Dunwoody Crier - November 7, 2024 by Appen Media Group

The Dunwoody High School graduating class of 1994 will be holding its 30-year class reunion on November 30th, 2024.

Please email Amy Lutz Hurewitz at amydlutz@yahoo.com for more information!

and

Dunwoody concludes Arts and Culture Month

By ANNABELLE REITER annabelle@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga —

Dunwoody marked the end of its Arts and Culture Month by celebrating the work of local creatives. Artists marked the end of the month by asking for more arts funding and community support.

Over the past 15 years, Georgia has sunk from the bottom 5 in state funding for the arts, to dead last, according to ArtsGeorgia.

Don Ball, a former band teacher, said underfunding

the arts does a disservice to students. Ball speaks from experience, having worked with music students for more than 40 years. He said arts help students with, “creativity, emotional development, motor skills, reading,” and more.

“The question we need to be asking ourselves is not how we can force feed students more math and science, but how come they’re not learning the math and science we’re already

See COMMUNITY, Page 12

Dunwoody passes

‘no-frills’ budget aided by reserves

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody officials passed a 2025 spending plan Oct. 28 with City Manager Eric Linton describing it as a “no-frills budget.”

Despite financial constrictions, city officials put together next year’s budget over the summer, which fully funds operations using $1.26 million in reserves.

A budget is a spending plan, so using reserves to cover operations is anticipated but not certain.

The Financial Times, a British daily newspaper focusing on current economic affairs, says a “budget deficit occurs when a government spends more than it receives in tax revenue, while a structural deficit is when [it] persists for some time.”

In 2025, Dunwoody plans to bring in around $31.5 million in revenue before using its reserves or transferring funds. The city is planning to spend $37 million.

Finance Director Richard Platto gave his second budget presentation, going over specific city funds and discussing upcoming shortfalls in the general fund.

“This is the second year in a row where we’ve seen a trend like this where expenditure growth is higher than revenue growth,” Platto said.

While the 2025 operating budget, or general fund, assumes a 2.4 percent growth in revenue, the city is planning to spend 6.7 percent more next year.

PHOTOS BY: ANNABELLE REITER/APPEN MEDIA

Local artists

members of the community gather at Marlow’s Tavern in Dunwoody Oct. 30 to celebrate the conclusion of Arts and Culture Month.

Music teacher Don Ball performs at Marlow’s Tavern Oct. 30 at an event marking the end of Dunwoody Arts and Culture Month. Ball also stressed the importance of fine arts education in schools.

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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.

Officers pinch one half of alleged shoplifting duo

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Police arrested a 42-year-old Atlanta man at Perimeter Mall Oct. 26 after he allegedly stole $1,434 in merchandise from a nearby Exxon gas station.

Officers said they were dispatched to the 77 Perimeter Center East for a shoplifting incident involving two suspects.

One employee, a 31-year-old Stone Mountain woman, said two male suspects stole a display case containing Cannabisderived products like Delta 8 vapes and gummies. The employee said one male wore a gray bandana around his head with a black shirt and Bermuda shorts but was unable to provide a description of the second suspect.

The second employee, a 68-year-old Dunwoody man, said one of the suspects hit him in the face and threw him to the ground when he confronted them as they were leaving.

Officers said neither employee had visible injuries.

Sometime later, an officer said he spotted a suspect matching the employee’s description at the Dillard’s department store within Perimeter Mall.

The officer said the male was wearing an unzipped backpack clearly showing Delta 8 merchandise inside.

When officers detained the suspect, he said his brother was the one who stole the merchandise and gave it to him to carry in his backpack.

Officers said the suspect refused to provide the name of his alleged accomplice.

After speaking with the suspect, officers said they has probable cause to arrest him and searched his backpack.

Officers said all Exxon merchandise, totaling $1,434, was recovered and returned to the store.

When security footage became available, officers said they saw the arrestee put his hands on the 68-year-old employee and drag him to the ground.

Officers said the unidentified suspect was the one who physically removed the merchandise and display case.

Later, officers transported the suspect to DeKalb County Jail and secured warrants for felony shoplifting and simple battery of someone over the age of 65.

Hayden Sumlin

Suspect consumed meth during arrest, police say

DUNWOODY, Ga. — During a loitering call Oct. 22 at the Perimeter Gardens at Georgetown apartments, officers arrested a 31-year-old Roswell woman for two counts of battery against law enforcement.

Officer said they met with the owner who told them that an evicted couple kept returning the location.

Eventually, officers said they located the couple and instructed them to lay down with their hands behind their back. They said the male suspect complied, but the female suspect refused to do so repeatedly.

The male suspect, a 41-year-old Roswell man, said the couple came back to grab some of their belongings. Later, he would tell officers that the female consumed methamphetamine just before they were detained.

While speaking with the suspects, officers said dispatch told them that the woman gave a false name and had active arrest warrants.

At that moment, officers said the female slipped her handcuffs and attempted to flee.

After an officer tackled her, she allegedly began scratching an officer’s wrists repeatedly.

Officers said they put the woman in zip ties to keep her detained and placed the male suspect in the patrol car.

During the struggle to get the female

suspect in the patrol car, officers said she kicked an officer multiple times in the groin. Officers said the woman continued to resist and began to self-harm, so they placed her in full body restraints.

Officers said DeKalb Fire units arrived and gave the female oxygen to calm her down.

During a search of the female’s purse, officers said they found three drivers’ licenses and five credit cards not belonging to her.

Officers said they secured eight warrants for the stolen cards, two for obstruction and two for battery against a law enforcement officer.

The suspect was transported and lodged at DeKalb County Jail.

Hayden Sumlin

Car strikes woman crossing Holcomb Bridge Road

ROSWELL, Ga. — Police responded to a pedestrian struck by a vehicle Oct. 19 after a car hit a 20-year-old Roswell woman crossing Holcomb Bridge Road at Ga. 400.

The driver of the vehicle, a 22-year-old Roswell man, said he took the Ga. 400 northbound exit onto Holcomb Bridge Road and entered the far-left lane.

The driver said his vehicle, a black Honda CR-V, got up to around 45 mph before he saw the woman and hit the brakes.

According to the driver, he struck the woman at about 25 mph. He said the woman landed on top of his car and slid off after he came to a stop.

Officers then spoke with the woman at the Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center. She said she knew better than to cross the roadway but thought that she could make it across in time.

Officers said she had a gash on the back of her head and scrapes on her arms and legs.

A doctor told officers that she may have a broken hip.

Officers cited her for the misdemeanor of pedestrian darting out into traffic and returned the driver’s vehicle to his father.

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Hayden Sumlin

Regional planning agency director touts projects that connect people

By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com

ATLANTA — Great things are on the horizon for the Atlanta Metro area, Anna Roach, executive director & CEO of the Atlanta Regional Commission, said at the State of the Region address Nov. 1.

Roach is optimistic about progress in a number of areas, from the green manufacturing industry to regional transportation projects.

This year’s State of the Region, held at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, welcomed hundreds of officials from counties across north central Georgia. They enjoyed breakfast at the gala-style function while listening to presentations from representatives from the ARC and other organizations.

The ARC is about connecting communities, Roach said.

“When I travel across this region, I hear neighbors from all corners say that they are eager to break this cycle of the prosperity divide, and it's because that they know, like all

of us in this room, knows, that when we finally accomplish that, the entire region is going to be better,” Roach said. “Our economy will grow, and we will be stronger as a region.”

The Atlanta Regional Commission is a planning agency serving 11 counties in Metro Atlanta, including Fulton, DeKalb and Forsyth.

Interstate highways, rail networks and other transportation infrastructure play a vital role in cities’ growth, but they also divide, Roach said. With local government partners, the ARC has received more than $500 million in grant funding to bridge communities, Roach said, citing the Flint River Gateway Trails as one example.

Through a $64.9 million federal grant, the project will connect College Park, East Point, and Hapeville with almost 15 miles of multi-use trails, according to ARC.

“It will connect these communities in an entirely new way, making it easier to access jobs and services, and most exciting, it will feed into

See CONNECT, Page 4

Customers paying their taxes at the Memorial Dr. tax office will use the UGA Extension entrance located at the front of the building from Nov. 4–15, (weekdays). EXTENDED HOURS: Nov. 12–15 from 8 AM until 6 PM. Clairmont Rd. and South DeKalb Mall until 4:30 PM. Closed Nov. 11 for Veterans Day.

Know before you go:

Second installment is due Nov. 15. The first installment was due Sept. 30. Bills for City of Atlanta properties DeKalb are due Nov. 15. Bring your bill stub and valid Georgia ID or Georgia driver’s license. Acceptable payment methods include credit/debit card, check or money order. Processing fees apply for credit/debit card payments. Parking is available near the UGA Extension Service lot facing Memorial Drive. Disabled customers may use the Property Tax entrance off Northern Ave. Security screening is required for service.

Payment methods:

ONLINE: Visit publicaccess.dekalbtax.org. Credit/debit card payments are accepted; processing fees apply. There is no service fee for paying by e-Check.

PAY-BY-PHONE: Call 770-336-7500, Monday–Friday, 8 AM–5 PM. Credit/debit card payments are accepted; processing fees apply. There is no fee for paying by e-Check.

DROP BOX: 24-hour drop box available at all three office locations. Payment must be placed in the box by the due date; cash not accepted.

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Payments made in the office, by phone or online are posted same day; checks, including e-checks, are posted in 5 business days Before cancelling a payment, please contact the office with payment concerns to avoid NSF and/or late fees.

To view and pay your bill online, or for more information, visit the Tax Commissioner's Office website: Follow us! @DeKalbTaxGA

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Connect:

from Page 3

and connect to the Beltline and complement existing and planned transit in this area,” Roach said. “The Flint River Gateway Trails is a game changer for our region.”

Roach also lauded progress made in other projects.

The Atlanta Gulch Redevelopment Project is breathing new life into Atlanta’s historic downtown. The 50acre revitalization project aims to bring 8 million square feet of commercial and residential space, including multiple hotels, Class-A office space and homes to the Centennial Yards District.

The city is experiencing a boom in green manufacturing as the electric vehicle and battery industry continues to develop, Roach said.

“I heard one consultant call us the battery belt,” she said. “Imagine that. These jobs offer good wages and benefits while addressing climate change, which is a critical issue.”

Roach also highlighted transportation projects, including

City of Dunwoody officials listen to presentations over breakfast during this year’s State of the Region address at the Georgia World Congress Center Nov. 1.

an “innovative design” Ga. 400 interchange at North Druid Hills and bus rapid transit projects in Clayton County and elsewhere in the city.

Roach also discussed ongoing challenges, noting rising home prices and rents.

According to the results of the Metro Atlanta Speaks survey, nearly two thirds of respondents said they could not afford to move to another

NOTICE OF PROPOSED CHARTER AMENDMENT

Pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 36-35-3(b)(1), notice is hereby given that the City Council of the City of Dunwoody, Georgia will consider amending the Charter of the City of Dunwoody, Georgia for the purpose of permitting members of the city council to be employed by other governmental entities except Dunwoody, Georgia or Dekalb County, Georgia within Article II, Section 2.13(e).

The proposed amendment will be considered at the City Council’s regular meetings on November 12, 2024 and November 25, 2024. Meetings of the Dunwoody City Council are held at 6:00 p.m. in Dunwoody Hall, Dunwoody City Hall, 4800 Ashford Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody, GA 30338. A copy of the proposed amendment is on file in the office of the City Clerk and in the office of the Clerk of Superior Court of DeKalb County for the purpose of examination and inspection by the public.

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home in their current neighborhood.

The hybrid phone and online 2024 survey, administered by Kennesaw State University’s A.L. Burruss Institute of Public Service and Research, polled 4,081 adult residents across 11 counties in Metro Atlanta.

It also found transportation, once consistently a top issue, has taken a backseat as the region’s fourth top challenge.

A plurality of about 42% of respondents also said they felt artificial intelligence would mostly have a negative effect on society.

Local officials from Dunwoody and Forsyth County who attended the event said the commission’s partnership with their governments has provided numerous benefits.

Anna Roach, executive director & CEO Atlanta Regional Commission, delivers this year’s State of the Region address to hundreds of local officials at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta Nov. 1.

“The biggest reason for the importance of staying involved in the ARC is the transportation piece of it,” Forsyth County Manager David McKee said. “ARC is responsible for the regional transportation dollars and helping distribute (them).”

Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch said the ARC’s work is special because of its regional focus, which benefits many communities.

“I love the theme of connection,” she said. “I think in a big city, whether it’s Dunwoody or Metro Atlanta, it’s critical for people to feel connected to each other.”

NOTICE OF PROPOSED CHARTER AMENDMENT

Pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 36-35-3(b)(1), notice is hereby given that the City Council of the City of Dunwoody, Georgia will consider amending the Charter of the City of Dunwoody, Georgia for the purpose of permitting certain gifts or donations without limitations from individuals, charities, and benevolent or philanthropic organizations: (1) to provide aid and support of law enforcement; or (2) to provide aid and support of city personnel facing hardships due to a serious health condition of the employee (or immediate family member defined as spouse, child, or parent) within Article II, Section 2.13(a)(4).

PHOTOS BY: JON WILCOX/APPEN MEDIA

Chastain Park Conservancy hosts annual auto show

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

ATLANTA — A quarter mile south of the Sandy Springs city limits, a few hundred car enthusiasts enjoyed classic hot rods and fall weather Oct. 27 at the Chastain Park Auto Show.

The Chastain Park Conservancy, a community nonprofit with a mission to maintain and enhance the 268-acre park, came up with the idea for an outdoor auto show during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now in its fourth year, the Chastain Park Auto Show brought dozens of young families and their children to the Red Lot across from Cadence Bank Amphitheater.

While Chastain Memorial Park and its Conservancy operate in the city of Atlanta, more than 3.2 million people from Metro Atlanta and around the country visit the park each year.

The Conservancy says it ensures the park’s amenities are clean, safe and green for the diverse community it serves.

Karen Meinzen McEnerny, former Sandy Springs City Council member, submitted her award-winning 1963 Austin Healey 3000 BJ7 Mark II Sports Convertible into the auto show Oct. 27 for the first time.

McEnerny, known during her years as an elected official for tree advocacy, said

it took some convincing for her to take “Lucky Lady” out of her garage.

She said organizers of the Chastain Park Auto Show approached her earlier this year about submitting her Austin Healey at the show and placed the classic in the six-car Inner Circle.

The Austin Healey 3000 is a British sports car built from 1959 to 1967. Records show only around 6,100 of the Mark II BJ7 sports convertibles were built in August 1962.

The story of “Lucky Lady” spans two restorations over more than five decades in the McEnerny family.

Bob McEnerny, Karen’s brother, first restored the British sports car in 1971 after the family purchased it for her. In 1973, an at-fault driver struck the front of the car and totaled it.

The Austin Healey sat for more than 40 years in the McEnerny family garage before Karen was able to get it restored. She credits restorationist and Powder Springs resident George Pope with getting the first car she ever owned back on the road.

Pope, who McEnerny calls “Michelangelo,” completed the four-and-a-half-year restoration with an entirely new frame in 2017.

Since then, “Lucky Lady” has won a couple awards at auto shows in Savannah and Atlanta. McEnerny, the longtime

SKIN CONCERNS?

DERMATOLOGY APPOINTMENTS

A young car enthusiast snaps photos of his favorites Oct. 27 at the Chastain Park Auto Show off Powers Ferry Road. The president of the Chastain Park Conservancy said proceeds from the fall gathering go toward capital projects at the park.

southern Sandy Springs resident, took home the Chastain Park Auto Show’s 2024 Best in Show award alongside Pope and her brother Rob.

“A rags to blue ribbon story over 53 years,” she said.

The Chastain Park Conservancy passed six additional awards, while patrons enjoyed food trucks, dozens of additional classic hot rods and a beautiful fall day in north Atlanta.

Rosa McHugh, president of the Conservancy, said the Chastain Park Auto Show started out with around 75 cars in 2020.

The number of participating vehicles, whether they be all-electric 2024 Rivian R1S or a 1940s Ford Super DeLuxe, has more than doubled since the inaugural year, McHugh said.

Butler Tire, one of the Roswell Road (Ga. 9) landmarks as motorists cross from Atlanta into Sandy Springs, sponsored the nonprofit’s annual fundraiser.

The free community event is one of a few initiatives and events that the Conservancy puts on to support and expand park operations.

After work over the summer and fall, McHugh said the Chastain Park Conservancy will submit its comprehensive plan update to the City of Atlanta early next year.

Some of the capital projects under consideration are streetscape and pedestrian safety improvements at park gateways, improvements to the under-developed Northwoods section and activation of the wooded Palisades area abutting Chastain Park Golf Course.

McHugh, who has led the Conservancy for about a decade, said community input and involvement are what she’s looking for from neighbors.

To learn more about the Chastain Park Conservancy and its comprehensive plan updates, visit www.chastainparkconservancy.org/.

HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA

State law draws more ‘slot machines’

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

NORTH FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — With legal, skill-based “slot machines” popping up at convenience stores across the state, some Metro Atlantans want to know how they work.

A new law passed during the 2024 legislative session expanded the kind of rewards machines could offer players, inviting an increase of awards-based gaming in stores around town.

Coin-based amusement machines, different than slot machines in Las Vegas and Native American casinos, are classified as skill-based games in state law.

Instead of pressing a button and randomly winning a prize, coin-based operating machines, or COAMs, require players to make a decision before any prize is awarded.

It’s a small, but important step that avoids the language of a bet for money.

State statute defines two types of coin-based amusement machines. Class A ones, like typical arcade games, kiddie rides and pool tables, do not allow players to carry over points after a play or game.

Class B coin-based amusement machines are also games of skill that may allow a successful player to carry over points won on one play to a subsequent play or plays.

For retailers, the licensing for a Class B machine is 400 percent more than Class A machines.

Class B machines, often resembling Vegas slots, are what has folks’ attention.

Most forms of gambling, including sports betting and Vegas-style table games, are illegal in Georgia. Since the early 1990s, the traditionally conservative state has been relaxing its gambling laws.

In 1992, voters approved an amendment to the Georgia State Constitution that allowed a governmentrun lottery. Former Gov. Zell Miller signed a bill the same year creating the Georgia Lottery Corporation with the mission of supplementing traditional education funding in the state.

Revenue collected through the state lottery funds the Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally Scholarship. It also funds the state’s Prekindergarten program for 4-year-olds.

The HOPE Scholarship program provides Georgia students with a 3.0 GPA or higher with an opportunity to attend a public college or university at a fraction of the price.

Since 1992, the Georgia Lottery Corporation has transferred $28.3 billion to Georgia students.

Les Schneider, an attorney and

At a gas station in Metro Atlanta’s Central Perimeter, a woman plays one of the store’s coin-based amusement machines, which resemble Las Vegas-style slot machines. Under state law, these types of coin-based amusement machines are legal because of their skill component.

lobbyist for the Georgia Amusement and Music operators Association, said legislation surrounding coin-based amusement machines is all about ensuring the well-performing industry is efficiently regulated and legally operated.

In 2013, the Georgia General Assembly passed legislation regulating the coin-operated industry under a division of the Georgia Lottery Corporation.

The COAM Division oversees strict licensing standards, financial responsibilities and communication. It says awareness and education are fundamentals for license holder, which is especially important after the General Assembly passed House Bill 353 during the 2024 legislative session.

The new state law allows valid COAM Location License holders to award winners with non-cash redemption gift cards, which can be redeemed anywhere in the state for a product.

Previous law only allowed winners to redeem their prizes for merchandise sold in the store where the machine they played is located.

Schneider said one of the arguments in favor of the bill anticipated increases to state sales tax revenue because of the gift card initiative.

Opponents of the bill say that the gift cards create more incentives for people to play Class B machines, which can be destructive and addictive to those who use them.

The bill also changes when COAM Location License holders report their gross retail receipts from a monthly to a

ASK APPEN: Community engagement is an essential part of Appen Media’s newsroom strategy. That’s why reporters for the Herald and Crier newspapers seek out all sorts of reader questions. Want to learn more about something in the area? Send questions to newsroom@appenmedia.com or go to appenmedia.com/ask.

based amusement machine 100 times, the most you can win is $500.

In October, Appen Media went to a gas station along Roswell Road (Ga. 9) in Metro Atlanta’s Central Perimeter to check out some of the Class B machines.

When players sit down at a Class B machine, they are shown grand prizes of a couple hundred to a couple thousand dollars. The problem is that most players think they’re sitting down at a Vegasstyle slot machine and have a shot at winning the jackpot on a spin.

For a player to be eligible for a $2,000 payout, they’d have to play 400 times at a minimum.

quarterly basis.

Schneider said the best thing that reform bill did was to regulate and bolster the Georgia Lottery Corporation’s education revenue. He said he thinks the state may get the funding for universal pre-K as a result.

The bill also increases the tax rate, divided evenly between machine owners and retailers, from 10 percent to 13 percent.

Schneider said Class B coin-based amusement machines are not Vegas-style slots for a handful of reasons.

For one, the most you can win per play is $5. If you play a Class B coin-

The reality of gambling or any skillbased game is that players will lose. Not all games from the same manufacturer require the same level of skill or decision-making, and often, the required action is a simple as clicking a button.

When your reporter went to cash out his $5 in prizes, he received a scratch off lottery ticket, one of the options for “winners.”

With an original stake of $10, the reporter lost all his cash. The lottery ticket didn’t yield an early retirement. While there are some ethical questions about how Class B machine makers design and create their skillbased games, the legal ones seem to be cleared up.

HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA

Q4 home maintenance

The holidays are upon us and Rubbermaid bins of seasonal décor are coming out of storage. As you begin trimming your tree or setting up your snow globe collection, carve out some time to properly prepare your home for the changing season. A well-maintained home is overall less expensive throughout your ownership and will reap you a higher net sales price when you go to sell. In other words, it is worth every penny and more to keep it in tip top shape in every season! The perfect place to start is by doing a walk around the exterior of your home.

Here are a few key items to get you started on prepping your home for the fall season:

• Paint is not only key to keeping your home

beautiful, but its’ purpose is to act as sealant for the wood and other materials used on the exterior of your home. Check the windows, trim, and siding to see if there is peeling or cracking. This is an indicator that it is time to re-paint.

• Make sure to clean your gutters so that they are clear of debris as the fall leaves start coming down. This will help prevent water damage from overfilled gutters.

• Monitor cracks on your driveway and around your home to see if there are any potential problems arising before it becomes a larger concern. Fill these cracks as needed to prevent additional damage.

• Change your air filters and have your furnace(s) serviced by an HVAC professional.

• Check your windows and doors to see if you can feel a draft. A cost-effective solution for keeping your heating costs down this winter is to add weather

stripping to your windows and your doors where you feel a draft.

• Fertilize your lawn to prevent damage from colder temperatures and to keep your grass healthy.

• Check the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors.

• As the temperatures begin to drop, drain your exterior faucets to prevent water freezing in the pipes before the unpredictable Georgia winter hits.

While this is not an extensive list of how to maintain a home, it is sure to get you started in the right direction. If you have questions on how best to maintain your home or prep your home for a sale, reach out to a real estate professional, like The Kloster Group, for a personal visit and advice catered to you. If you are interested in our home maintenance guide, please reach out to Rachel Provow at rachel@homegeorgia.com

Brought to you by – Rachel Provow at HOME Real Estate

The role of family meetings in estate planning

Brought to you by – Estates Law Center USA

Family meetings play a crucial role in estate planning, offering a platform to address and align everyone’s expectations, prevent misunderstandings, and minimize conflicts down the road. Engaging in open, honest conversations about your estate plans can demystify your intentions and clarify how your assets will be distributed. By discussing your plans with family members, you can ensure that all parties are informed and involved, reducing the risk of disputes and fostering a sense of unity. These meetings also provide an opportunity to address any concerns or questions your family might have, allowing you to adjust your plan in response to their feedback.

Ultimately, a well-conducted family meeting not only smooths the transition of your estate but also strengthens familial bonds by demonstrating transparency and respect for each member’s perspective. This proactive approach ensures that your wishes are honored and helps maintain family harmony during what can otherwise be a challenging time.

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• Does my Will protect my “stuff”? (It does not.)

• Should I upgrade my Will to a Trust?

• What do I need to know about Revocable Living Trusts?

• How do Irrevocable Trusts work?

• Medicaid. What’s true and what’s not?

• How do I protect my assets for my family and legacy?

• How do I remain in control?

• How do I avoid losing everything to nursing home costs?

• How can my family avoid probate?

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Requirements: Must have a perfect driving record and background check, reliable transportation, honest, hard-working and positive attitude.

For more information or to apply, email heidi@appenmedia.com and include a paragraph or two about who you are and any relevant background/experience. In the subject line of the email please put “Delivery Route Application.”

OPINION

Lawson trained X-ray technician Abe Koppel served in Pacific Theater

I have been honored to receive the stories of a few men who were temporarily stationed for training at Lawson General Hospital in Chamblee during World War II as part of the Medical Department Technicians School. Abraham (Abe) Koppel wrote down a narrative of his WWII experiences when his granddaughter was working on a school project and his family shared his story and photographs with me. Koppel was part of the MDTS X-ray section at Lawson General Hospital.

Koppel was born August 21, 1924, in Brooklyn, New York. He was drafted on March 29, 1943, with seven days to prepare to leave. “I was nearly at the end of my first year of college, Brooklyn College,” he recalled. He asked for an extension to finish his semester but was denied.

He began his travel at Pennsylvania Station, going to Fort Dix in New Jersey for 12 days. Next, he was sent to Camp Grant outside of Rockford, Illinois. There he encountered the challenge of walking as fast as his six-foot six-inch platoon lieutenant. “I had blisters on my heels for 12 out of 13 weeks and never was able to complete a hike.”

From Camp Grant, Koppel went to Michigan State College and became part of the Army Specialized Training Program. “They tried to push four years of engineering and other courses such as English, Mechanical drawing, foreign language, and math…in one year.”

Koppel went back to Camp Grant for two weeks, then to Lawson General Hospital for six months of X-ray school.

Medical Department Technicians Schools were established across the U.S. during WWII. MDTS began at Lawson General Hospital in 1942. Lawson General Hospital treated injured soldiers and trained men (and women with the Red Cross) to provide medical care to injured soldiers in other locations.

MDTS at Lawson included laboratory technicians, dental training, medical training, surgical training and X-ray training. Koppel’s training was completed on June 5, 1944, just one day before D Day. He and his classmates were sent to various places.

For the third time, Koppel returned to Camp Grant in Rockford, Illinois. This time for six weeks. In September of 1944, he went to Camp Beal near Marysville, California. Peach growers of California were in desperate need of workers and Koppel worked seven weeks cutting peaches at a cannery.

After a two week stay at Fort Lawton in Seattle, he boarded the USS Grant for Hawaii. He volunteered for permanent KP duty. Koppel describes the facilities as still having holes in the walls and roofs, and craters where bombs had been dropped on December 7, 1941.

After seven weeks, he became an X-ray technician with the 204th General Hospital. “This unit was preparing to go into the field. We needed to load massive amounts of equipment onto trucks which then were driven onto a cargo ship and sent off.” There were 640 enlistees, 160 nurses and about 150 doctors. Twenty-one days later they landed in Guam.

Approximately 37,000 injured soldiers came through the 3,000-bed hospital. There were four X-ray rooms where around 300 patients were seen per day. According to Koppel, “Some patients needed a lot of time. Some needed to be in special positions for the pictures to be taken and we, not knowing the danger, would stand there and hold

them in place.” X-ray technicians would have seen devastating injuries in their daily work.

The 204th General Hospital staff was measured for winter uniforms, expecting to have to continue through the winter, but war in the Pacific ended September 2, 1945. Koppel and other staff members stayed until March 1946 to manage chronically ill patients and POWs returning from Japan.

Koppel’s work was important as part of a team to save the lives of injured soldiers. As he says, “I did good work, I was a good technician, and was promoted, in a period of seventeen months from private to Technician 4th grade. From no stripes to four.”

Award-winning author Valerie Biggerstaff is a longtime columnist for Appen Media and the Dunwoody Crier. She lives in Atlanta. You can email Valerie at pasttensega@gmail.com or visit her website at pasttensega.com.

KOPPEL FAMILY/PROVIDED

In this 1944 photograph of the X-ray section at Lawson General Hospital, Abe Koppel is on the second row, third from the right.

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF Columnist

Dunwoody groups to host Veterans Day Ceremony

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody is inviting the public to its annual Veterans Day ceremony at the Veterans Memorial at Brook Run Park starting at 10 a.m. Nov. 11.

Dunwoody Parks and Recreation is hosting the ceremony with support from the Perimeter area Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10822 and the Dunwoody Woman’s Club.

Mayor Lynn Deutsch said the city’s Veterans Day ceremony is an important tradition in Dunwoody.

“I'm always thankful for the opportunity to pay tribute to the courageous men and women who made great sacrifices to defend our country and uphold our freedoms,” she said.

The featured speaker will be longtime Dunwoody resident and retired Army Lt. Col. Tom Ariail, who served for more than 23 years in numerous worldwide assignments to active combat zones. Ariail retired from the military in 2008 at Fort McPherson, Georgia. He now serves as commander of VFW Post 10822.

Normandy, a Great Pyrenees therapy dog that spreads cheer throughout the community, will accompany Ariail at the ceremony.

Dunwoody tapped Police Chief Mike Carlson, a retired Georgia National Guard captain, as its master of ceremonies; City Councilman Joe Seconder, a retired Army major, to lead the Pledge of Allegiance; and Rev. Dana Everhart, senior pastor at Kingswood Church, to give the invocation and benediction.

— Hayden Sumlin

Community:

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trying to teach?” he said.

The Dunwoody Fine Art Association, founded more than 50 years ago, organized an Oct. 30 cultural event at Marlow’s Tavern to mark the end of the annual Arts and Culture Month.

Local artists and community members enjoyed appetizers while speakers from the arts community shared their stories.

Artist Barbara Riordan, who is part of the organization, said more than 100 paintings were displayed at 23 locations this month. Doctors, lawyers, hairdressers, and even the Hungry Peach Café offered space to showcase this year’s pieces. Chupito’s Azteca Grille in Dunwoody has recently made an agreement with the Fine Art Association to be a permanent venue to show works as well.

Julie Marshall, chair of Dunwoody Fine Art Association’s October activities, said that the point of the event was “to make

You can check out the Dunwoody Fine Art Association’s installations at Chupito’s Azteca Grille, 1412 Dunwoody Village Pkwy, Monday-Friday 11-9 and weekends 12-9; and at the Dunwoody Library, 5339 Chamblee Dunwoody Road.

people stop, to make people aware, to make them react and hopefully enjoy it, and to make them think and be a part of the community and the art they see.

“Art is all around us,” Marshall said “… What is displayed, what is heard, what is seen in the theaters, what is in gardens, places we don’t normally look at.”

Justin Ball, the producing artistic director at Stage Door Theatre, shared stories of youth he had interacted with through the theatrical arts. He’s seen dramatic transformations as young artists gain confidence, which, he said, improves their self-esteem.

Don Ball also spoke about the impact arts had on his students.

“One of the things that arts education provides students is a place where everyone can participate on equal footing,” he said.

ANNABELLE REITER/APPEN MEDIA

Justin Ball addresses the gathering at Marlow’s Tavern Oct. 30 about his work at Stage Door Theatre, including youth summer camps, volunteering in hospitals, and future productions coming to Dunwoody.

CITY OF DUNWOODY/PROVIDED

The Dunwoody community gathers at Brook Run Park last November to honor service and sacrifice on Veterans Day. Longtime Dunwoody resident and retired Army Lt. Col. Tom Ariail will be the featured speaker.

Deficit:

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“We have budgeted use of fund balance [reserves] for the last three years, and we have not used it,” he said. “And we continue to closely monitor 2024, the current budget has a slight use of fund balance [$700,000] as it stands right now.”

Inflationary increases to the general fund in 2025 include a 4.9 percent pay increase effective July 1, a 6.5 percent increase to health insurance costs and a 12 percent increase to general liability insurance.

At the same time, the operating budget also covers a full year of pay raises that took effect in June and uses $600,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to pay the salaries of four sworn officers and one civilian fleet manager.

A total transfer of $2 million from the city’s ARPA II Fund covers the operational costs.

Because the city has not had to spend reserves, it is not operating a structural deficit.

At the first public hearing Oct. 15, Platto said the city does not have money in its ARPA II fund to cover the expenses in the 2026 budget. He said the general fund will have to absorb the costs.

Rounding out the general fund, the city is also transferring $1.4 million to debt service and $220,000 to capital projects.

The five-year Capital Improvement Plan, separate from the general fund, includes the following

Finance Director Richard Platto goes through funds in the 2025 budget during the Oct. 28 Dunwoody City Council meeting. Platto said the general fund will have to absorb operational costs in 2026, which the American Rescue Plan Act covers in this year’s budget because federal dollars are drying up.

projects in 2025: $1 million for capital expansion of the Dunwoody Nature Center; $1.37 million for a maintenance building at Brook Run Park; $1 million for a new turf field at Peachtree Middle School; improvements to Womack and Vermack roads; and work along the Chamblee Dunwoody Road corridor in Georgetown.

Dunwoody plans to spend around $13 million in Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax funds, which are restricted and cannot be used for operations, on pedestrian and intersection improvements, public safety equipment, road resurfacing, repairs and maintenance.

Because of the city’s pay-as-yougo model for capital projects, all

NOTICE OF PROPOSED CHARTER AMENDMENT

Pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 36-35-3(b)(1), notice is hereby given that the City Council of the City of Dunwoody, Georgia will consider amending the Charter of the City of Dunwoody, Georgia for the purpose of permitting members of the city council to be employed by other governmental entities except Dunwoody, Georgia or Dekalb County, Georgia within Article II, Section 2.13(e).

What do you think?

Have thoughts about the city’s finances?

Talk Back to the Crier by emailing newsroom@appenmedia.com. You can also reach out to Hayden directly with questions about the budget at hayden@ appenmedia.com.

designated funds may not be spent. Platto said the city’s reserves remain strong at around $24.4 million, or about nine months of city operations. He said the city strives to keep reserves about six months of operations but must keep them above four months because of the City Charter.

Essentially, Dunwoody will have $12.4 million in reserves that are unassigned to any project or department initiative after 2025.

Dunwoody officials approved the budget unanimously.

Senior baseball

In other business at the Oct. 28 City Council meeting, Dunwoody Senior Baseball leadership presented their annual report to elected officials and asked the city to fund netting at the Brook Run Park baseball fields.

Next year, Dunwoody Senior Baseball will celebrate its 50th anniversary as the only program in Metro Atlanta where 15 to 18-yearolds can play recreational baseball leagues.

Jerry Weiner, president of Dunwoody Senior Baseball, and City Councilwoman Stacey Harris got into a back-and-forth about field usage during free play the third weekend of the month, softball teams using the fields and scheduling.

Harris asked him to ensure the organization is putting their games on the city calendar and making space for female softball players among other questions about the league’s operations.

“We’re looking for ways we can grow our program, and we don’t have a lot of additional field time,” Weiner said.

Parks and Recreation Director Rachel Waldron, who works with city partners like Dunwoody Senior Baseball, said the $70,000 for the netting along Barclay Drive was cut from the 2025 budget.

Dunwoody City Council members briefly discussed the netting during the second public hearing for the 2025 budget before deciding to pick it up at another time.

City Councilman Joe Seconder said the netting project is not a top budget priority despite all the great things the organization does for teenage athletes in the city.

“We’re in the wants versus needs right now,” he said. “We are a deficit spending city right now anyways; we can’t change the past, but I definitely would have a separate conversation on this in the future.”

NOTICE OF PROPOSED CHARTER AMENDMENT

Pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 36-35-3(b)(1), notice is hereby given that the City Council of the City of Dunwoody, Georgia will consider amending the Charter of the City of Dunwoody, Georgia for the purpose of permitting certain gifts or donations without limitations from individuals, charities, and benevolent or philanthropic organizations: (1) to provide aid and support of law enforcement; or (2) to provide aid and support of city personnel facing hardships due to a serious health condition of the employee (or immediate family member defined as spouse, child, or parent) within Article II, Section 2.13(a)(4).

HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA