Dunwoody Crier - April 18, 2024

Dunwoody Christian announces move

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody Christian School announced a transition April 8 to become an integral part of the First Baptist Atlanta community.

An accredited non-denominational private Christian school, Dunwoody Christian aims to become a leading K-12 covenant Christian private school in Georgia through the resources and support of First Baptist Atlanta.

The transition from Dunwoody Baptist Church on Mount Paran Road to First Baptist Atlanta at 4400 North Peachtree Road will be ready for the upcoming academic year,

commencing in August 2024.

When a local newspaper article in 2022 highlighted the church’s aspiration to establish a school on its 50-acre campus, it caught the attention of school leadership.

After several months of discussions between the organizations, it became clear that the visions of First Baptist Atlanta and Dunwoody Christian School aligned for the expansion.

Dunwoody Christian School will conclude its current 2023-2024 school year at its

See MOVE, Page 8

City approves funds for signage at parks

DUNWOODY, Ga. — The Dunwoody City Council fielded presentations for the funding of future path projects following the approval of two contracts for maintenance and signage at parks and recreation facilities.

The first vote at the April 8 meeting followed a presentation from Parks and Recreation Director Rachel Waldron, which outlined the contract for the installation of identification signs in front of city facilities.

The $138,200 agreement with Signarama Roswell includes monument signs at Brook Run Park, DonaldsonBannister Farm, Wildcat Park, Homecoming Park and Dunwoody Nature Center. Pedestal signs, which are smaller than monuments, are also included in the contract for Donaldson-Bannister Farm and Waterford Park.

Both signage types are double sided with a stone base and matching aesthetics.

The city developed master plans for both properties, which calls for just under $10.5 million in upgrades to Wildcat Park at 5435 Roberts Drive and just under $4.5 million for additions to Homecoming Park at 4809 and 4819 Vermack Road.

At the March 12-13 annual City Council retreat, city officials discussed proposed plans for the two parks, which were limited by available funding. They decided on reviewing the addition of temporary restrooms at both locations in May and focusing available funds on a playground and trails at Waterford Park at 4565 Dellrose Drive.

During the first presentation of the parks sign package, councilmembers asked Waldron to see if removing signage at the incomplete parks could help save costs.

“That would be no problem,” Waldron said. “Everything would still be very cohesive if we decided to wait on those two. If it’s several years from now, my assumption would be that the price would go up.”

See APPROVE, Page 7

DUNWOODY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL/PROVIDED

Kevin Jenkins, head of school at Dunwoody Christian, speaks to parents and families about the transition to a new location at First Baptist Atlanta at 4400 North Peachtree Road. The move to First Baptist Atlanta is anticipated for this summer.

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POLICE BLOTTER

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

Former employee assaulted manager, police report says

DUNWOODY, Ga. — The manager of Aeropostale at Perimeter Mall reported an ex-employee for assault April 3 after the suspect spit on her, according to police reports.

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A Dunwoody officer said he met with the victim inside the store about an hour after the incident.

The manager said an ex-employee, a 29-year-old Atlanta man, assaulted her during a heated argument about the man’s employment.

The officer said the victim showed him footage of the incident on security cameras.

Human resource representatives at Aeropostale told the manager to file a police report to document the assault.

The manager said she is unsure if she wants to press charges but would send footage of the incident to the Police Department.

The officer said he provided the victim with a case number and instructions on how to file a temporary protective order.

Dunwoody Trace resident reports car break-in

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody Police met with a resident on Perimeter Trace April 3 for a follow-up to a car break-in and theft of $3,000 in personal belongings.

The victim, a 43-year Dunwoody man, said he parked his white RAM ProMaster City in the deck and went inside his apartment around 6:30 p.m. April 2.

When he returned to his vehicle the next morning, the victim said the passenger-side window was shattered and his black bag was missing from the front seat.

The bag, containing the victim’s work computer and other belongings, is valued at $3,000.

An officer said he was unable to collect any prints around the broken window.

He also said he checked the surrounding area for security cameras but did not find any.

The victim said he wanted a police report and would sign complaints.

At meetings this year, City Manager Eric Linton has cautioned Dunwoody residents about car break-ins across the city.

Dunwoody man reports problems filing taxes

DUNWOODY, Ga. — A resident went to the Dunwoody Police Department on Ashford Dunwoody Road April 3 to report a fraud he discovered while filing his taxes.

The victim, an 82-year-old man, said he received notice that his social security number and information had been rejected by the system while filing his taxes.

The victim also said he had not filed his taxes and is unaware who might have used his information to file taxes under his name.

The victim requested a police report to provide to his tax advisors and insurance company.

The officer said he had nothing further to report after providing the documents to the victim.

Woman loses $8,500 in alleged bank scam

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — An Alpharetta woman reported someone claiming to be with her bank scammed her of more than $8,000 March 28.

The victim reported she received a

call with an ID showing Bank of America, and the suspect claimed to be a fraud protection employee.

The caller reportedly said the victim’s bank account was compromised, and she had to transfer $8,500 to an Apple Pay card, which she thought she would be able to access.

The victim said after she transferred the funds, there was no money on her Apple Pay card, and she realized she had been scammed.

Apple fraud employees traced the transactions to a Best Buy and an Apple Store in Florida, the report states.

No suspects have been identified.

Man’s stolen vehicle found at Atlanta home

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — An Alpharetta man reported April 1 someone stole his vehicle, which officers later found outside a home in Atlanta.

The victim reported his vehicle was parked in a deck on Summit Place around 7 p.m. March 31, and when he returned the next morning, it was gone. He said the keys may have been inside, and the vehicle may have been unlocked.

The victim tracked the vehicle on his phone, which showed an address on Elmwood Road in Atlanta. The vehicle was reportedly seen on Flock camera footage around 4 a.m. April 1 on two roads in Atlanta.

An Atlanta Police Department officer found the vehicle at the address, and it was unlocked, the report states. The Atlanta officer stayed with the vehicle until the victim arrived to take it home.

The Atlanta officer reported the department receives “a lot of activity” at the address where the vehicle was found, but he did not try to contact anyone inside.

No suspects have been identified.

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Dinner: Monday-Sunday 5:00pm- 9:00pm

Lunch: Tuesday-Saturday 11:30am- 2:30pm

sushi bar | japanese/korean cuisine | ramen bar

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS THE CRIER?

Komodo Island, Indonesia

Rosemary Gorham just went on a cruise from Sydney to Singapore. The Crier got to tag along and see a Komodo Dragon in Indonesia. Thanks for the memories, Rosemary!

PETS OF THE WEEK

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Visit DeKalb County Animal Services and save a life by fostering or adopting today; trial adoption options are available.

Where in the world is the Crier?

If you’re headed on a trip, the Crier wants to sightsee, too. Take a copy with you and share the moment with folks back home. Send your travel photos with the Crier to newsroom@appenmedia.com

ERNEST TYAI

We are located at 3280 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, Chamblee GA 30341 or give us a call at 404-294-2996. No appointment necessary.

All Dogs 50+ lbs are free to adopt during the month of April. Any senior dog or cat (age 7+) is free to adopt in 2024.

Spotlight on Local Authors at Lemonade Days

KATHY MANOS PENN

Columnist

Once again, the Dunwoody Authors and Friends Bookstore will feature local authors during the 2024 Lemonade Days weekend at Brook Run, April 20-21. The booth is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 12 noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

New for 2024 is an extended range of children’s titles, as well as a wide range of other fiction and non-fiction works: Music, YA, romance, parenting, WWII and global history, personal memoirs, cozy mysteries, crime & thrillers, humor, baseball, science fiction, and fantasy novels. Many of the featured authors are award-winning, and all will be available in-person for book signing sessions.

Festival goers will be able

to chat with and purchase signed books from all authors showcasing their books. All books are available both days, but if you’re hoping to see particular neighborhood authors, be sure to check the schedule so you don’t miss them.

Don’t miss this opportunity to find books by local authors and stock up on books for your summer reading pleasure. With the variety of books available, this is also the perfect opportunity to find books to give as gifts for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and graduation.

Award-winning author Kathy Manos Penn is a twotime Georgia Author of the Year nominee and a Sandy Springs resident. Find her cozy mysteries on Amazon or locally at The Enchanted Forest, Bookmiser, and Johns Creek Books. Contact her at inkpenn119@ gmail.com, and follow her on Facebook, www.facebook.com/ KathyManosPennAuthor/.

SKIN CONCERNS?

Authors’ Appearance Schedule

Saturday April 20

• 11 a.m. Kay Paschal “Insert Giggle, Giggle”

• 11 a.m. Kathy Manos Penn The Dickens & Christie Mystery Series

• 11 a.m. Desiree Robinson “The Ice Cream Gang”

• Noon Susan N. Swann “Walls of Silence”

• Noon Bryan Archer “Eighth Note!”

• Noon Barbara Gomes Serafino “The Book I Always Promised”

• 1 p.m. Bradsher Hayes “150 Years of the Braves”

• 1 p.m. Donald Reichardt “The Corporate Lies”

• 1 p.m. Jenifer Goldin “Anonymous Mom Posts”

• 2 p.m. Chris Riker “Goody Celeste”

• 2 p.m. Fatima R. Henson “Love in the Age of Dragons”

• 2 p.m. Andrea Lane “Abby the Crabby Tabby Discovers Gratitude”

• 3 p.m. Anita Foster Lovely “Deceptions”

• 3 p.m. Alice Takawira “Turning Tables”

• 3 p.m. Don Pattillo “A Romance of Flight”

• 4 p.m. Jan Slimming “Codebreaker Girls: A Secret Life at Bletchley Park”

• 4 p.m. Yasemin Eginlioglu “Grandma Squirrel in the Land of Squirrels”

• 4 p.m. Daniel Burke “Red Screen”

• 5 p.m. Steven Andrews “That’s Me in the Closet”

Sunday April 21

• Noon Jon Costales “Visions of Redemption”

• Noon Parul Kapur “Inside the Mirror”

• Noon Sunsheray T. Carter “Oops, Where is my Teddy Bear?”

• 1 p.m. Beverly Armento “Seeing Eye Girl”

• 1 p.m. Julane Fisher “Sour Lemon and Sweet Tea”

• 1 p.m. G. A. Anderson “South of Happily”

• 2 p.m. Katherine Nichols “False Claims”

• 2 p.m. Sherry Ellis “Bubba and Squirt’s Mayan Adventure”

• 3 p.m . Pamela Norsworthy “War Bonds”

• 4 p.m. Jenny Guberman “Chattahoochee Cats”

PLANT SALE AND MORE!

Saturday, April 20

• 9am–3pm

The Grove @ Wills Park • 175 Roswell Street

Free parking and shuttle from the Amana Academy parking lot

Brought to you by THE NORTH FULTON MASTER GARDENERS

in partnership with Georgia Native Plant Society & the Alpharetta Community AG Program

Educational speakers, Fleatique, Children’s activities, Plant Vendors, Food Vendors, and Master Gardeners to answer your gardening questions. For more information: www.nfmg.net/garden-faire

The popular North Fulton Master Gardeners Pass-along Plant Sale will feature more than 2000 beautiful plantings suitable for sun and shade.

The North Metro Atlanta Chapter of the Georgia Native Plant Society will have a selection of around 2000 native perennials, shrubs, vines, and trees.

The Alpharetta Community Agriculture Program will have around 5000 unique varieties of organic, heirloom, and non-GMO plants, grown from seed at Old Rucker Farm.

Dunwoody resident joins board of childhood cancer nonprofit

DUNWOODY, Ga. — CURE Childhood Cancer announced the addition of Dunwoody resident Kristen Hazen April 9 to its Board of Directors.

CURE Childhood Cancer, a nonprofit located off Ashford Dunwoody Road, advances pediatric cancer research and provides patient and family support.

The nonprofit formed in 1975 under the direction of Dr. Abdel Ragab, an Emory University pediatric oncologist. Today, CURE dedicates more than $5.3 million in annual funding to different research projects aimed at curing cancers affecting children.

Fighting childhood cancer is personal to Hazen. Her daughter was diagnosed with stage 4 Hodgkin lymphoma at age 13.

While her daughter is now cancerfree and thriving, Hazen and her family vowed to do all they can to help others survive childhood cancer.

Hazen has more than 20 years of experience in accounting and began her career with Accenture, where she led Fortune 500 clients through transformational change initiatives.

She also served as Chief of Staff for the Global Housing Operations division of Assurant, where she was responsible for strategic planning, engagement and communication strategy.

For more information about CURE Childhood Cancer, visit www. curechildhoodcancer.org.

THE PR STUDIO/PROVIDED Dunwoody resident Kristen Hazen is a newly announced member of the CURE Childhood Cancer Board of Directors. Fighting childhood cancer is personal to Hazen, after her daughter beat stage 4 Hodgkin lymphoma.

For more information about CURE Childhood Cancer, visit www. curechildhoodcancer.org.

Approve:

Continued from Page 1

Councilman John Heneghan, virtually attending the meeting, said he supports signage at completed facilities but is on the fence about placing signage at incomplete parks.

Councilman Tom Price said the city plans to do something at Wildcat and Homecoming parks, and residents should be able to find the city facilities.

Supporting the approval of the complete sign package, Councilwoman Stacey Harris said programming currently underway at the two incomplete parks requires signage.

“They’re not going to look like what we thought they were going to look like in the next year or two,” Harris said. “But they’re still city parks, and we have to maintain them.”

Without a consensus to remove the two signs, Mayor Lynn Deutsch said she is in favor of the full contract. The measure passed in a unanimous vote.

The City Council also unanimously approved a contract with Southern Preservation Systems for maintenance repairs at the North Shallowford Annex.

The annex at 4470 North Shallowford Road includes space for recreation programming and training areas for the Dunwoody Police Department.

The contract, just under $200,000, includes a one-year warranty for parts and labor to fix leaks in the building.

“We are still going to have our curvature, the building will still look the same,” Waldron said. “It will just have the correct windows this time, leakfree.”

In other matters at the meeting, Public Works Director Michael Smith presented two contracts for the continuation of the path on Winter’s Chapel Road and design of a trail along North Shallowford Road.

The City Council took no action on the items at the April 8 meeting but will decide on both contracts April 22.

The Atlanta Regional Commission allocated $560,000 for design of the North Shallowford Road path, with the city committing $200,000 to satisfy local match requirements for federal funds.

After following federal and state policies for procurement, the city identified AECOM and its proposed fee of $458,000 for the design phase of the project.

“We haven’t received any federal funding for right-of-way or construction at this point,” Smith said. “There’s a potential to get construction funding but we don’t have it yet.”

City staff projected construction on the North Shallowford Road path will begin in 2029.

CITY OF DUNWOODY/PROVIDED

Dunwoody Parks and Recreation

Director Rachel Waldron discusses identification signs at city parks and repairs to the North Shallowford Annex at a March 25 City Council meeting.

“It is expensive, and that’s part of the cost of doing business with the federal government,” Smith said.

Further discussion of the design contract centered around the path’s connections to other trails in Metro Atlanta and the potential for additional funding.

The second contract covered the phase two design of the Winter’s Chapel Road path between Charmant Place and Peeler Road.

Unlike the path along North Shallowford Road, the Atlanta Regional Commission committed $1.5 million for construction of phase two. For design costs, the city budgeted just under $500,000.

The contract with Practical Design Partners, totaling just less than $386,000, covers all aspects of the design phase.

Last year, some Dunwoody residents organized opposition to the $60 million bond proposal to finance parks and paths, leading to its failure at the polls in November.

While the No Bond Committee rallied parts of the community, some Dunwoody residents remain enthusiastic about the expansion of recreational facilities and walkability.

The divide in the community also extends to the dais, where Councilman Heneghan said he does not support 12-foot-wide multi-use paths in front of single-family residences.

On the other hand, Councilman Tom Lambert said he has received communication from residents in favor of continuing the multi-use path.

“I’ve spoken to several residents in the area that are very eager to see a continuation of what we started,” Lambert said. “Because right now, some people are referring to [phase one of the Winter’s Chapel Road trial] as the path to nowhere.”

CVS Health Statement on software application issue related to Virtual Care appointments:

Woonsocket, RI – March 12, 2024: CVS Health issued the following statement regarding a software issue with an application used to schedule Virtual Care appointments.

Between December 12 and December 15, 2023, a limited number of patients and caregivers making Virtual Care appointments on our CVS website (www.CVS.com) may have had certain profile information inadvertently seen by other patients who were also making Virtual Care appointments. The issue stemmed from an application update and was fixed on December 15, 2023.

On December 19, 2023, we identified the personal information of some patients and caregivers scheduling Virtual Care appointments that may have been exposed as a result of this issue. The personal information that may have been involved includes first and last name, mailing address, phone number, and the last four of the credit card number on file. The incident did not involve any Social Security number, full credit card numbers, or CVV codes. It also did not include any information about your health conditions or diagnoses.

We have taken steps on our website to prevent this issue from recurring. While we are unaware of any identity theft or fraud as a result of this event, as an additional precaution, CVS is offering identity theft protection services to impacted patients. Patients may contact us using the contact information below for more information.

CVS Health places the highest priority on protecting the privacy of its patients. The privacy and security of their information is very important to us and we take significant measures to protect it from unauthorized uses and disclosures.

Should you have any additional questions, you may contact the Privacy Office at CVS Health Privacy Office, One CVS Dr., Woonsocket RI 02859 or toll-free by telephone at (866) 443-0933.

Hey y’all, I’m Hayden Sumlin and I report on all things in Dunwoody, Milton and Sandy Springs. If you have any story tips or ideas please contact me at hayden@appenmedia.com

Continued from Page 1

existing location at Dunwoody Baptist Church while First Baptist Atlanta is arranging to welcome the school onto its campus starting in the summer of 2024.

The school’s board of directors will soon transition the reins to First Baptist Atlanta as it welcomes board representation from the church.

The school is also considering a name change to underscore its commitment to providing exceptional Christian education that transcends geographical boundaries.

Kevin Jenkins, head of school at Dunwoody Christian, will continue his leadership of the institution. He said the transition offers students and faculty new possibilities.

“Under the guidance and support of FBA, we will have an opportunity to design even better educational experiences for our students, continue hiring the best Christian teachers,

plan strategically to add a high school and expand our athletic programs in the coming years,” Jenkins said. “I am honored to lead our school into this exciting new era.”

Preparations are underway to provide a seamless transition for students, parents and staff.

Families enjoyed a first look at their new school home when FBA hosted parents and students for a tour and reception in February that included remarks from Jenkins and Senior Pastor Anthony George.

“Just like First Baptist Atlanta, Dunwoody Christian has committed itself to upholding the authority of Holy Scripture and to instilling an uncompromising biblical worldview into the minds and hearts of their students,” George said. “There are not enough words to express my gratitude to God and to the board of DCS for giving FBA the opportunity to steward such a treasure.”

In 2018, Dunwoody Christian first opened its doors to students in grades K-2.

By expanding to new grade levels each year, it outgrew its original home at Dunwoody Community Church and relocated to Dunwoody Baptist Church in 2021.

The school leased space there for the past three years and was able to expand into middle school grades.

A spokesperson for Dunwoody Christian said the Dunwoody Baptist Church family laid the groundwork for the next phase of the school’s journey.

Allen Jackson, senior pastor at Dunwoody Baptist Church, said the move is a great step for the school.

“Dunwoody Christian School has been a blessing to the Dunwoody Baptist Church community,” Jackson said. “We look forward to watching God continue to work through Christian education at DCS.”

Protect your assets

Brought to you by – Geerdes & Associates

It’s a tale as old as time. A widow remarries and her new husband and stepchildren steal her house and money away from her children. While it’s our hope that these tales are fantasy, such was reality for Mr. Q. After his mother remarried, Mr. Q, his brothers, and their stepsiblings lived together in his mother’s house. Mr. Q’s mother and his stepfather signed a prenup and the mother also assigned the stepfather as power of attorney and healthcare proxy. Unfortunately, the stepfather used these powers to place her in a dementia-care facility – despite her still being competent. As she had given the stepfather the power to make choices for her, Mr. Q and his brothers could do nothing.

When the stepfather passed, Mr. Q made a horrifying discovery. Prior to his death, the stepfather had used his position as the mother’s power of attorney to sign her house to himself and pass it to his children. Even worse, although the prenup stated that his estate worth over 10 million would be split among the children and the mother - the stepsiblings refused to honor the

agreement.

While it’s common for spouses to give each other power over each other’s financial and medical decisions, the documents could have been written so that Mr. Q and his brother shared the power of attorney with their stepfather, giving them some way to stop him. In addition, Mr. Q’s mother should have been more careful about the documents she signed - many power of attorney documents can be written so they only take effect after incapacitation.

Finally, while the prenup is valid, the uncertainty of whether the stepfather had a will puts things in jeopardy.

The prenup and the will’s ability to supersede each other is dependent on how each document is written and the state it is executed in, and whether the will and prenup contradict each other.

Improper estate planning opened a way for the stepfather to make his move. You always want to fully understand the implications of the documents you sign and cover for many probable scenarios. To make sure you don’t let predatory spouses, heirs, or children take your assets from those you love, consult an estate planning attorney in your local area – and always be informed on the consequences of the decisions you make.

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I attended a recent Appen Press Club community meeting, March 21, at a local Italian restaurant SUGO (highly recommend) on Medlock Bridge in Johns Creek. The Appen Press Club is something that Publisher Hans Appen and Director of Content and Development

Carl Appen started about a year ago. Ideally, once a month, Carl, Hans and the newsroom staff hold a Press Club meeting - free and open to anyone and everyone - at a local venue - usually local restaurant - and talk about the news stories they are working on and field questions from the audience about anything and everything the audience wants to bring up. The events usually include food and beverages –free to members. People seem to enjoy them.

Attendance at these get-togethers typically ranges from 20 to 40 folks and lasts about an hour. I have found them to be fun, engaging, and entertaining enough to want to keep attending.

The purpose of the Appen Press Club is two-fold: The first is to try to stay as connected as possible with our customers - you - and to have the best idea possible about what we are doing right and what we can do better. The second purpose is to raise money to help keep our community news business going. That is, to help keep your local newspaper covering your events, your government, your law enforcement, your city council, and how your taxes are being spent. In general, and this is something that most people know intuitively, but do not necessarily lose sleep over, if we - your local press - don’t do those things, no one else will. Period. It is a very real thing. That is not just hyperbole; it is cold fact.

This does not mean that your elected or appointed city officers are not trustworthy. By and large, they all are. However, as anyone one who has ever managed a group of people knows, without oversight, without someone there actually hands-on enforcing the rules or seeing that they are being enforced, people can be tempted to cut corners - bend the rules - tell white lies - and sometimes break the rules. It’s like having traffic laws with no law

The next Appen Press Club event is April 18 at 4 PM at Cherry Street Brewing in Cumming. RSVP for free at appenmedia.com/join.

traffic cops enforcing them. That dog, as we say in the south, just don’t hunt.

Another very relevant fact that we are dealing with here is that the more money that is involved in the process, the greater the temptation for rules and laws to be bent, broken, or manipulated. It’s only human nature. The collective annual budget of the 7 cities and 3 counties we serve is in the hundreds of millions of dollars. We watch that money, as best our resources allow us to watch it.

For example, right now the Alpharetta City Council, in conjunction with the Alpharetta City Manager and the City Parks & Recreation Director have more than $22,000,000 to spend from the bond that you taxpayers approved in 2021 for parks and recreation funding - your tax dollars. And you taxpayers were told how the money would be spent if you approved it. Among the things you were told was that improvements ($5,000,000) to the Will Park Equestrian Center were contingent upon a private foundation putting up matching funding. How many of you - dear readers - are keeping track of that fine print in the bond - the amount of money the foundation has put up? Well, we are. For you. In a sense we are your active institutional memory.

In 2021 Appen news staff initiated an ongoing story about road construction in Roswell. At the end of the day, Appen discovered that the roads that were supposed to cost $7 million had ballooned to over $18,000,000 and one of the property purchases that the City had made had to be purchased a second time because the city had failed to fulfill some of the contract commitments from the original land purchase. Maleficence? Probably not. Incompetence? Probably, but who would have known? It’s your tax dollars we guard.

In 2021 Appen sued the city of Roswell for failing to comply with the Georgia Open Records Actinformation you have a right to access. We won, but it cost us $15,000 until we were partially reimbursed in settlement. In 2023, Appen sued the city of Sandy Springs - specifically

RAY APPEN Publisher Emeritus ray@appenmedia.com

Appen:

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their law enforcement - for the same thing - but much worse. We lost that decision but are appealing the ruling with higher courts. It has cost us over $40,000 so far.

In the past three years we have probably filed over 500 freedom of information requests - each costing from thirty to sometimes many hundreds of dollars each. Why? To get source material for reporting that sometimes contradicts how officials describe what’s going on. That is what we do. We represent you. If we’re not doing it, who will?

You elect your city councils and your mayors. They hire the city administration. So, to a degree, you only get to “approve” or “disapprove” the folks who administer your tax dollars about once every 4 years. And then, you only know how they are doing, in general, by the local press that gives you the information. Of course, you can attend Council meetings but that often does not tell the entire story. What happens inbetween those four years? A lot. We are there every week, every month, every year acting on your behalf.

It never ceases to amaze me when I hear someone casting disparaging generalizations about “the press.“ As if all the press were the same. “Fake news” they say. My response to those - including at least one local Mayor and several city council folks in the towns we cover, is “what do you have to hide?” What would you prefer for us not to monitor?

I have told this little story more than once but it is worth repeating. The meeting had just ended. Two commissioners were talking. One said “why don’t we go ahead and give that bid to so and so? Who is going to know?” The commissioner he said that to, pointed over his shoulder at our reporter who was still there within earshot and said, “well, he will.” True story.

Your rights are our mission. The threats to your rights are real. It is not just something that you can ignore, and it will “just go away.” Please consider joining the Appen Press Club. You can go to appenmedia. com/join and click on the Press Club link for more information. We also accept one-time, monthly, and annual contributions via the Post Office. Make the check out to Appen Media Group and in the memo line put Appen Press Club. Our mailing address is 319 North Main St., Alpharetta, GA 30009. Your contribution is an investment. A really good one. For you, your children and your grandchildren.

Ordinary Out, Extraordinary In

Perimeter neighborhoods lost to construction in mid-1980s

Potomac Hills subdivision along Mount Vernon Highway was first developed in the early 1960s and is now the location of Perimeter Pointe. The neighborhood straddled the line between Fulton a nd DeKalb Counties. Residential developer Sam Jones divided the 38.2 acres into one acre lots.

Prices for the homes, planned to vary in size and architecture, were between $30,000 and $50,000. The neighborhood was advertised as convenient to Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, Buckhead, I-285 and Lenox Square shopping Center. Perimeter Mall and other development along Ashford Dunwoody Road did not exist yet.

David Long, owner of David Long Interiors and President of the Dunwoody Preservation Trust Board of Directors, grew up on Potomac Way in the Potomac Hills subdivision. His family home sat where the Marta parking deck is at Perimeter Pointe today.

He recalls that there was also an entrance to Potomac Hills from Meadow Lane. Sam Jones Realty had Meadow Lane widened for easier access to Potomac Hills.

In the 1960s and 1970s, the area was still undeveloped and there were many horse farms, even after Perimeter Mall opened. Long remembers there were horse farms where Target and Perimeter Square Shopping Center are located, and horses all along Meadow Lane Road.

By the mid-1980s, many changes had taken place in this area, developers would buy out an entire neighbor -

hood to make way for new commercial construction. In January of 1985, the Fulton County Planning Commission approved rezoning of the former Potomac Hills neighborhood from residential to commercial. Robert Holder bought Potomac Hills for $393,000 per acre. Nine additional homes, adjacent to Potomac Hills, were bought by International Property Development for between $124,000 and $229,000 an acre.

The initial development plan was for three 20 story office towers and a 15-story hotel on the site. The developers were negotiating to extend the site with additional acreage beyond Potomac Hills. To receive approval for higher density, the developers were asked to donate enough land for a MARTA rail station and parking for 400 cars.

On the other side of Mount Vernon, plans were under way for Northpark 100 and Northpark 400, two office towers totaling over a million square feet, a two-level garden area, and rooftop restaurant. Portman-Barry Investment Inc. and Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company of Milwaukee formed a partnership for the development, which represented the first in the metro Atlanta suburbs for John Portman.

Hammond Hills, located where Hammond Drive and Peachtree Dunwoody Road meet, was another example of home assemblage for commercial development. Homeowners in the Aruba Circle neighborhood, located along Hammond Drive between Glenridge Drive and Georgia 400, sold their homes in 1983. Aruba Circle was surrounded by commercial development at that point. Other assemblages nearby included Lake Hearn Place, Glen Meadow, Oak Forest, Crestline, and Swaybranch.

SPECIAL/APPEN MEDIA

1117 Potomac Way in Potomac Hills was the home of Bill and Laura Long and their son David in the 1960s and 1970s.

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF Columnist

Sally White

Throughout her time at Milton High School, Sally has been an active member of various clubs and sports teams, including the Debate Club, Science Olympiad, and Drama Society. Her leadership skills shone brightly as the captain of the soccer team, leading them to victory on numerous occasions. Sally’s commitment to excellence extended beyond athletics; she also excelled academically, earning recognition for her outstanding achievements in advanced mathematics and literature.

As she prepares to embark on the next chapter of her life, we are filled with pride and excitement for Sally’s future endeavors. Congratulations, Sally, on this remarkable achievement! We can’t wait to see the incredible things you’ll accomplish next.

Class of 2024

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