious coaching career. The War Eagles fell short in the quarterfinals against Rome in a low-scoring and highly contested game. Before the loss, Marist had been on an eight-game winning streak and averaging 36.3 points per game on offense. One of the memorable moments from last season came when Marist won a triple overtime thriller 3027 against St. Pius X that determined the region champion. Marist will return highly rated athlete Luke Harpring who is a three-star player and has committed to play at Georgia Tech. Harpring recorded 70 tackles and 14 sacks as a junior while playing defensive end, linebacker, and receiver for the Eagles. All-Region running back Joseph Pizzo will also return. He led the team in rushing last season. Another player to watch will be Casey Comerford who was named to the all-region defensive team for his exemplary play in the secondary. Marist boasts a lot of talent this upcoming season and will look to win their fourth consecutive region title. The War Eagles will also have championship aspirations and look to hoist another state title. Marist last won in 2020.

Holy Innocents’

(Photo by Debbie Reams)

Head Coach: Wayne Dabbs

Head Coach Record: 47-42

2022 Record: 4-7

2022 Region Record: 0-3

2023 Region: Region 6-A Division I

Stadium Name: Glenn Campus Football Field

2023 Schedule:

8/18 vs. Wesleyan

8/25 @ George Walton

9/01 vs. Mt. Paran Christian

9/15 @ Tattnall Square Academy

9/22 @ Athens Academy

9/29 vs. Elbert County

10/06 @ Mt. Zion, Carrol

10/20 vs. Mt. Pisgah Christian 10/27 @ Whitefield Academy

11/03 @ St. Francis

Mount Vernon will kick off the program’s 18th GHSA football season with a streak of seven-straight playoff berths. The Mustangs’ former region in 2020-21 housed Hebron Christian, Providence Christian, Holy Innocents’ and Wesleyan and the reclassification saw all four opponents jump to higher classifications. As a result, Mount Vernon entered a brand new four-team region last season with Mt. Pisgah, Whitefield Academy and St. Francis and was able to earn a playoff berth, despite being swept in region play. Whitefield Academy and St. Francis were top 10 teams and the Mustangs ultimately fell to state champion Prince Avenue Christian 4714 in the first round. Mount Vernon’s 4-7 record last season suggests that the Mustangs took a step back last season, but the team was still able to chalk up massive wins over Mt. Paran (49-45), Tattnall Square (35-34), Mt. Zion-Carroll (27-14) and Harvester Christian (376). Offensively, Mount Paran returns quarterback Sam Nazarian after he racked up 2,233 passing yards, 22 touchdowns and six rushing scores to fuel an offensive that produced 25.3 ppg. Nazarian was named Second-Team All-Region after his junior campaign. Defensively, the Mustangs will look to tighten up the points allowed after seeing the production go from 17 points allowed per game in 2022 to 36.2 last season. Class of 2024 wide receiver Jonathan Gallinaro is also returning after hauling in a team-high 45 receptions for 804 yards and 10 touchdowns and earning First-Team All-Region honors. Noah Arnold, Nathan Webb and Chase Perry are also returning playmakers that were named Second-Team All-Region.

North Springs High School

Head Coach: Robert Braucht

Head Coach Record: 20-35

2022 Record: 4-6

2022 Region Record: 1-5

2023 Region: Region

6-AAAAA

Stadium Name:

Thermopylae Stadium 2023 Schedule:

North Springs is coming off a solid 4-6 season and will have the program’s sixth head coach in the past decade with Robert Braucht. Last year, the Spartans got off to a 4-1 start before falling in their final five games to close out a 4-6 campaign. Jeff Phillips departed following the season and North Springs brought in former Jones County defensive coordinator Robert Braucht. Phillips came to North Springs after coaching in Tennessee, where he achieved a 61-38 record over nine seasons. Before Jones County, Braucht served as an assistant at Ware County. The Spartans will look to continue building momentum after a rough 1-9 finish in 2021 and a 2020 campaign that saw North Springs close out an 0-8 season with only 60 points scored. North Springs competes in a very talented Region 6 and will look to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2017 when first-year head coach Scotty Parker led a 6-5 record. North Springs has made the playoffs just two times since 1998, when the program capped an 8-5 season and quarterfinal run. North Springs has been competing since 1964 and won a state title in 1969 with a 12-0-1 season. This year’s team will feature senior wide receiver Leelyn Beachem and tight end Christopher Johnson. Defensively, John Wilson Murray is a 6-foot-2, 185-pound Class of 2023 prospect that has fulfilled the strong safety and outside linebacker role. Additionally, Zion Solomon is a physical 6-foot, 210-pound two-way playmaker at running back and linebacker.

Pace Academy North Atlanta High School

Head Coach: Jamie Aull

Head Coach Record: 38-44

2022 Record: 8-4

2022 Region Record: 3-2

2023 Region: Region 4-AAAAAA

Stadium Name: Eddie S. Henderson Stadium

2023 Schedule: 8/16 @ Johns Creek

8/26 vs. Drew Charter School

vs. New Manchester

9/08 @ River Ridge

9/15 vs. Wheeler

9/29 @ St. Pius X 10/06 @ Riverwood 10/19 vs. Marist 10/27 vs. South Cobb

vs. Dunwoody

North Atlanta achieved a school-record 8-4 record in 2022 and won the program’s first-ever playoff game in a 30-17 victory over Lovejoy. The season started off with a massive 31-27 win over Class 6A powerhouse North Forsyth in the Corky Kell Classic and the Warriors followed it up with a 50-6 win over Drew, a 35-0 win over New Manchester and a 27-13 victory over River Ridge to improve to 4-0. The Warriors stumbled in a 20-13 loss to Wheeler in the final non-region game and then dropped competitive games to St. Pius and Marist in region play to earn the No. 3 seed. After the historic playoff win over Lovejoy, North Atlanta fell 41-31 in a road loss to No. 1 seed Houston County. North Atlanta returns junior quarterback Ian Reynolds, who split time with Class of 2023 quarterback Tre Lennon. Reynolds finished the season with 24-of-37 passing for 244 yards, five touchdowns and zero interceptions. Xaden Benson returns for his senior year and is a key contributor in the secondary and passing game. Connor Hughes is back as the team’s leading tackler and also tallied a team-high three interceptions last season. Dalyn Caldwell and rising junior Chase Linton are also returning starters on the defensive side of the ball. Caldwell is a middle linebacker that also can take snaps at full back and Linton is a 6-foot-4, 210-pound defensive end that is gaining recruiting attention heading into his junior season.

Head Coach: Nick Bach

Head Coach Record: 28-16

2022 Record: 8-3

2022 Region Record: 5-2

2023 Region: Region 5-AAAA

Stadium Name: Walsh Field 2023 Schedule:

Pace Academy improved on its 6-5 season in 2021, but after a strong 8-2 regular season record were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for the seventh-straight season. Before this streak of first round exits, Pace Academy advanced to the Class 2A state finals and capped a 13-2 record with a 42-21 win over Fitzgerald to clinch its first-ever state title. Breaking this postseason slump will be the primary goal for the Knights this season and they will have a great opportunity to do so. Pace Academy opened last season with three-straight rivaly victories that include a 20-17 win over Holy Innocents’, a 21-19 win over Westminster and a 31-0 shutout over GAC. A 30-20 loss to Lovett to open region play was followed up with four-straight wins before the Knights dropped a 4020 loss to region champion Stockbridge. The Knights closed out the year with a 42-7 win over Mt. Zion-Jonesboro and then dropped a heartbreaking 40-38 road playoff loss to Stephenson. Hevin BrownShuler was a force on the Knights’ defensive line and earned FirstTeam All-Classification honors. Additionally, wide receiver Terrence Kiel closed out a First-Team All-State junior season and will also be returning. Brown-Shuler, who is the No. 28 rated senior prospect in the state of Georgia heading into the season is a 6-foot-4, 290 pounds and committed to Clemson. Kiel is currently uncommitted with offers from Texas A&M, Boston College and Cincinnati among his considerations. Four-star linebacker Jordan Burns is a Tennesseecommit and the No. 45 rated senior prospect in the state.

Mt. Vernon School

(Photo by Betsy Armstrong)

North Springs High School

(Photo by David King)

Riverwood International School

Head Coach: Michael Young

Head Coach Record: 2-9

2022 Record: 2-9

2022 Region Record: 2-3

2023 Region: Region 4-AAAAAA

Stadium Name: Hoskyn Stadium

2023 Schedule:

8/18 @ Alexander

8/25 @ Holy Innocents’

9/01 vs. North Springs

9/15 vs. Chamblee

9/22 @ Westminster

9/29 @ South Cobb

10/06 vs. North Atlanta

10/20 vs. St. Pius X

10/26 @ Dunwoody 11/03 @ Marist

St. Pius X

Head Coach: Chad Garrison

Head Coach Record: 15-9

2022 Record: 6-6

2022 Region Record: 4-1

2023 Region: Region 4-AAAAAA

Stadium Name: George B. Maloof Stadium

2023 Schedule:

8/18 @ Dacula

8/25 vs. Flowery Branch

9/01 vs. Jefferson

9/08 vs. Blessed Trinity

9/15 @ Parkview

9/29 vs. North Atlanta

10/13 @ Dunwoody 10/20 @ Riverwood 10/27 @ Marist 11/03 vs South Cobb

Head coach Michael Young is entering his second season leading Riverwood and looking to improve on last year’s 2-9 finish. Young, who took his first-ever head coaching job last season, helped lead Riverwood to the program’s sixth playoff appearance for a team that’s been playing football since 1971. Prior to Young’s arrival, Robert Edwards coached the Raiders from 2018-2021 and led Riverwood to the second round in 2019, just the team’s second journey past the first round after a second round exit in 2001 un der head coach Dennis Goss. The Raiders went 2-3 in Region 4-6A and lost to Woodward Academy in the first round of the playoffs 4113. Riverwood faced a difficult region schedule but secured victories over South Cobb 48-20 and Dunwoody 40-33 last season but strug gled against North Atlanta, St. Pius X and Marist. Last season, Riv erwood featured a balanced offensive attack averaging 112 passing yards to 113 rushing yards per game. Senior quarterback Jackson Da vis was 142-of-244 passing for 1,664 yards and 10 touchdowns in his junior season. In the playoff loss to Woodward, Davis was 14-of-26 for 137 yards and two touchdowns. On the ground, Walter Evans, the team’s leading rusher last season, was lost to graduation but Davis (4 rushing TDs) and KJ McCrae (2) will factor. Riverwood lost its leading receiver from last season, Levi Linowes (6 TD receptions), but soph omore Zach Stair and seniors Evan Joyce and McCrae will have an impact.

Head coach Chad Garrison took his first-ever head coaching job when he joined the staff at St. Pius X in 2021 and since then, he’s led the Golden Lions to the playoffs each season and looks to continue the streak. The Golden Lions went 9-3 in Garrison’s first season (2021) as head coach and captured a region title after go ing undefeated 6-0 through Region 5-5A. Pius defeated Cass 42-9 in the opening round of the 2021 Class 5A playoffs before losing to Creekside 41-34 in the second round. Last season, the Golden Lions moved up to Class 6A and felt the pressure of a higher class, finishing 6-6 and 4-1 through Region 4-6A. The Golden Lions defeated North Atlanta, Dunwoody, Riverwood and South Cobb but lost to Marist 30-27 to finish No. 2 in the region. St. Pius X beat Mundy’s Mill 27-21 in the opening round of the playoffs before losing to Thomas Coun ty Central 49-14. St. Pius X favored the run last season and averaged 180 rushing yards to 36 passing yards per game but will have to re place some big pieces of the ground puzzle after graduating its three leading rushers – Jack Tchienchou, Kevin Beirne and Liam Whitlark. Returning talent includes senior Patrick Muir returns and had 43 car ries for 223 yards and three touchdowns last season while junior Co lin Crosby rushed 19 times for 80 yards and two touchdowns. Senior quarterback Jack Mount was 15-of-24 passing for 264 yards and a touchdown last season while rushing for 100 yards.

The Lovett School

Head Coach: Mike Muschamp

Head Coach Record: 181-101

2022 Record: 7-5

2022 Region Record: 6-1

2023 Region: 5-AAAA

Stadium Name: Kilpatrick Stadium

2023 Schedule:

8/18 @ Westminster

8/25 vs. Greater Atlanta Christian

9/08 vs. Pace Academy

9/15 @ McDonough

9/22 @ Fellowship Christian

9/29 vs. Luella

10/06 @ Stockbridge 10/20 vs. Mt. Zion 10/27 vs. Hampton 11/03 @ WoodlandStockbridge

Two years ago, Lovett was competing in Class 2A, finished 8-4 and exited in the second round of the playoffs. After the re classification cycle, the Lions moved up two classes to Class 4A and finished 7-5 but faced another second-round exit. The program has been to the playoffs every season since 2002 and since 2005, head coach Mike Muschamp has been at the helm. The brother of college coach Will Muschamp, Mike has led Lovett to a state title –2013 in Class 2A – and played for two state championships but lost in 2007. Prior to taking the Lovett job, Muschamp coached at Sa vannah Country Day from 2000-2004 and has amassed a 181-101 record in 24 seasons with three region titles and a state champion ship. However, it’s been since 2014 that Muschamp has led the Li ons past the second round, when the team lost in the quarterfinals. Last season, Lovett went 6-1 through Region 5-4A with victories over Pace Academy, McDonough, Luella and Mount Zion-Jonesboro and a loss to Stockbridge. In the playoffs, Lovett beat local rival West minster 13-6 in the first round before losing to North Oconee 35-9. The victory over Westminster avenged a 14-0 loss to the Wildcats in the first game of the season. Quarterback Preston Lusink, a 6-foot2, 190-pound senior, returns to lead the offense in front of back Kalil Townes. Luke Wallace is a 6-1, 155-pound senior who will help anchor the receiver’s stall alongside senior Dylan Mayers.

Woodward Academy

Head Coach: John Hunt

Head Coach Record: 119-33

2022 Record: 11-2

2022 Region Record: 7-0

2023 Region: 3-AAAAAA

Stadium Name: Colquitt Stadium

2023 Schedule: 8/18 vs. Trinity Christian 8/25 @ McCallie 9/08 @ Marist

@ Marrow

vs. Alcovy

vs. Lovejoy

Wesleyan School

Head Coach: Frank Pridgen

Head Coach Record: 135-70

2022 Record: 4-7

2022 Region Record: 3-3

2023 Region: 7-AAA

Stadium Name: Henderson Stadium

2023 Schedule:

8/18 @ Mount Vernon

8/25 @ Decatur

9/01 vs. North Cobb Christian 9/08 vs. Whitefield Academy

vs. Gilmer

@ Lumpkin County

vs. White County

@ Dawson County

@ West Hall

vs. Pickens

Frank Pridgen took over the Wesleyan football program in 2006, and it took just two seasons to lead the Wolves to the program’s only state championship in 2008. Since 2011, when the Wolves finished 7-3 overall and 5-1 but missed the playoffs, Wesleyan has appeared in the postseason each year. After the recent reclassification cycle, Wesleyan went from Class A Private to Class 3A, where it’s entering its second season in a higher class. Pridgen coached the Wolves to the Class A Private state championship game in 2019 and then the semifinals in the following season. However, the Wolves have had a second round and first round exit in the past two seasons, respectively. Last season, Wesleyan finished 4-7 overall and 3-3 in Region 7-3A and lost to Stephens County 51-14 in the opening round of the 3A playoffs. The team favored the pass last season, averaging 212 passing to 669 rushing yards per game. Ben Brown returns after a sophomore season where he was 173-of-291 passing for 2,123 yards and 25 touchdowns. He rushed 58 times for 117 yards and one touchdown. Also returning is the team’s leading receiver from last season – Jamie Tremble –who made 55 receptions for 890 yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior. Receiver Shepard Jones made 21 catches for 234 yards and three touchdowns as a junior last year. On the ground, Townes Hardy led the team with 33 carries for 178 yards and two touchdowns as a junior.

The Westminster Schools

If there’s one person who wants to cap a season with a state championship, it’s probably Woodward head coach John Hunt. He’s led the War Eagles since 2011 and won seven region titles but has not found a way to extend the season to a state championship game. He’s led Woodward to the semifinals three times – 2014, 2015 and 2019 – and the quarterfinals in 2016, 2017 and last season. Woodward – in some form or fashion – has been playing football since 1902 and won state championships in 1970 and 1980 under head coach Graham Hixon. Last season, Woodward went undefeated through Region 3-6A and beat Riverwood and Lee County in the first two rounds of the playoffs but lost to Hughes 56-28 in the quarterfinals. The War Eagles favored the pass last season and averaged 200 passing to 107 rushing yards per game and return large pieces of the offensive puzzle despite losing quarterback Jalen Woods to graduation. Senior Griffin Marshall was 22-of-37 passing for 378 yards and five touchdowns last season and returns. On the ground, Lucas Farrington had 126 carries for 668 yards and eight touchdowns last season as a sophomore and Myles Graham had 86 carries for 465 yards and six touchdowns as a junior and had 13 receptions for 150 yards and three touchdowns. Ben Grice will anchor the receivers and had 50 catches for 910 yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior. Josiah Abdullah made 35 catches for 536 yards and eight touchdowns as a sophomore and returns.

Head Coach: Gerry Romberg

Head Coach Record: 226-136

2022 Record: 6-5

2022 Region Record: 3-2

2023 Region: 6-AAAA

Stadium Name: Thompson Stadium

2023 Schedule:

@ Holy Innocents

vs. Stephenson

@ Hapeville

@ Southwest Dekalb

vs. Miller Grove

Westminster began last season with a 14-0 victory over local-rival Lovett but was left with a sour taste after losing to Lovett in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs 13-6. But if there’s one thing about Westminster – and the program’s longtime head coach Gerry Romberg – it’s that they are resilient. Romberg has been at Westminster since 1992 – that’s 32 seasons – and has amassed a 226-136 record. He’s led the Wildcats to one state championship victory in Class 2A in 2015 and captured seven region titles, but not since 2016. Westminster spent 2016-2021 in Class 3A before climbing one class last season due to the reclassification cycle. In its first year in Class 4A, the Wildcats finished 6-5 and 3-2 in Region 6-4A while outscoring opponents 189-160. Returning for Westminster is senior defensive back/wide receiver Armstrong Jones, who has offers from Georgetown, Colgate, Toledo, The Citadel, Lehigh and Appalachian State. Jones is 6-foot-1 and 170 pounder who can interrupt both the pass and the run. Also returning is senior Jett Hartley, a 6-foot, 180-pound strong safety who will help anchor the defensive backfield for the Wildcats alongside Jones. The one-two defensive punch should cause fits for quarterbacks and receivers. Known for its string of excellent punters/kickers – including former Georgia Tech great and two-time Super Bowl winner Harrison Butker – Westminster returns Carson Wilkie, who made 53 punts last season and averaged 40 yards with 25 punts being downs inside the 20-yard line.

Wesleyan School (Photo by Brian Morgan)

QUADSis Shoes designed to fill age-gap for growing pre-teen feet

industry and follow a dream. I enjoy every moment of this exciting journey, from weekly meetings, forecasting, product development, photo shoots, factory and tannery visits in Brazil, to so much more alongside these two amazing entrepreneurs," shared Caroline de Baere, a 30-year footwear industry expert and product consultant.

Just in time for back-to-school, QUADSis is introducing a boot and bootie

in two colors, and ballet flats are on the way.

Ward’s advice to other entrepreneurs: follow your gut, give yourself grace and believe in yourself.

“It’s empowering to have our daughters see that [if] you see a hole and a need in the market … you can create a fix,” Guido reflected. “It’s like Marilyn Monroe said, ‘Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world.’ That is our mission.”

By Clare S. Richie

When Janet Ward’s now teenage daughter was in 2nd grade, she wore a woman's size 7.

Unable to find anything ageappropriate that her daughter wanted to wear, Janet knew something had to change.

In November 2022, after extensive research on how fast girls feet grow during pre-teen years and how shoes are designed and constructed, Ward and her longtime friend, Stephanie Guido, launched QUADSis Shoes.

“Give a mom a problem and she will find a solution, especially as it relates to her kids,” Guido said. “We’ve created everything. We did not buy an existing

product.”

Working with a professional shoe designer, they developed a 1.5 high wedge for stability paired with easy-to-care-for materials and youthful styles.

“The molds for the outsoles are expensive, so you want to make sure that you can reuse them down the line,” Guido said. “The wedge could be taken from a dress shoe and made into a bootie, or a sandal.”

Ward said QUADSis started out selling directly to consumesr via their website (shopquads.com) to connect to their customers and hear their feedback.

“Our greatest goal is to help these girls be confident in who they are,” Guido said. “If you’ve got a larger foot than your peers, you’re already feeling awkward and out of place at a time when everything is awkward and out of place.”

The name of the company is derived from quadriceps, one of the strongest muscle groups in the human body and the Latin word for four, and “Sis” is for the co-founders, who each have two daughters (ranging from ages 7 to 14) and are often mistaken for sisters.

"It takes courage to jump into a new

QUADSis co-founders Stephanie Guido, left, and Janet Ward.

Speaking environmental truth to power

Saving a river, stopping an incinerator

A tree farmer whose ancestors settled in Talbot County nearly two hundred years ago (where they made wood products for everything from peach shipping containers to furniture), Woodall became an ardent environmental activist when he was in high school.

A federal dam and reservoir proposed at Sprewell Bluff on the Flint River not far from his home ignited a fiery opposition movement, which he joined. Then-governor Jimmy Carter personally reviewed the flawed cost-benefit analysis used to justify the project and—50 years ago—stopped the dam with a veto. Today, the Flint is one of only 40 rivers in the country that flows unimpeded for more than 200 miles.

Woodall’s lifelong commitment to the environment was cemented when he became involved in the battle against a hazardous waste incinerator in 1987. Thengovernor Joe Frank Harris announced a $50 million plan to build the incinerator to burn harmful chemicals, pesticides, solvents, and other toxic manufacturing byproducts. Without any public notice or assessments of likely impacts on public health and the environment, and using a distorted ranking system, officials selected a site in Taylor County near the Talbot County line.

Harris’ hazardous waste management authority and local county commissioners supported the plan; the commissioners had met secretly to vote, violating open meetings laws. No consideration was given to the nearby Black community and its residents who were dependent on wells that could be contaminated by waste seeping into groundwater. The head of Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division, an active incinerator proponent, said at the time that it would be a waste of taxpayer money to conduct any environmental studies because the safety requirements for the facility would be “so rigid.”

When Woodall arrived at the State Capitol in 1990, he and others took a different approach—working on waste reduction, instead of waste disposal. Later that year, Zell Miller was elected governor, promising to tackle the incinerator issue with transparency and science. He reconstituted the authority overseeing hazardous waste issues, appointed technical experts as members, and supported a bill to reduce the use of hazardous waste. Lt. Governor Pierre Howard appointed Woodall to the authority.

Ultimately, the incinerator was axed. It simply wasn’t needed. Today, the people of Taylor and Talbot Counties can breathe more easily, literally.

Milestones celebrated, climate issues loom

I decided to write about Mark Woodall and these decades-old stories to emphasize a point. It is “we the people” who must demand that our local and state officials protect the safety, health, and welfare of all of us. In my experience, the only way to prevail against those driven solely by the love of money and power is for those adversely affected to take bold and persistent action.

This year marks milestone anniversaries of some of Georgia’s most effective environmental organizations and coalitions that speak truth to power. The Georgia Chapter of the Sierra Club is 40. Coosa River Basin Initiative (Rome) is 30. Flint Riverkeeper (Albany) is 15. One Hundred Miles (Brunswick) is 10. Last year, Georgia Water Coalition celebrated 20; Chattahoochee Riverkeeper will be 30 next year; and Georgia Conservation Voters is nearing 25. Our state’s oldest conservation group, Georgia Wildlife Federation, will be 90 in a few years.

ABOVE THE WATER LINE

government agencies and stop polluters. Those advocates, Neill Herring and Jim Kulstad, lobbied for the Georgia Chapter of the Sierra Club and Campaign for Prosperous Georgia, respectively.

Sally Bethea

The first time Mark Woodall showed up at the Georgia State Capitol in January 1990, he hoped to find a band of fellow environmentalists who could help him “keep big business from wrecking Georgia.” He and his neighbors were in the middle of an ugly fight to protect their rural community in middle Georgia from a proposed hazardous waste incinerator. Instead, he found just two environmental advocates working to prod

Thirty-three years later, Georgia is home to dozens of conservation and riverkeeper organizations, many of whom often work together to oppose bad bills (legislation that could harm the environment) and support good ones. Impressively, Woodall is still showing up every winter as a volunteer lobbyist for green causes; for the past 30 years, he’s served as the legislative chair for the Georgia Chapter of the Sierra Club.

Local residents organized. They were led by two powerful women: Marie Jarrell McGlaun and Debbie Buckner, now a state legislator who has been an ardent protector of Georgia’s environment for the past twenty years. The protesters would not back down, even when they were threatened with losing their jobs and teachers were effectively put under gag orders. Governor Harris and incinerator boosters refused to budge from their original plan. When it became evident that Georgia didn’t have enough hazardous waste to justify building the incinerator, proponents said that waste would be imported to Georgia from around the Southeast.

While the movement to protect Georgia’s air, land, and water is much stronger, Woodall notes that environmental issues have become dramatically more partisan than in the past, adding that he’s “appalled” by how little state legislators seem to care about the opinions of average Georgians. Who routinely gets their way at the Gold Dome? The state’s dominant electric utility (Georgia Power), road contractors, and businesses represented by the state and metro chambers.

As we grapple with climate change— the biggest threat to our health and prosperity now and in the future—we have a chance to make some real progress. Belatedly, Georgia is finally embarking on its first climate mitigation plan, as is metro Atlanta. Let’s take, and demand, bold action now, before it’s too late.

Mark Woodall

K. Schilling, J.D., CPA, CFP®

A History of Water

Sally Bethea recalls her time as Chattahoochee Riverkeeper in debut book

By Collin Kelley

Sally Bethea was one of the first women in America to become a “riverkeeper” – a defender and guardian of an essential waterway. The nonprofit Chattahoochee Riverkeeper she founded in 1994 took Atlanta to court for polluting the river with untreated sewage just a year before the Summer Olympic Games.

Even now, Bethea said a year-old environmental group filing a lawsuit against a major city in the international spotlight was a “bold move.”

But the organization prevailed in court and the city was forced to clean up its act – literally.

For the next two decades, the organization would file more lawsuits against companies polluting the river and be a thorn in the side of politicians whose laisse-faire attitude – or political expediency – concerning the Chattahoochee was causing harm to the waterway.

When she retired and passed the torch to a new riverkeeper, she was constantly asked the same question: “When are you going to write a book?”

Bethea honed her writing skills with her long-running, award-winning Above the Waterline column, which appears in Atlanta Intown and right here at Rough Draft. But it was reading “The Forest Unseen” by biologist David George Haskell that planted the seed for her debut book.

Haskell visited an old-growth forest in Tennessee on a daily basis for a year to examine its seasonal changes.

“Reading Haskell’s book inspired me to

start taking walks,” she said. “I decided to walk deliberately and attentively through a landscape and oversee the changes and seasons of nature.”

In May 2019, Bethea began walking a path along Cabin Creek in the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (CRNRA). She went back again and again – usually weekly – to simply feel and observe. She documented those walks in a journal.

“I realized that I had been dashing through landscapes all my life and failed to pay close attention to the wonder and awe,” Bethea said. “I love to be outdoors, but these walks brought nature into perspective.”

When the pandemic struck and closed the CRNRA for two months, Bethea kept writing about what she had seen. Then, she landed on the idea of pairing her walk observations with memories of her days as the first Chattahoochee Riverkeeper.

The COVID-19 shutdown gave Bethea time to research and write. “I started writing and kept writing, so the pandemic also acted as a spark plug. I had a lot of time on my hands and all these hours at home. That gave me permission to reflect and not race around and focus on the writing.”

The result is “Keeping the Chattahoochee: Reviving and Defending a Great Southern River,” which is out now from University of Georgia Press.

The book is filled with lovely passages from Bethea’s nature walks to serious and often funny recollections during her time as riverkeeper: From finding common ground with then-Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich on cleaning up

Sally Bethea at the Chattahoochee River with her “granddog” Tikka. (Photo by Meredith Habermann

the Chattahoochee and finding an ally in former Mayor Shirley Franklin to the early days of the tristate water war and a perilous paddle with former U.S. Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt.

“I wrote this with the goal of helping readers understand how rivers work,” she said. “Many people don’t understand how bodies of water are connected; how when someone dumps pollution into a creek over in DeKalb County how it eventually winds up in the Chattahoochee.”

The Chattahoochee is still in need of a protector as evidenced by this month’s sewage spill by Fulton County into the waterway. A 15-mile stretch of the river had to be closed when E. coli readings spiked.

Bethea said Atlanta has made a remarkable turnaround in the last three decades when its crumbling infrastructure turned the Chattahoochee into a running sewer. But more work needs to be done.

“Atlanta was failing spectacularly in the ‘90s, but I would give them an overall grade of B now,” she said. “ In terms of sewers, I’d give them an A. They are complying with federal deadlines and continue to properly maintain the wastewater system. Stormwater runoff and flooding are issues the city still needs to

work on.”

The main takeaway from the book Bethea hopes is imparted to readers is to connect with nature, especially as climate change accelerates.

“I encourage people to find their own place to walk or visit regularly,” she said. “Get to know it over the seasons, pay attention. It’s amazingly spiritlifting and fun and you learn a lot. In the frantic times we deal with, allowing yourself that opportunity to get out in nature can provide a lot of solace.”

Upcoming book signings & events

■ Bethea will sign copies of “Keeping the Chattahoochee” at the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (chattahoocheeparks.org) on Aug. 15 at 7 p.m.

■ She’ll also discuss the book with former Mayor Shirley Franklin at The Jimmy Carter Library (jimmycarterlibrary.gov) on Sept. 12 at 7 p.m.

■ Rough Draft and Atlanta Intown will host a discussion and book signing with Bethea on Oct. 19 at Manuel’s Tavern. More details soon.

Ulseth named executive director of CRK

The Chattahoochee Riverkeeper (CRK) Board of Directors announced that Riverkeeper Jason Ulseth will be appointed executive director with expanded responsibilities beginning Aug. 7. Chattahoochee Riverkeeper’s current Executive Director Juliet Cohen has announced she will step down to work with Cox Enterprises. Over her 14 years of service to Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, 6 as general counsel, and 8 as executive director, Cohen oversaw the growth of its membership, budget, and staff by more than 50 percent. The reach and breadth of programs like Trash-Free Chattahoochee and Neighborhood Water Watch have grown by more than 100 percent.

“Under Juliet’s leadership, the river is cleaner than it has been in decades, and communities throughout the basin are rediscovering the river,” Rutherford Seydel, Co-Chair of CRK’s Board of Directors, said.

Cohen co-led the organization alongside Ulseth, who began working for Chattahoochee Riverkeeper in 2007 as technical programs director and has served as Riverkeeper since 2015. Ulseth is a national expert on water quality and a leader in the water advocacy field.

“I grew up fishing and voting on the Chattahoochee River and jumped at the chance to be part of the organization way

back in 2007 shortly after I graduated from the University of Georgia. The river has always been very special to me. So the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper is a perfect fit for my career, as I get to protect the river that I love,” Ulseth said.

Ulseth has demonstrated his strong leadership skills during the past 16 years and remains deeply dedicated to the CRK mission, Board Co-Chair David Kirkpatrick said.

“We’re excited that Henry Jacobs out of our Lagrange office is going to be rising through the ranks of our organization. He’s been a great asset to us ever since being an intern 10 years ago,” Ulseth said.

CRK promoted Jacobs to deputy director to provide support for the transition. Jacobs most recently served as Middle Chattahoochee director. During his tenure, Jacobs has grown the Middle Chattahoochee regional budget by more than 400 percent and has strategically grown the footprint of the organization’s operations and influence throughout the Middle Chattahoochee region.

“The river is always facing new challenges as we learn more about emerging contaminants like PFAS and microplastics to look forward to the next drought there’s always a lot of constraints and demands on the Chattahoochee River, and we’re going to have to be there to meet them,” Ulseth said.

Employees accuse The Hall at Ashford Lane of malfeasance

By Cathy Cobbs

Former employees of the recently shuttered Dunwoody dining spot, The Hall at Ashford Lane, are accusing its owner of failing to pay them and using vulnerable undocumented workers to keep the failing operation afloat.

Rough Draft interviewed eight former employees who say they are owed thousands of dollars in wages and claim the owner, Jamal Malek Wilson, has refused to answer phone calls or texts.

In a brief comment to Rough Draft on

would be okay with hiring undocumented workers. I had a face-to-face conversation with him after the meeting,” the former cook said. “I asked him specifically, ‘Are you saying that I should find some undocumented workers?’ and he gave me the green light.”

The cook recruited at least seven people, including his own mother, to join the ranks at The Hall.

Another former cook, Jahmaris Nesbitt, said managers fired employees for “a variety of petty reasons” and quietly replaced them with undocumented workers whom they would pay in cash.

Late payments, bounced checks

All the former employees interviewed by Rough Draft said Wilson painted a rosy picture of the company’s finances.

At first, the employees were getting paid on time, but by mid-June they heard reports of late payments, underpayments, and bounced checks.

José Rodriguez, who worked as a cook at the El Greco food stall, said he heard rumors about unpaid employees, but “didn’t think a lot about it” because he had direct deposit.

“Then it happened to me,” Rodriguez said. “I didn’t get paid, and then I got a paper check. When I went to the bank to cash the check, my bank told me the (restaurant’s) account was in the negative.”

After five weeks of delays and broken promises, according to the employees, tempers were at an all-time high. Several people shared screenshots of texts sent on June 29 by Anthony Rubero, an investor in the Hall, promising people would be paid on July 3.

In the text, Rubero thanked the employees “for holding on with us.”

About 30 people came to the Hall that day, promised they would receive either cash or checks. Others were told their wages would be deposited in their accounts by 5 p.m.

Radio silence from owners

Nesbitt said the group waited outside for hours on that hot July day.

What went wrong?

The question of who is to blame for the failure of the Hall may be as simple as looking at Wilson’s history.

Of Wilson’s food hall projects that were either in the concept stage or those that reached fruition, only one remains open – but is operating under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Rough Draft did a survey of the properties Wilson controlled since 2017, and found, through court filings and news reports, that three of his ventures failed and several proposed projects never got off the ground.

The Hall on Mag opened in August 2022 in New Orleans and closed in December. The Hall on Franklin in Tampa opened in 2017 and closed in 2020.The Hall on the Yard opened in 2021 in Orlando and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January 2023.

Wilson gave various explanations for the failures – the pandemic, unanticipated tenant buildout costs, space limitations, and in the case of The Hall at Ashford Lane, “some financial difficulty.”

Rough Draft contacted the Dunwoody property owners – Daytona Beach, Fla.based CTO Realty Growth, which purchased the 269,000-square-foot retail center in 2020 – with questions about Wilson, the process for vetting credit-worthy tenants, and plans for the now-shuttered space. Representatives from the company did not respond. The ’deal’

was not a deal

July 9, Wilson said, “All employees are being paid as we speak, as we had some financial difficulty.”

However, the employees interviewed by Rough Draft reported they have not received any funds through a bank draft or check.

The Hall, which had nine food stalls and reportedly housed Georgia’s largest bar, opened May 26 and closed abruptly July 5. There had been complaints on social media about poor service, menu items that were unavailable and/or perceived as overpriced, but most were surprised by signs posted on the building stating “This business is closed until further notice.”

However, the employees interviewed by Rough Draft said they saw flaws in the business from the start, including a disorganized management team, a lack of communication regarding specific job duties and increased hiring of off-the-books workers.

Under-the-table payments

One employee who asked for anonymity said Wilson told him to recruit undocumented workers after disgruntled unpaid employees quit.

“We had a meeting and Jamal said he

“When we started out, there were maybe six people working in the kitchen who were undocumented,” Nesbitt said. “By the time it closed, I would say undocumented workers made up 90 percent of the back-of-house staff.”

Arbitrary firings

Nesbitt said she witnessed several incidents wherein legitimate employees were fired for small infractions.

“We were really slow one day and one of the workers asked if she could go across the street to get some food for her child,” Nesbitt said. “She was given permission by her supervisor, and when she got back, she was fired on the spot.”

Another person with knowledge of the operation said Wilson and other managers also pressured on-the-books employees to accept cash in lieu of direct deposit.

“They asked eligible workers to also be paid under the table and not sign official employment contracts,” the source said.

“I feel, in this scenario, that they would be able to avoid as many legal ramifications as possible for the wage theft that ensued.”

“I finally opened the doors and let them inside because otherwise, they would have been waiting in the hot sun,” she said.

After five hours, it became obvious the promised bailout would not happen. Wilson, Rubero, and The Hall’s other managers stopped answering text messages or phone calls from the waiting employees.

Rodriguez, who says he is owed $2,000 in back wages is “up to my neck in bills” and facing eviction. He is not alone.

Sharie Shepherd, a mother of five children, was hired as a prep cook for $17.50 an hour in mid-May. After her paycheck bounced in late June, she was promised to be made whole by July 3. She is still waiting for her back wages, estimated at $2,800.

Shepherd says she is now homeless. She has daily calls from TitleMax threatening to repossess her car and other bill collectors sending her texts about past-due accounts. She, like others, has contacted Wilson seeking a letter of separation so she can apply for food stamps and unemployment, but has yet to receive any written documentation.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to assist those who are experiencing financial difficulties because of The Hall’s closure. The page has only gathered about $900 in donations as of July 24.

A Dunwoody chef who won a 2021 contest for a complimentary vendor space at the Hall said she nixed the deal because of the overwhelming financial burden she would have had to assume in taking the space.

Teresa Acosta, who has a thriving catering business called Renzo’s Fire, said initially she was excited about winning the contest, which was pitched as a “nationwide search.”

“At first, I thought this would be a lifechanging moment for me and my family,” said the single mother of three, who had been working full-time as a private chef after being laid off from her job in 2020.

However, after reviewing Wilson’s contract and consulting with industry friends, she realized the “deal” wasn’t really one at all.

“I would have had to build out the space myself and put up $40,000 of my own money,” Acosta said. “Then after six months, I would have to pay $16,000 a month in rent.’”

“In running the numbers, I would have had to gross $2 million in revenue just to make it to break-even,” she said. “I just don’t think there’s a market for a $15 Cuban sandwich in Dunwoody.”

The Hall at Ashford Lane in Dunwoody.

If you like this, then you’ll love that

If you like Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc…

You’ll love Clos Henri “Petit Clos” Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand. Produced by one of the most established winegrowers in France, Famille Henri Bourgeois, Clos Henri gives you the classic flavors of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, while combining the Sancerre heritage and distinction. It’s the best of both worlds that you never knew you needed. Clos

WOMEN + WINE

In a world overflowing with an abundance of wine, the fear of the unknown has taken hold. People seem content with sticking to what they know, afraid to venture into uncharted territory and discover new flavors and styles.

We’re here to say, don’t shy away from change! Many of the popular grocery store wines are overrated and underwhelming. Embrace the idea of finding your next favorite bottle of wine at a restaurant, dinner party, or your favorite wine shop. There are so many undiscovered gems right under your nose.

Let this list be your go-to reference for unique and unforgettable bottles that will elevate any occasion. Our objective is to help you replace those familiar wines that you know and love with lesser-known, yet truly exceptional alternatives, all while staying within your budget. Be sure to stock up so you never find yourself in a bind.

If you like LaMarca Prosecco…

Then you’ll love Borgoluce Lampo Prosecco. Your brunch glass will be filled with fine bubbles and elegance from this beautiful prosecco. Though not as sweet as LaMarca, Borgoluce shares the same notes of ripe apple, peach, ginger, and white flowers. It’s wildly refreshing and much like other prosecco, it’s food friendly and perfect with eggs Benedict. Average Retail Price: $22.

Henri is crisp, dry, and refreshing with notes of citrus, pear, apple, and stone fruit. The herbaceous characteristic that New Zealand Sauvingon Blanc lovers typically look for is a bit muted in this expression, though still conveying a sense of place.

Average Retail Price: $19.

If you like Stella Rosa…

You’ll love Demarie Birbet. Reimagine sweet wines with this sparkling red nectar made from 100% Brachetto from Piedmont, Italy. It’s the perfect addition to any olive oil cake or afternoon pasty. Birbet is a wine typically consumed during celebrations and paired with local traditional desserts. It is low in ABV at a mere 6.5% so you’ll never have a reason to turn down a glass when offered. The wine is aromatic with notes of blueberry, raspberry, and strawberry. It is everything you want when looking for an after-dinner drink. Average Retail Price: $24.

If you like Meiomi Pinot Noir…

You’ll love Valravn Pinot Noir from Sonoma County, California. Valravn Pinot Noir is an exploration of the region, anchored in the Russian River Valley. When poured into the glass, you instantly note the explosive and rich pinot noir flavors - black plum, cassis, and raspberry. This wine has a concentrated, lush mouthfeel, much like everyone’s beloved Meiomi. Not only is this wine approachable and affordable, but there is also significantly less sugar in Valravn making it more food-friendly than Meiomi.

Average Retail Price: $26.

If you like Caymus Cabernet…

You’ll love Récoltant

Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa

Valley. Look no further for the perfect cabernet! Récoltant is the latest project from Julien Fayard, arguably one of the best winemakers in Napa Valley, who has worked in both France and California. The word "Récoltant" in French translates to "someone who grows AND produces wine from their fruit," which perfectly encapsulates the philosophy behind this wine. They have long-standing relationships with top vineyards and farmers in Napa Valley, allowing them to source the best grapes for their wine. The result is a wine that is transparent, authentic, and a true reflection of the region's terroir. This beautiful Cabernet Sauvignon has a deep crimson color and enticing aromas of black cherry and cassis, with hints of spice and leather. When you take a sip, you'll notice the luxuriously silky, yet weighty mouthfeel. The long finish is gratifying with flavors of milk chocolate-covered cherries, vanilla, and oak. Fill your cellar with this wine and thank us later. Average Retail Price: $50.

Katie Rice & Sarah Pierre

Borgoluce Lampo Prosecco

Valravn Pinot Noir

Quick Bites

Which restaurants will get a coveted star rating as the Michelin Guide expands to Atlanta? The publishing company said in July that anonymous inspectors are already dining at Atlanta restaurants, which will be revealed later this fall. Restaurants are given a one, two, or three-star rating, putting Atlanta eateries in the same league as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, London, and Paris.

▼Tickets for the 12th annual Atlanta Food & Wine Festival are officially on sale now. The festival, benefitting Children of Conservation’s school lunch program, will

once again be primarily held in Historic Fourth Ward Park on Sept. 20-24, bringing together chefs, mixologists, farmers, and brands. Tickets for the festival are available for purchase at atlfoodandwinefestival.com.

▲A new Chick-fil-A restaurant is planned at Buckhead Place shopping center at the busy intersection of Peachtree and Piedmont roads. Coro Realty, owner of Buckhead Place, wants to build the nearly 6,000 square-foot restaurant at 3234 Peachtree Road, where a shuttered David’s Bridal store now stands. The fast-food restaurant would include 58 parking spaces, but no drive-through due to zoning restrictions.

Underground Atlanta has terminated

its lease with Atlanta Brewing Company after the brewery failed to begin construction, according to a report from Urbanzie Atlanta. Atlanta Brewing announced last summer that it would transform the old visitors center space on Upper Alabama Street into an 8,600-square-foot brewery, taproom and restaurant. The company planned to move from its current location in northwest Atlanta. The brewery was supposed to open by the end of 2022, but construction never commenced, leading to the termination of the lease.

Giving Kitchen is celebrating its 10-year anniversary with a new addition. The Atlanta nonprofit, which helps support food industry and hospitality workers in need, recently brought on Brooke Kamke as its first chief operating officer, according to a press release. Kamke has previously held positions at Emory Rollins School of Public Health, Emory Healthcare, and the literacy organization ReadSource.

▲For the team at Muchacho, earning the rank of one of the best breakfast spots in the nation was as much of a surprise to them as it was to anyone else. “We were just as shocked as everyone else when the article came out,” said General Manager Rozie Slaughter. “We were like, what? That’s awesome!” The Travel + Leisure article called Michael Lennox’s Reynoldstown breakfast spot “the perfect cocktail of buzzy atmosphere, yummy food, and delightful beverages.” It was one of 15 restaurants that made the cut.

Too Good To Go app aims to limit food waste

By Sammie Purcell

A new app meant to limit food waste called Too Good To Go has officially launched in Atlanta.

The app launched in Copenhagen seven years ago, according to Senior PR Manager Sarah Soteroff. After moving to markets across Europe, the app came to the United States in 2020 and now can be found in 14 markets across the country.

Too Good To Go aims to limit the amount of food waste – as well as it environmental impact – by allowing businesses to bundle and sell any leftover food at the end of the day.

Consumers can snag “surprise bags” of food from businesses –meaning whatever food the business has leftover that day – for less than the retail price, and businesses can recoup some of the money they would have lost if the food had remained unsold.

“It kind of is a cyclical way in which everyone is benefitting,” Soteroff said. “And without even trying, everyone is helping the environment.”

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 30-40% of the food supply in the U.S. goes to waste, and that food waste exacerbates climate change with its significant greenhouse gas footprint.

“We’re constantly talking about the rising temperature and getting climate change under control,” Soteroff said. “This is a thing that everybody does every single day and really doesn’t get the attention that flight travel does, for example.”

According to Soteroff, as of the end of June around 75 metro Atlanta businesses had signed up for the app. The app is already available to use, and most of the businesses available appear to be those that offer baked goods, which generally don’t last much more than a day. Most of the bags range from $4-$6.

Soteroff said that the app typically

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sees a lot of bakeries and cafes, but any business that has food waste is eligible to sign up.

“There’s surplus food waste at every level,” she said. “We really are calling on any business that sells food. Even if you just have $15 of surplus a day, you can put that on the app.”

More information about the app can be found at toogoodtogo.com.

Robert Kim goes from singing at supermarkets to a role in Coppola’s ‘Megalopolis’

By Sammie Purcell

Robert Kim just wanted to go fishing.

That’s what he told me about his decision to go to Peachtree City last year for a weekend getaway. Unfortunately, his hopes of catching anything were quickly dashed –after a day out on Lake Peachtree, the fish just weren’t biting. So, Robert decided to go do something he was a bit more familiar with. He grabbed his karaoke machine, a tip jar, and his dog Roscoe and headed to the local Kroger.

This might seem like an odd group of items to take on a grocery run, but if you shop at the Kroger in Brookhaven’s Cherokee Plaza, you have probably seen Robert Kim before. The 74-year-old often sings Frank Sinatra, Elvis, and other standards outside of the store, an extracurricular activity he took on to augment his Social Security checks.

James Whitten, who used to be the store manager at the Cherokee Plaza Kroger, was the one who made the decision to let Robert sing. But the answer was not an immediate yes. The first time Whitten met Robert, he pointed at Whitten’s picture on Kroger’s foyer wall and told him that he didn’t like it.

Whitten wasn’t impressed. “Neither do I,” he replied. “But that’s what Kroger wants out there. So what can I do for you?” According to Whitten, Robert asked if he could take Whitten’s headshot. Whitten said no, and sent Robert on his way. But he kept coming back.

“That third time he came back, I said, you know what – you’re taking the time, you’re persistent,” Whitten said. “Let me look you up and we’ll figure out how to make this work.”

Normally, you might consider taking up a stranger on a photo shoot to be a bad idea. And normally, you’d probably be right. But Robert has more than a little bit of experience with photography, to say the least. In addition to his standing gig at the Kroger, he runs a photography business called Robert Kim Photography. He initially took up the camera as a way to make a living between acting jobs in the early 1980s. According to his website, one of his first clients was Angie Voight – or Angelina Jolie, as you might now know her.

Robert also caught the acting bug at a young age, making his film debut at age 8 as an extra in the 1957 Rock Hudson film “Battle Hymn,” and can be seen in films like

“Payback” and “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.”

He’s got a bunch of wild stories from those days – over a Zoom call one afternoon, he told me a few of them, including one about how he spent a summer touring as a drummer with the rock group Climax. His parents didn’t necessarily approve of his lifestyle, but for Robert, there was no other option.

“I come from a very conservative Korean family,” Robert said. “My father was a dentist, and he wanted me to follow in his footsteps. The last thing I wanted to do was stare into people’s stinking mouths for eight hours.”

After Robert took Whitten’s photo –which Whitten says is still his Kroger photo to this day – Robert asked if he could sing outside of the store. Kroger normally doesn’t allow such a thing, but Whitten agreed to give it a try.

“I didn’t think it was going to be a good hit,” Whitten said. “But the customers in Brookhaven, they took a liking to him.”

The Fishing Trip

Robert took his trip to Peachtree City on Aug. 25, 2022. After the first time he sang at the Kroger, he drove his golf cart back to his motel and was stopped by a “stunningly beautiful” young woman with a “lilting British accent.” The woman asked him if he was the man who had just been singing outside of the grocery store, and he replied yes.

He pauses here and takes a breath when he’s recounting the story to me. I had only been speaking to him for about 20 minutes at this point, but one thing about Robert that’s immediately clear is that he knows how to tell a good story. “This is the beginning of the most bizarre, amazing, and unexplainable event of my entire performing life,” he said.

The next day, Robert gave up on fishing entirely and went to the Peachtree City Kroger. Back at his motel, another strange woman approached him. After once again confirming that he was in fact the man singing Frank Sinatra songs outside of the local grocery store, she asked him for a favor.

Robert recalled that the woman handed him $40 and asked if he wouldn’t mind singing a couple of songs for her friend.

Why not, Robert thought, and grabbed his karaoke machine and Roscoe before climbing up a set of rickety motel stairs to sing for this mystery patron. At the top of the stairs,

he came face to face with a bearded man sitting in a cheap, plastic patio chair. Robert introduced himself and asked what song the man would like to hear. I’m not particular, the man replied. You can’t go wrong with the classics, so Robert belted out a couple of Sinatra tunes before the man stopped him. The man left for a few minutes, then came back with a group of friends he thought might be interested in joining their little impromptu concert.

Robert ended up singing for the small group for a good while longer than he anticipated, performing Sinatra, Elvis, Michael Bublé – you name it. As the night came to a close, he took a selfie with the bearded man. “I hate taking selfies,” Robert grumbled to me over Zoom. “But I took a selfie with this nice old man.” The man handed Robert some money, thanked him, and that was it.

Robert returned to his room and found that one of the men who had watched him sing was staying in the room next door. Before the two said goodnight, Robert asked: “You know your friend with the beard upstairs? What does he do for a living? He’s a very interesting man.”

The man paused. He asked Robert if he really didn’t know. Assuming the mystery man might be a locally known somebody, Robert explained that he was just visiting from Atlanta. The man’s next question only added to Robert’s confusion. Have you heard of “The Godfather?” Well, yeah. How about

“Apocalypse Now?” Yeah, of course!

The man looked at Robert and said: “Well, you’ve just been singing for Francis Ford Coppola for nearly an hour.”

Could It Be?

I should say here that I wasn’t able to speak to Francis Ford Coppola for this story. I texted briefly with his assistant, who told me that they would put in a request, but Mr. Coppola was out of town and very busy working on his upcoming film “Megalopolis.”

So, I wasn’t able to speak with Coppola to hear his side of the story. But, Robert sent me the selfie he took with Coppola that night. I wasn’t there to witness this interaction, but Robert’s description of the pretty British girl who first approached him in the motel parking lot sounds a lot like Nathalie Emmanuel, who stars in “Megalopolis.” Pre-production on the movie had begun by at least July of 2022, and a September article states that Coppola had been living in Peachtree City. Principal photography began at Trillith Studios in

Fayetteville – 15 minutes away from the Peachtree City motel in question – on Nov. 1, 2022, and filming ended on March 30, 2023.

Taking into consideration all of these factors, it makes sense that Francis Ford Coppola would have been in Peachtree City at the same time as Robert Kim. But

standing in his motel room, Robert was baffled.

“He looked vaguely familiar,” Robert said when I asked him if he recognized the director. “But the last person who would

be staying in this fleabag joint would be Coppola! Why would he be here in the first place?”

That’s a good question, and one that also has an answer. The motel – which according to multiple accommodation booking sites used to be a Days Inn & Suites – is actually the All-Movie Hotel, which Coppola reportedly bought last year. The hotel is listed as “temporarily closed” online, but on the Coppola family website, there are three open job positions. The general manager for the hotel confirmed that it is closed for renovations at the moment but was temporarily open last year before the project started.

But Kim didn’t know about Coppola’s real estate investments at the time, and he still didn’t buy it. Then, he unfolded the bill that definitely-not Francis Ford Coppola had handed him that evening. Where he expected to see $5 or $10, he saw $100. Could it be? He quickly googled the director’s name and found himself face-toface with the man he had been singing to just moments before.

The next day (after not much sleep) Robert was approached in the parking lot by a lone figure in a golf cart. It was Francis Ford Coppola. According to Kim, Coppola asked him if he sang anywhere professionally. When he told him about his Kroger gig,

Coppola responded: “We have similar occupations – I work for tips, too.”

The two chatted briefly, Robert made it home, and it seemed like the dream had ended. But when Robert opened his email, he found a message asking if he would like to audition for “Megalopolis.” He was gobsmacked –his entire life had been upended over the course of two days. But there was one problem.

Robert didn’t have a car. He said as much, thinking that would be it. But then he was told that a car would be sent for him. His only instructions? Bring your karaoke machine and your dog.

“I mean, for me to be discovered in a nowhere town in the middle of nowhere,” Robert said. “Once again, I wanted to go fishing!”

The Audition

Before Robert entered the audition room, he thought it would be similar to his last meeting with the famed director –an intimate thing, with just a few people. Maybe even a few beers for good measure. Instead, he found himself in front of what felt like a firing squad of casting directors lined up behind a huge desk.

He became instantaneously nervous, so much so that he couldn’t even turn on his own karaoke machine for how much his

hands were trembling. Someone walked over to give him a hand, and Robert wrangled all the courage he could muster.

“I’m gonna give these guys some free entertainment [like] they’ve never seen,” he remembered thinking. “If nothing else, I’m going to make them smile.”

The audition ended, and months went by without hearing even a peep, and Robert began to resign himself to the fact that he probably didn’t get the part. He recalled saying to a friend over the phone: “Why the hell would he want a senior citizen Korean man who’s singing in front of a supermarket?”

But months after that audition, Robert got a call. He was cordially invited to a table read of “Megalopolis” with all the stars of the film

– stars like Dustin Hoffman, Jon Voight, Adam Driver, and Aubrey Plaza. Once again, he told the person he didn’t have a car to get down there. Once again, he was told don’t worry – we’ll send one.

Robert described the table he showed up to as “100 feet long,” feeling like the best of the best of Hollywood were all sitting there, staring at him – he figured they thought he was the lunchtime entertainment. Coppola greeted Robert and told him that he wanted to have him sing a certain song in the film.

I don’t want to say what the song is. Who knows what the final cut of “Megalopolis” will look like, but just in case, I’d rather keep this one a surprise. All you need to know is that the song in question stopped Robert in his tracks. That’s an anthem, he thought. To do that song justice, you need a singer with a voice like Whitney Houston, not a guy who sings outside of the grocery store.

He said as much to Coppola. “I do Elvis, I do Sinatra, but I’m a microphone singer,” he remembered saying. “You have to have a big, big voice to do this.” According to Robert, Coppola simply told him to stop trying to talk his way out of the job.

When Robert says things like, “I do Elvis,” he really means it. There are some glowing five-star Google reviews of the Cherokee Plaza Kroger online, with customers waxing poetic about his Sinatra impression. During our conversation, he told me about his stint on “The Gong Show,” an amateur talent contest from the 1970s, in which he performed and won as a Japanese Elvis impersonator named Yoshi Suzuki. As Yoshi, he would pretend to have a poor grasp of the English language and then break out into a very convincing Elvis voice. He does the bit for me over Zoom, and I can attest that his Elvis is very, very good.

Robert told me that while he didn’t think he could do the song justice if he did it straight, he felt like he could nail it if he did it as Elvis. Apparently, Coppola did too – on IMDb, Robert’s role in “Megalopolis” is listed as Elvis impersonator.

Never Give Up

In the interest of not spoiling what Robert’s big scene might look like, I’ll just say that his description of the day of filming is chaotic, to say the least. It certainly matches the vibe of some reports that surfaced during the production of “Megalopolis,” suggesting that there was a certain amount of chaos on set. But all throughout our conversation, Robert had nothing but glowing things to say about Francis, as he called him.

“I have never met a kinder, gentler, more supportive person in my whole life than this guy,” he told me, and I believe that he means that. Throughout our conversation, Robert was energetic, quick, and straightforward about why he wanted to share this story with people.

“What I want to tell people, particularly younger people, is never give up on your dreams, and always follow your passions,” he said. “Never give up.”

Robert Kim singing outside the Kroger in Brookhaven.

Ray’s on the River waitress retires after 38 years

By Sammie Purcell

After 38 years on the floor, Lynne Gomez has left Ray’s on the River. If you’ve ever been to Ray’s, there’s a good chance Gomez was your waitress. She started serving at the Sandy Springs staple on Aug. 20, 1985 and retired in June. Throughout her years at the restaurant, she not only gained work experience, but a family as well.

Gomez used the word – family – multiple times when I spoke with her on the phone about her time at Ray’s. She recently moved down to Fort Walton Beach, Florida with her husband, whom she met through a colleague at the restaurant. The beach is not a bad place to retire, but she recalled the beautiful scenery she used to enjoy during her downtime at the restaurant.

“That’s really cool to look at, as far as the river goes, and the landscape and everything,” Gomez said. “It just doesn’t get old, you know?”

As a parting gift, Ray’s Restaurants gave Gomez a Mazda Miata convertible, a vehicle she described as her “dream car.” In an emailed statement, Ray’s Restaurants founder Ray Schoenbaum complimented Gomez’s work ethic over the years.

“We will miss her as will the staff and so many of our guests and wish her the best in her retirement,” Schoenbaum said.

During our conversation, Gomez reminisced about her working relationship with Schoenbaum. Whenever his family or friends would come into Ray’s, she would usually wait on them. As much as she’s grown up in the restaurant, she’s also watched his children grow up from little kids to adults, now with their own families.

“It was just fun for me to go there,” Gomez said. “It was like a family. Everybody that I met, I just joshed with, right off the bat. There were four of us girls, and we were all around the same age, and it was just like family right away. We all just meshed really well.”

Scan the QR code to read Sammie’s full Q&A with Gomez.

Lynne Gomez worked at Ray’s on the River for 38 years before retiring this June.

Lynne Gomez with the Mazda Miata given to her by Ray’s.

A Weekend in Nashville

Music City offers honky-tonks, hot chicken and country legends

By Jacob Nguyen

Earlier this year, I road-tripped to Nashville, TN with friends to see singer Tove Lo – an artist you wouldn’t normally associate with the capital of country music. However, Tove Lo was performing at the historic Ryman Auditorium, which is a great first stop on a weekend visit to Music City.

Located just four hours north of Atlanta, the city of Nashville has a little something for everyone – even if country music isn’t your thing. The drive up takes you over the Smoky Mountains so prepare for some cool views and your ears popping from the altitude. And you will definitely want to take a car, because Nashville doesn’t have any public transportation other than buses and a commuter train from downtown to Lebanon, TN.

There are plenty of Airbnbs in Nashville, but we decided to stay in a hotel for this trip. We chose the Hyatt Place Downtown (hyatt.com) since it was less than a five-minute walk to the Ryman and steps to Broadway, which is where you’ll

find all those bars and honky-tonks with live music spilling from every doorway.

The Ryman (ryman.com) is a gorgeous former old church building that became home to the Grand Ole Opry concert broadcasts from 1943 to 1974. In the lobby, you can see artifacts and history of the building, but you can really feel the history of the place once you’re inside the hall with its church pews still intact. There are regular tours if you’re not seeing a show.

Since we were in town for the concert, we decided to stay a couple more days to check out the city and go barhopping along Broadway. Think of it as Bourbon Street, but instead of New Orleans jazz, you’re hearing country and rock. There’s lots of drinking and dancing going on.

One of the places we stopped in was Tootsies Orchid Lounge (tootsies.net), which is a legendary bar known as a filming

location for “Coal Miner’s Daughter.” It was wall-to-wall with people, so be prepared. We also waited in line to get into Legends (legendscorner.com), which has strong drinks and a mix of tourists and locals out for a night to hear live music.

Whether or not you’ll like these places depends on how much you like boisterous crowds and loud music. I’m not a country music fan, but it was still a fun time.

When it’s time to eat, you have to try a Nashville staple: hot chicken. And by hot, I mean spicy. We went to Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack (princeshotchicken.com), which has been serving up bird for nearly a century. You can order tenders, wings, or whole chickens ranging from lite heat to XXX heat. I had the latter and it made me break out in a sweat. Hot!

For breakfast, we had to stop at another landmark – The Pancake Pantry

(thepancakepantry.com). I love pancakes and these were probably the best I’ve ever tasted. I had a fluffy stack with bacon and eggs as my sides.

If you want to dig deeper into Nashville’s country roots, visit the Johnny Cash Museum and Patsy Cline Museum, which are in the same building in downtown. There are instruments, clothing, letters, and much more about these two legends.

We also drove over to Centennial Park, which is home to the Parthenon, which is a full-scale replica of the original in Athens, Greece. If you’ve seen Robert Altman’s classic movie “Nashville,” you’ll recognize this spot from the big political rally scene at the end of the film. There’s also an art museum inside. The park is a beautiful place to walk around or have a picnic.

A great way to close out a weekend in Nashville is at Riverside Park for some selfie moments. The John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge over the Cumberland River offers amazing views of the downtown skyline.

Tootsies Orchid Lounge in downtown Nashville.

The Parthenon at Centennial Park.

Ryman Auditorium

The John Siegenthaler Pedestrian Bridge over the Cumberland River in downtown.

Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack

Outdoor adventures await in White County

By Collin Kelley

Helen, GA in the North Georgia Mountains is famous for its quaint Alpine village, Oktoberfest, and a destination for Christmas shopping. But White County has plenty of other outdoor adventures, including camping, hiking, kayaking, fly fishing, mountain biking, ziplining, and more.

Helen is about five miles from the Chattahoochee National Forest, where you can hike just under five miles roundtrip to the double-cascade Raven Cliff Falls.

In nearby Cleveland, the multi-use trail system within the 1,000-acre Yonah Preserve is open to the public Thursday through Sunday. Access the trailhead from Albert Reid Road and enjoy some 10 acres of walking space and mountain trail biking. Yonah Mountain is one of the top three rock climbing spots in Georgia, and its climbing and trail hikes are challenging enough that the Army Rangers use them for training.

Other unique opportunities to explore on foot include a section of the Appalachian Trail, which intersects GA

75 and SR 348 and offers parking at both locations.

The two-mile Andrews Cove Trail is an old logging road from Andrews Cove to the Appalachian Trail and Forest Service Road 283 at Indian Grave Gap.

The NFS Andrews Cove Campground offers a scenic trout fishing stream and no-reservation, first-come first-served sites.

Only enough time for a taste of the wilderness? Take a four-hour immersion winding through the Chattahoochee National Forest, with some of North Georgia’s most scenic vistas, stream crossings, and swimming at the pool of Helton Creek Falls.

Wanderlust Adventure Tours offers a ride in 4×4 Overland vehicles to the top of Blood Mountain at the historic Neel Gap location of the Appalachian Trail. The stone buildings were a dining/ dance hall and inn completed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1937, the same year as the Appalachian Trail. The building is now Mountain Crossings, a supplier and provisions shop. Part of the original inn is now run as a historic hiker hostel.

Love water adventures? The Upper Chattahoochee River Water Trail starts at Sautee Creek and the Chattahoochee River in White County and includes Class I - III rapids. Kayaking can be a DIY or guided trip. Wildwood Outfitters takes guests on a Class I to II float down

the river to soak in the scenery or a Class III rapids-running adrenaline kick. Overnight camping and other trips can be arranged.

For more details on all the adventures mentioned in this article, visit helenga.org.

Floating down the Chattahoochee River. (Courtesy Alpine Helen/ White County CVB)

The most dog-friendly vacation destinations

By Rough Draft Staff

In a world where four-legged companions are often considered not merely pets, but cherished members of the family, leaving them behind when going on a vacation can be heart-wrenching.

EuroPuppy.com carried out a survey of 3,000 dog-owning families to rate their preferred summer vacation destinations when traveling with their beloved pets. They then put together a ranking of the 100 Most Dog-Friendly Vacation Destinations in America.

Both Blue Ridge, GA and Jekyll Island made the list, along with a number of other nearby destinations.

Blue Ridge came in 61st position overall. Nestled in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, this charming town provides a scenic backdrop for families and their furry companions to explore.

Blue Ridge boasts an abundance of dog-friendly hiking trails, such as the Aska Trails and the Benton MacKaye Trail. The picturesque downtown area is lined with pet-friendly shops and cafes, allowing families to enjoy a leisurely stroll and dine with their four-legged friends by their side. Moreover, Blue Ridge offers pet-friendly accommodations, ensuring a comfortable stay for everyone. Families can also take advantage of pet-friendly activities, such as visiting the nearby orchards and wineries.

Jekyll Island was voted by dog owners as the 68th best vacation spot. This barrier island boasts pristine beaches that welcome four-legged companions, providing ample space for romps and swims. With miles of scenic trails winding through lush forests and picturesque marshlands, families and their furry friends can enjoy walks and explorations together.

Jekyll Island offers numerous petfriendly accommodations, from charming cottages to spacious vacation rentals. Additionally, the island features dogfriendly restaurants and outdoor dining options.

Here is the top 10 list if you’re looking for more gateways with your pets:

1. Myrtle Beach, SC

2. Sarasota, FL

3. Colorado Springs, CO

4. Hilton Head, SC

5. Amelia Island, FL

6. Asheville, NC

7. Charleston, SC

8. Hershey, PA

9. Hocking Hills State Park, OH

10. Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts

Photo courtesy of the artist

New Charleston museum nods to historical roots of U.S. health disparities

By Lauren Sausser | KFF Health News

Maude Callen, a Black nurse-midwife, delivered more than 800 infants across the South Carolina Lowcountry starting in the 1920s, when segregation made it difficult for Black people to get medical care.

Although Callen isn’t commonly considered a household name, visitors passing through the new $120 million International African American Museum that opened in June will learn about her work.

The Callen display serves as both a celebration of Black achievement in medicine and a reminder that the origins of modern-day health disparities are rooted in history and racism. More than 100 years after Callen launched her midwifery career, South Carolina remains one of the deadliest states for Black mothers and babies and continues to battle troubling health inequities.

“We want to constantly cause people to recognize that there isn’t that much distance between past and present,” said Felice Knight, director of education at the new museum, which was more than 20 years in the making.

The galleries span centuries of trauma and triumph. But what sets this museum apart from other sites dedicated to Black history is its location. It is built on Gadsden’s Wharf — where tens of thousands of enslaved Africans first stepped foot in America after their capture and twomonth transport across the Atlantic Ocean.

“That fact alone makes it probably the most significant landing spot for Africans in North America,” said Nic Butler, a historian for the Charleston County Public Library.

During the two years leading up to 1808, when the importation of enslaved people from foreign countries to the United States became a federal crime, it’s likely more Africans were sold into slavery at Gadsden’s Wharf than at any other site in America, Butler said. Other states had already made the importation of slaves from Africa illegal; South Carolina was the last holdout.

“It was peak madness of the African

slave trade in North America,” he said, adding that the health of enslaved people at Gadsden’s Wharf “totally deteriorated” during those years.

Once in Charleston, Africans died in such large numbers from disease, exposure to cold, malnutrition, and physical trauma, Butler said, that local lawmakers passed an ordinance in 1805 establishing fines for anyone caught dumping the bodies of Black people into Charleston Harbor.

A line can be drawn between what transpired at Gadsden’s Wharf more than 200 years ago and health outcomes observed among Black Americans today, historians and health care providers say.

Thaddeus Bell, a North Charleston family physician and founder of the nonprofit Closing the Gap in Health Care, attended the museum’s groundbreaking. When he visited Gadsden’s Wharf, he said, he couldn’t help but think of his Black patients, many of whom suffer disproportionately from cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.

Research published in JAMA last month found that Black people in the U.S. experienced 1.63 million excess deaths from 1999 to 2020, representing 80 million years of potential life lost, compared with white Americans. African Americans today have higher infant, maternal, and cancer mortality rates, and overall mortality rates, compared with white Americans, according to KFF.

“You think about all of the health issues that Black people did not get the appropriate care for, all of the racist doctors we had to deal with,” Bell said. He said he wished museum leaders had done more to focus on health disparities. “The medical system was just stacked against us. It’s just heartbreaking.”

It’s common for historians who study health disparities to link current health outcomes to the past, said Kevin McQueeney, an assistant professor of history at Nicholls State University in Louisiana and author of “A City Without Care: 300 Years of Racism, Health Disparities, and Health Care Activism in New Orleans.”

McQueeney cited research in his book estimating huge numbers of Africans

captured in their homeland died from disease or trauma before ever boarding a slave ship. Up to 20% of those being transported died during the Middle Passage, he said. Then, thousands more men, women, and children who’d survived up to the point of being sold would die within the first 18 months of arriving in America. Those who didn’t die would likely suffer from a variety of health ailments related to respiratory illness, malnutrition, and physical injury for the rest of their lives, he said.

Health disparities have persisted over generations for a variety of reasons, including poverty, racism, and genetics. “In a lot of ways, these are the legacies of slavery,” McQueeney said.

Museum architects designed the building and gardens with this trauma in mind. Small, quiet rooms near the main

gallery allow visitors to sit and privately process their grief. A sign in the memorial garden designates the site as a “sacred space” — an acknowledgment that the experience of visiting Gadsden’s Wharf may be difficult, even traumatic, for some people.

“I want people to feel the sorrow, the pain, the burden of the history of the site,” said Walter Hood, a California landscape architect whose studio designed the outdoor space. At the same time, he said, he doesn’t want visitors to consider Gadsden’s Wharf a memorial to the dead.

“It’s almost like Plymouth Rock when you think about it. It’s a place of arrival,” he said. “We are still here.”

KFF Health News, formerly known as Kaiser Health News or KHN, is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF.

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Felice Knight, director of education at the museum, is a historian and an expert on the lives of enslaved people in the city. (Photos by Lauren Sausser)

Nurse-midwife Maude Callen delivered hundreds of infants across the South Carolina Lowcountry during a time when segregation limited access to medical care for many African Americans.