School Board extends contract, grants raise for superintendent
► PAGE 4
DeKalb County postpones water, sewer rate increase
By ZOE SEILER zoe@appenmedia.com
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — DeKalb County water customers were set to see an increase in their water and sewer bills July 1, but the county has postponed it.
The county did not provide a timeframe in the announcement on June 30.
The rate hike was halted as the county finalizes a contract for creating a customer advocacy process that could protect vulnerable customers from having their water shut off.
DeKalb County plans to work with the Urban League of Greater Atlanta to serve as the consumer advocates.
County CEO Lorraine CochranJohnson previously noted that the Urban League worked with the county
Spruill Gallery opens contest for best mural
DUNWOODY, Ga. — The Spruill Center for the Arts’ Gallery is accepting nationwide submissions for its annual AMPLIFY mural competition through July 28.
Spruill Gallery staff say the winning artist will receive a $10,000 prize, and their mural will be installed on the side of the Smoke House outside the gallery off Ashford Dunwoody Road next year.
This year marks Spruill’s sixth annual AMPLIFY contest, which seeks out a new project each year. Submissions in any medium from individual artists or teams will be considered. Applicants must be over the age of 18 and reside within the United States.
This year’s $10,000 prize is a significant increase from what has previously been awarded.
See MURAL, Page 16
to distribute federal American Rescue Plan Act and CARES money.
“Access to clean, reliable water is essential, and so is ensuring that our customers are supported,” CochranJohnson said.
According to a press release, the county believes it’s important for the Urban League contract to be executed before the rate increase goes into effect and allow for time to ensure the
program is implemented seamlessly.
Additionally, DeKalb County wants to ensure customers are informed about the support and resources available to them before the rate increase begins.
About 180,000 DeKalb County residential customers will be affected by higher water bills.
SPRUILL CENTER FOR THE ARTS/PROVIDED Manty Dey’s “Rest and Rise,” winner of the Spruill Gallery’s 2024 AMPLIFY mural competition, decorates the Smoke House off Ashford Dunwoody Road. This year’s contest is accepting submission through July 28 and features a $10,000 cash prize.
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POLICE BLOTTER
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Dunwoody woman arrested for resisting police officers
DUNWOODY, Ga. — Police arrested a 42-year-old Dunwoody woman July 4 after she allegedly resisted arrest and struck an officer during a traffic stop along eastbound I-285 at Chamblee Dunwoody Road.
An officer said he pulled over a gray Mazda 3 sedan for reckless driving and going 89 mph in a 65-mph zone around 2 a.m. The officer said he spotted the vehicle weaving in and out of traffic lanes. The officer said he saw the driver almost strike another motorist, and he then activated his emergency lights and initiated a traffic stop.
The driver said she was coming from her friend’s house on Independence Day weekend and had consumed four alcoholic drinks.
The officer said the woman later said she stopped at a bar for a margarita on her way home. The officer also said she was “very disoriented and could not correctly describe the events prior to the traffic stop.”
During a field sobriety test, the officer said the driver exhibited several signs of impairment, failing to balance and follow instructions. After determining the driver was operating her vehicle under the influence, the officer said he placed her in handcuffs.
At that moment, the officer said the woman refused to comply with commands, began to resist arrest and kicked him in the abdomen as she was being put into a patrol car.
The woman then slipped one of her handcuffs while inside the vehicle
and threw herself at officers after they opened the car door to reapply the restraints.
The officer said the woman was then tackled but continued to ignore commands. After securing the woman in handcuffs, she said her left ribs were injured.
Because the driver refused to provide a blood sample or submit to further testing, the officer said he submitted paperwork to suspend her license.
According to the report, the woman was transported to Northside Hospital, then to DeKalb County Jail. Her charges include battery of law enforcement, DUI, obstruction of officers, speeding and reckless driving.
According to jail records, she was bonded out July 5 after an assault charge was dropped.
— Hayden Sumlin
Woman defrauded of $1,000 while posting bail for son
DUNWOODY, Ga. — Police met with a 75-year-old Dunwoody woman June 30 for a fraud investigation after she sent $1,000 to a swindler claiming the money was for her son’s bond.
The woman told an officer that she received a call from someone with a 404 area code claiming to be with “Take a Chance Bond Bail.”
The caller told the woman that her son was at the Fulton County Jail on Rice Street, and he needed a $1,000 bond for bail. The victim said she was told the charge would appear as “Tattoo Panda Express” on her credit card statement.
After sharing her credit card numbers over the phone, the woman said she was told to wait in the jail’s parking lot while continuing to speak with the caller.
Later that day, the officer said a $265 transaction on one of the victim’s accounts was denied at Footlocker.
The woman said the caller continued to ask for more money to purchase a monitoring device and needed a credit card to help facilitate her son’s release from Rice Street.
The Dunwoody officer told the woman her son was at a different facility, the North Fulton County Jail in Alpharetta, as a result of an incident with Roswell police.
The officer said he gave the victim a case number and how to obtain a copy of the report.
— Hayden Sumlin
Police investigate attack by mob at apartments
DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody Police are investigating an aggravated battery at the Dunwoody Glen apartments after a man was allegedly jumped and beaten June 30 by a group of men.
An officer said he arrived at the complex off Peachtree Industrial Boulevard around 1 a.m. and found two men, one bleeding from the head and the other sitting next him.
A 20-year-old Dunwoody man witnessed the assault and called 911 after breaking up the altercation.
The officer said the witness told him that a group of 10-12 men approached the victim from behind and attacked him. At one point, the witness said the man was struck in the back of the head with a metal object.
The victim also said he was attacked from the rear as he was walking home from a nearby gas station.
After an ambulance arrived on scene to treat the victim’s lacerations, the victim declined transport to a hospital.
The officer said the victim was uncooperative and refused to disclose a description of the suspects or their names.
The victim said he wanted a police report for his records and agreed to speak with officers in the future.
— Hayden Sumlin
ASK APPEN
OPINION
TALK
The web we refuse to weave
A few weeks ago, I walked straight into a spider web. It stretched invisibly between two trees — strong, intricate and impossibly efficient. What astonished me wasn’t just the surprise of the encounter but the thought that something so small, with such limited resources, could create something so vast and resilient — overnight. It reminded me of the innovation center I first proposed for Dunwoody over a decade ago, and how, despite years of plans, consultants and good intentions, the web of opportunity remains unwoven.
In 2012, I presented a comprehensive plan to the mayor of Dunwoody to establish an innovation center — an ecosystem to foster entrepreneurship, support startups and future-proof our city’s economy. That plan was dismissed. But the idea wasn’t dead. Not long after, Peachtree Corners took the very same concept, gave it a new name — Curiosity Lab — and turned it into a nationally recognized success story.
Ten years later, in 2022, the city
hired Boyette Strategic Advisors to revisit the idea. Their report laid out the same vision: Dunwoody’s future prosperity depends on becoming a hub for innovation. The study included a roadmap, a strategy, and compelling justification. And then, once again, the city chose not to act.
Last week, I resurrected that vision in an op-ed entitled, “The Innovation Center Dunwoody Deserves.” The response from the community was immediate and overwhelmingly positive. Residents understand what’s at stake. They see the need. They feel the pull of a better future. But as in 2012, the silence from city leadership is deafening.
We are a city that prides itself on progress, yet we continually hesitate to build the very infrastructure that would make progress sustainable. Like the spider, we already have the raw materials — the talent, the location, the resources. What we lack is the will to weave.
The spider doesn’t wait for a committee or a consultant. It senses
Talk Back to the Crier
The Crier is committed to its role as Dunwoody’s community thread. As readers have reminded the paper, part of that role means budgeting premium space for letters from residents. Talk Back to the Crier by Sunday night and your note will be on page 3 that week. Email letters to newsroom@appenmedia.com. The Crier won’t publish it without explicitly getting your approval.
opportunity and acts. It connects the pieces — branch to branch, idea to action, community to future. It doesn’t get stuck on why it can’t be done. It simply does it.
Dunwoody deserves a future that’s interconnected, forward-thinking and resilient. Just like that invisible web I walked into, a true innovation center won’t just catch the eye — it will catch opportunity, talent and the kinds of businesses that will carry us into the next generation.
It’s time to stop admiring the plans and start weaving the web.
DANNY ROSS
Founding member, Dunwoody City Council
School Board extends contract, grants raise for superintendent
By JIM BASS jim@appenmedia.com
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — The DeKalb County School Board voted in favor of a $35,000 raise and contract extension for Superintendent Devon Horton, increasing his salary to $360,000.
Following a July 7 executive session, the board voted 4-3 in favor of the raise. Board members Tiffany Hogan, Diijon DaCosta and Awet Eyasu opposed it, according to the meeting minutes. The meeting ran two hours. Hogan and Eyasu were not on the board when Horton was hired in 2023. DaCosta served as board chair at the time.
The meeting minutes provide no insight into why the board gave Horton a raise and extended his contract. Under Georgia law, performance evaluations for public employees do not have to be disclosed. Personnel decisions are typically made in closed-door meetings, known as executive sessions, which are permitted under Georgia law.
The board also voted 6-1 in favor of a one-year extension to June 30, 2028. Hogan cast the lone dissenting vote. Horton, a former superintendent at Evanston/Skokie School District 6 in Illinois, was hired in 2023 with a base salary of $325,000. In 2024, his contract was extended with no raise, but Horton had received a $35,000 retention bonus in December 2024, which was unanimously approved.
A reader noticed the session’s minutes on July 10 and notified Appen Media. A DeKalb Schools spokesperson plans to provide more information soon.
Horton’s raise and extension came six days after President Donald Trump’s administration placed a hold on more than $6 billion in education funding nationwide. According to the July 2024 meeting agenda for the State Board of Education, the county schools received about $11.4 million from the programs affected by the funding delay.
JIM BASS/APPEN MEDIA
DeKalb County Schools Superintendent Devon Horton speaks at the State of the District address held March 27, 2025 at the Fernbank Science Center.
OPINION: PAST TENSE
Residents have remained loyal to Dunwoody North
After I wrote about the Dunwoody North subdivision, readers reached out to share reasons why they love their neighborhood and have remained there for many years.
Lisa Dierks-Unkefer’s parents bought a house on Huntington Circle in 1964. She remembers that Stonington Road was a gravel road at the time.
“There were countless families that had children for me and my siblings to play with and hang out with all the time,” Lisa said.
In 2000, Lisa and her husband bought the house. She has an original Dunwoody North brochure and an original Dunwoody North Driving Club membership book, given to her by Frank Walton. She shared it with City Councilman John Heneghan, who also lives in Dunwoody North.
Heneghan has posted about the neighborhood many times on his blog, dunwoodynorthblogspot. com, including in 2014 with the headline, “Dunwoody North-a close knit community where residents welcome you with brownies.” When Lisa Dierks-Unkefer shared her original neighborhood brochure, Heneghan posted it on his blog.
The 1964 brochure shows home models available including the Imperial, “a sumptuous split-level”; Citation, a two story with a Williamsburg motif; Summit, a charming tri-level home; the two-story Premier; and Revere, distinctive Early American trilevel.
Heneghan has lived in Dunwoody North since 1996, moving to a different home within the community in 2010. He says there are several families who have moved from one Dunwoody North home to another. One reader has been in the neighborhood for 49 years. The family purchased a home in the section of
Dunwoody North to the east of Tilly Mill Road. Her children attended Hightower Elementary School. She taught at nearby Kingsley Elementary School for over 30 years.
The family became members of the Dunwoody North Driving Club and still maintain and enjoy that membership today. She also continues to work out at Marcus Jewish Community Center.
Geraldine Penn has been in the subdivision for 44 years. Her Dunwoody North home was constructed in 1968, ready for occupancy in 1969. The Penn family bought the home in 1981 and were the third owners of the property. That house became the first in the neighborhood to have air conditioning in 1971.
There was an A&P grocery store in the triangle at Mt. Vernon Road, Dunwoody Club Drive and Jett Ferry Road, where Geraldine Penn remembers shopping. The A&P was in the same space where LIDL (also Harris Teeter, Ace Hardware, Sprouts) were previously located and Big Play is coming soon. She recalls cow pastures along Ashford Dunwoody Road near I-285 where Best Buy and hotels are today.
The Penn home was also on the east side of Tilly Mill Road, so their children went to Hightower Elementary. By 1981, elementary age children in all parts of Dunwoody North attended Chesnut Elementary School.
Geraldine recalls when the family first moved into their Dunwoody North home, there was a farm along Tilly Mill Road between Laurelwood Road and Binghamton Drive. In the 1990s, this land was sold to Warren Jolly where he built homes along Madison Place Lane.
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.
Stage Door Theatre to wrap Season 51 with regional premier
DUNWOODY, Ga. — Stage Door Theatre is closing its most successful season since the pandemic with “Orange” by Aditi Brennan Kapil, featuring an all-South Asian American cast August 9-27.
“Orange” from is set to have its regional premiere within the Dunwoody Cultural Arts Center at 5339 Chamblee Dunwoody Road.
The play debuted in 2015 at the Pacific Playwrights Festival before its debut season in 2016-17 at the South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa, California.
Having arrived in Orange County for a family wedding, Leela, a serious teenager from India writes in her journal and quietly observes the world. As a young woman on the autism spectrum, she can’t be left alone and struggles with feeling like she belongs. It all changes one night as she embarks on a drive with her cousin and her cousin’s boyfriend. Together, they find the courage to face their demons and impending adulthood.
Local director Amee Vyas, co-founder of arts festival South by Southeast, said the play is a universal story.
“It’s about finding oneself, connecting to family and having a few adventures along the way,” Vyas said. “Even without the few cultural specific references, it’s a story worth telling and with them, you get a great script with a little more flavor.”
Justin Ball, producing artistic director at Stage Door Theatre, said the nonprofit theater’s mission is to reflect the diversity of the community and its shared priority, family. Ball said the throughline of Season 51 has been family, and the play brings that theme out in a “thoughtful” and “delightful” way.
“Dunwoody has a vibrant and multicultural community that includes a growing South Asian population,” Ball said. “Bringing ‘Orange’ to Dunwoody not only reflects our city, but it’s also a heartwarming and funny story that everyone will enjoy.”
“Orange” by Aditi Brennan Kapil runs August 9-27 at Stage Door Theatre at 5339 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, next to the Spruill Center for the Arts and the Dunwoody Library.
For tickets and more information, visit www.StageDoorTheatreGA.org/Orange.
— Hayden Sumlin
VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF Columnist
Learning lab construction to begin at Nature Center
DUNWOODY, Ga. — The City of Dunwoody and Dunwoody Nature Center are set to break ground this week on the new Wildcat Creek Learning Lab.
The project is designed to meet a growing demand for nature-based education and programming within the 25-acre city park.
The Wildcat Creek Learning Lab is a two-story, 2,500-square-foot building with three flexible classroom spaces, dedicated offices, three bathrooms and a second-story outdoor deck for immersive, hands-on learning experiences.
Dunwoody Park & Nature Center is at 5343 Roberts Drive, including a wooded playground, a nature preserve with hiking trails and Wildcat Creek.
Nancy Longacre, executive director of the Dunwoody Nature Center, said Wildcat Creek Learning Lab will be transformative, allowing the organization to serve more program participants and park visitors throughout the year
“Our current facilities are no longer sufficient to meet the growing demand for outdoor nature camps, field trips and community programs,” Longacre said. “This new space will help us expand our reach and deepen our impact.”
Once complete, leadership says the learning lab will boost program capacity by 20 percent, opening doors for more than 700 additional families annually.
Planned additions include a morning preschool program and an expanded K-5 after-school curriculum, furthering the Nature
Center’s mission to connect people of all ages with the natural world.
Mayor Lynn Deutsch said Dunwoody Park & Nature Center is one of the city’s greatest assets.
“This investment in outdoor learning reflects our commitment to education, community and the environment,” Deutsch said.
The $2.5 million project is funded through a combination of private
A rendering shows the completed Wildcat
construction after the July 16 groundbreaking.
donations and public support, including a $1 million investment from the city.
The first phase of construction focuses on critical watershed infrastructure by installing stormwater
systems, trench drains, curbing and pedestrian pathways for a new plaza that will connect the learning lab with the main building.
The city says construction is
expected to take six months. For more information and project updates, dunwoodynature.org/donate/ wildcat-creek-learning-lab.
— Hayden Sumlin
City upgrades software for Community Development and Finance
DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody is moving to a new software solution for the Community Development and Finance departments beginning Aug. 4.
The city says the transition will enhance service delivery, improve internal coordination and offer expanded online access for residents, contractors and businesses.
Beginning Aug. 4, Community Development Department operations will move to CentralSquare, replacing the current system, iWorQ. Users will be
able to access CentralSquare through the city’s website to submit new permit applications and code complaints.
To prepare for this upgrade, iWorQ will be deactivated after 5 p.m. July 29, temporarily affecting services related to permits, inspections and code enforcement.
To avoid disruptions, the city asks applicants submit all paperwork and schedule necessary inspections to take place before the July 29 deadline.
From July 30 to August 4, the Community Development Department
will be closed to the public while staff complete the transition. During the period, the city says no new permit applications or code enforcement complaints can be accepted and no inspections can take place.
If someone has an existing application or complaint, the city asks them to contact Community Development staff to ensure your information is transferred correctly.
The transition for the Finance Department affects business and alcohol licensing. The city says the transition
will be seamless and bring added convenience. The new platform expands online capabilities, allowing applicants to submit documents and pay fees electronically. There’s no need to visit City Hall in-person.
For questions related to permits and inspections, the city asks people to call 678-382-6821 or email permits@dunwoodyga.gov.
For code enforcement updates, the city asks people to call 678-382-6807 or email compliance@duwoodyga.gov. — Hayden Sumlin
CITY OF DUNWOODY/PROVIDED
Creek Learning Lab at the Dunwoody Nature Center, slated for around six months of
giving you the correct number of letters for each answer (the answers in line 1 are 5, 5 and 4 letters). The clues are numbered 1 through 7, with each number containing 3 clues for the 3 answers on the line. But here’s the catch! The clues are not in order - so the first clue in Line 1 may (or may not) actually be for the second or third answer in that line. Got it? Good luck!
GROUPS
1. Royal flush card. Burglar. Group of birds.
2. Group of cattle. Passe. Dining room cabinet.
3. Texas shrine. Work group. Wax-covered cheese.
4. Sporting group. Kick out. Evening wear.
5. Stringed instrument. Education group. Football play.
6. Musical group. Big cat. Break in friendly relations.
7. Gung-ho. Western group. Envelope part.
1 Royal flush card. Burglar. Group of birds
2. Group of cattle. Passe. Dining room cabinet.
How to Solve: Each line in the puzzle above has three clues and three answers. The last letter in the first answer on each line is the first letter of the second answer, and so on. The connecting letter is outlined, giving you the correct number of letters for each answer (the answers in line 1 are 4, 5 and 5 letters). The clues are numbered 1 through 7, which each number containing 3 clues for the 3 answers on the line. But here’s the catch! The clues are not in order - so the first clue in Line 1 may (or may not) actually be for the second or third answer in that line. Got it? Good luck!
3. Texas shrine. Work group. Wax-covered cheese
4. Sporting group. Kick out. Evening wear
5. Stringed instrument. Education group. Football play
6. Musical group. Big cat. Break in friendly relations 7. Gung-ho. Western group. Envelope part.
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Your legacy your way
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Your legacy isn’t just what you leave behind—it’s how you leave it. Join our workshops to learn more.
Children thrive at Endeavor Montessori
Brought to you by – Endeavor Montessori, Dunwoody
At Endeavor Montessori in Dunwoody, we empower children through education, enabling them to develop their talents and build a solid foundation for learning and growth. We achieve this by combining authentic Montessori principles with innovative STEAM activities, ensuring children have a nourishing educational experience that encourages them to continue learning, set challenges, and truly thrive.
Structured freedom for impactful learning
Using Montessori principles, we offer activities that enable children to develop in a way that fosters independence, focus, and creativity. By creating these skills during a child’s early years, they vastly improve their likelihood of academic success, as well as social competence and overall well-being. This is what we mean when we say we develop the whole child - by giving them the tools, space, and guidance to flourish, they will achieve excellent progress.
Experienced and passionate staff
Our team of educators are passionate teachers with decades of experience teaching via the Montessori Method. Through additional training from Endeavor Schools, our staff is uniquely qualified to provide children with an authentic Montessori experience bolstered with STEAM learning for a well-rounded and impactful education. Moreover, our educators love teaching and are fully invested in every child’s success. At Endeavor Montessori, parents have a community to rely on that is dedicated to their child’s development and success.
Purposefully designed campus
We designed our campus to enhance the learning experience. From open-concept classrooms equipped with high-quality learning materials to lab areas for science exploration, our campus facilitates learning through collaboration and discovery. The layout of our outdoor area encourages active free play, as well as a wide range of organized activities. Children love coming to our school because it is a place where they want to learn, play, and grow.
Now Enrolling for Ages 6 Weeks to 12 Years
Schedule your tour today to visit our campus, meet our teachers, and learn how your child will thrive at Endeavor Montessori! Schedule your tour online at endeavormontessori.com.
• A proven Montessori curriculum developed by top education experts
• Age-appropriate activities to develop leadership and problem-solving skills
• STEAM topics and global languages integrated into a balanced curriculum
• A community-based approach that drives strong bonds between staff and families
• Montessori-certified teachers who are passionate about the growth of each child
• Beautiful outdoor learning spaces and purposeful play areas
Brought to you by – The Davis Academy
From Kindergarten Prep - Eighth Grade, The Davis Academy teaches to the whole child, creating compassionate leaders and equipping them with skills they will use for the entirety of their academic careers and beyond. We teach life skills, instill Jewish values, and provide diverse experiences to make our students well-rounded and self-confident individuals. Students learn in a warm and supportive community that shares common values and visions. We celebrate both the ways our diversity makes our school vibrant and the individual differences that make our school community so unique. With a retention rate
of 97%, The Davis Academy community is comprised of families from across the globe, nation, and 31 metro Atlanta zip codes. Davis graduates attend the most prestigious public and private high schools in Atlanta. They know who they are and continuously make a difference in their communities and the world.
The school offers many options for prospective families to learn about the school and community. Parents can schedule a personal tour. In addition, families can engage in wonderful Nurture events that are free and open to the community.
To learn more or schedule a tour, go to www.davisacademy.org/admissions or call 678-527-3300.
Change lives, change the world
Brought
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Wesleyan School believes faith and intellect are great partners with each other. At Wesleyan, it’s not a matter of choosing faith or intellect, but rather using both to create the best possible education for your child. Our leadership and faculty work to provide students with an atmosphere that is challenging, reinforces the value of hard work, and emphasizes character and integrity above accomplishment. Wesleyan prepares students for each stage of life and provides them with the opportunity to see all the possibilities that lie before them. Wesleyan’s school motto is JOY-Jesus, Others, Yourself, and every aspect of school life is oriented to reinforce this philosophy of putting Jesus first and others ahead of ourselves.
A college preparatory environment, students have access to a wide range of academic opportunities along with athletics, arts, service and other extracurricular activities. Wesleyan’s 85-acre campus provides stateof-the-art academic facilities along with on-campus practice space for athletics and arts.
Located just outside of I-285 in Peachtree Corners, Wesleyan enrolled 1,206 students in grades K-12 for the 2023-2024 school year. Wesleyan offers bus routes throughout the metro Atlanta area. Supervised care before school is included in the cost of tuition and after care is available (K-8) until 6 p.m. at an affordable rate.
The Wesleyan School
5405 Spalding Drive, Peachtree Corners, GA 30092 770-448-7640 https://www.wesleyanschool.org/
Does my child’s bedtime matter during the summer?
Brought to you by –
Sarah Mixson, M.S.W.,
at
Summit Counseling Center
When school is out and summer begins, it’s natural for routines to shift. Bedtimes are often stretched later, screens stay on longer and sleep habits can fall by the wayside. While summer brings more freedom and fun, consistent sleep is still crucial for your child’s mental and emotional well-being. Going to bed late and waking up late can disrupt their internal clock which can lead to increased irritability, trouble focusing, mood swings and even anxiety. Children and teens thrive on routine. Without it, their sleep patterns can become erratic which can affect their behavior, energy levels, and ability to regulate emotions.
Here are a few helpful tips to keep sleep habits on track during the summer:
1. Set a “summer bedtime range” this gives flexibility while keeping things predictable
2. Create a wind down routine that remains the same each night, even if it starts later than usual
3. Limit screens at least an hour before bed
4. Start adjusting bedtime slowly a few weeks before school starts again to avoid a stressful transition
Remember sleep isn’t just rest, it’s repair and regulation. Keeping sleep habits in check is one of the most important ways to support your child’s mental health all year long.
SARAH MIXON
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Residential project to occupy location on Upper Hembree
You may have noticed a certain tab on Appen Media’s website titled “Ask a Question.” At Appen, community engagement is essential, and we want to answer your questions. Here are a few recent inquiries we can answer for you.
What is the location of the proposed Johns Creek Performing Arts Center?
The City of Johns Creek plans to build the Performing Arts Center in the Town Center area at 11315 Lakefield Drive.
The almost 6-acre property lies between City Hall and a multistory office. The center would be a part of the Town Center area, which is envisioned as a walkable area that will include The Boardwalk community area and Medley mixed-use project.
City officials have described the center as a recreational and cultural game changer. It is intended to serve as a home for the arts and a destination for residents.
ILLUSTRATION BY: DIONNA WILLIAMS/APPEN MEDIA
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.
The property was used as a corporate office and distribution center for Whole Foods.
It once featured a 145,000-squarefoot building and 588-stall parking lot.
Until 2014, it was a Harry’s Farmers Market.
Offices and neighborhoods now surround the site.
Are there any plans to widen Kelly Mill Road in 2025?
Forsyth County engineers are looking into traffic along Kelly Mill Road, but officials have no plans yet to improve the roadway.
Kelly Mill Road stretches more than 4 miles just outside Cumming.
The road runs past an elementary school, which can contribute to traffic, Commissioner Todd Levent said.
The City Council approved a resolution calling for a November referendum asking voters to consider a $40 million bond to help fund the center’s creation.
What will replace the old Whole Foods on Upper Hembree Road in Alpharetta?
A 149-home subdivision is planned at the site that once hosted a Whole Foods office.
Empire Communities is developing the project on 19.32 acres at 1180 Upper Hembree Road near Harris Road. Plans call for multilevel homes and recreational amenities.
A widening project is underway at nearby Post Road, with construction expected to begin in 2026.
The project will add two lanes through about 3.6 miles and build sidewalks, a multiuse trail and median.
— Jon Wilcox
Amnesty:
from Page 1
DeKalb residents may see another 10% increase in January, and then rates will rise 10% annually through 2034.
Funding water projects
DeKalb County will provide additional updates regarding the new implementation date for the rate increase once the partnership and outreach efforts are in place. County officials have said the annual increase of 10% over the next 10 years will be enough to fund the county’s capital program.
Currently, residents pay about $70 per month for water bills. With a 10% rate increase, that monthly bill would increase to $76 in 2025, $84 in 2026, and upward of $112 by 2029 and $180 by 2034.
The capital program totals about $4.3 billion, and the county would need about $427 million yearly to keep up with the plan.
Commissioners have also approved additional measures related to affordability, customer service and the issuance of bonds to pay for upgrades to the county’s water system.
Consumer protection measures include establishing shutoff protections, creating an income-based water affordability plan, developing a water customer advocacy office and ensuring water service isn’t cut off for residents disputing their bills.
Those efforts have yet to be implemented, and residents are turning up the pressure. DeKalb Water Watch previously rescinded their support of the water and sewer rate increase due to the lack of implementation of the affordability measures.
‘Real distress’
County officials have discussed establishing an amnesty program. County Commissioner Ted Terry has introduced a resolution to create a path to debt forgiveness for residents and address blighted condominium communities.
“This never really got fully articulated in the customer protection resolution, even though it was always part of the conversation and part of the policy approach to addressing really longstanding debt,” Terry said.
Water customers owe the county about $104 million in unpaid water bills, which impacts more than 100,000 customers. At a recent meeting, Cochran-Johnson said that more than 111,000 accounts are delinquent, which is about half of the water customers in the county.
According to records Decaturish received on June 9, more than 2,900 residential water customers owe $5,000 or more. The largest delinquent account on the list is about $188,229.
“This significant level of delinquency is rooted not solely in customer non-payment,
Super
but in years of systemic billing failures, inaccurate meter readings, disputed charges, and inadequate customer service infrastructure,” the amnesty resolution says.
Some of the unpaid bills are tied to multifamily properties like apartments and condominiums. Apartments owe about $12 million, and condominiums owe $25.5 million, county records show.
Terry’s resolution specifically calls out Whitehall Forest and Brannon Hill. Each apartment complex owes $3 million in unpaid water bills, according to the county.
“I’ve specifically outlined Whitehall Forest and Brannon Hill because those are places that DeKalb County police, fire and code compliance have been dealing with for decades,” Terry said. “These condominium complexes are in real distress.”
He added that there are active water leaks at both complexes that have not been addressed.
“We’re losing thousands of dollars a day because there’s no system in place to fix these issues at these condo complexes that have basically death spiraled in some cases,” Terry said.
A fresh start
To address these and other bills from multifamily properties, the County Commission is asking the county’s Law and Finance departments to review the uncollectible debt of blighted condominiums.
The review will include an analysis of whether the county can write off the debt and determine which amounts are “unrecoverable.”
The amnesty program will include a tiered debt forgiveness structure to allow for partial or full relief of past due balances. Residents would have to make consistent, on-time payments over a defined time period.
“The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners hereby strongly encourages the Finance Department to develop and implement a Water Bill Amnesty Program for income-qualified residential
customers, to begin no later than July 1, 2025, in conjunction with the incomebased customer discount program,” the resolution says.
The program was not in place by that deadline.
Program eligibility would be based on the same thresholds as the customer discount program, and there would be clear communication and outreach to ensure water customers understand the program. Customers who are awaiting an eligibility determination would not be threatened with having their water cut off, the resolution says.
Terry said years of inaction by the county have created confusion. It’s difficult to find the cause of a high water bill that dates back to 2015 or 2016.
“All these things happened years ago and it’s so hard to be like they’re 100% at fault, because I think the county has some level of fault in all of these cases through our countywide policies of not trying to address the issue or get to the bottom of it,” Terry said.
The amnesty resolution is trying to support people who can’t afford their water bill, but also give people an opportunity to pay something.
“I’m trying to start fresh,” Terry said. “The idea of wiping the slate clean, at least partially, to me is the fair thing to do. I do believe that the amnesty program, if implemented appropriately, would actually yield to greater collections than otherwise.”
Children’s and Young Adult BOOK SALE
Friday–Saturday, July 18-19
Monday, July 21
Dunwoody Library 5339 Chamblee-Dunwoody Road
Fri. 10am-Noon: Preview Shopping for Members Only Noon-5pm Open to All (Join that day!) Sat.10am-5pm
Mon. 10am-5pm Bag Day –Fill a large grocery bag for $7.00
MID-SUMMER SALE
DEAN HESSE/APPEN MEDIA
District 6 Commissioner Ted Terry stands outside the DeKalb County Government Service Center on Sams Street in Decatur.
YOU CAN USE LOCAL NEWS
GET OUTSIDE, GEORGIA!
Feeling the heat on a July afternoon
The other day, and despite the heat, I decide to get outside for a while after lunch.
I know, I know. This time of year, doing anything at all outdoors means dealing with sweltering summertime heat. It’s humid and sweltering. It makes you uncomfortable. It makes it hard merely to breathe.
Yeah. The fact is that this time of year, it’s just too darned hot.
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Still, I feel the need to break free of the keyboard. But to where? Maybe Stamp Creek? Over off Highway 20, it flows sedately through the Allatoona Wildlife Management Area on its way to Allatoona Lake. The creek should be cool – at least enough to knock the edge off the heat.
Wading in a creek on a sweltering July day is a pleasant prospect, all things considered. But over even that, there hangs a question: Will the creek hold any fish?
You know about me and fishing. You know I’ll just have to find out.
On my way out I retrieve one of the fly rods. I also pick up an Altoids box full of flies. Dad used to carry flies in little metal Kodak film cans, though these days those metal cans are darned near impossible to find. Plastic ones show up now and then, but plastic’s not quite the same. So I’ve gravitated to Altoids boxes. They do fine too.
Is that everything? I think so. I open the garage door, and a wave of heat rolls in and swallows me up. And when I open the car door a minute later, an even more determined blast of superheated air hits me full in the face. Am I having fun yet? I will be, in a minute, once the car’s AC works its magic.
I start the engine and turn the “cold” knob all the way to 10. Unseen machinery whirrs into motion, fighting against the sweltering air, and slowly prevails.
Only then, secure in my bubble of cool air, do I set out for Stamp Creek.
The piece of Stamp Creek I’ll visit on
Continued from Page 1
“This is a difficult time to find funding as an artist,” Spruill Gallery Director Shannon Morris said. “We wanted this year’s AMPLIFY award to help ease some of that burden and reflect the extent to which we value and appreciate the artists who beautify our communities.”
All applicants, regardless of whether
this searing July day is accessed from parking areas near the Ga. 20 bridge. There are small parking areas on the south side of the highway on both sides of the creek. I pick the one to the west and pull off the pavement. I grab the rod, too, and then make my way downhill toward water. In an instant I’m sweating. It’s just hot.
But then I’m at the edge of the stream. Left or right? I toss a mental coin and turn left, downstream, toward the expansive waters of the lake.
The creek is cool and soothing, a perfect respite from the heat. I work my way along, in no hurry, casting now and then. Small sunfish are responsive. The day is good, for I am catching fish and (thanks to the creek) I am cool.
Soon it’s time to begin the walk back. Leaving the cool water, heat again trumps all. Sweat returns, and by the time I reach the car, I feel like leading man in a one-act play set in a planet-sized doubleboiler. But again, the car’s AC provides relief. Soon comfort and joy return.
On the way home, I stop by the grocery store to pick up the makings of supper. And then, just because its close, I decide to make a quick stop at the thrift store.
I’ve come to love thrift stores. I have this hope that someday I’ll walk in and there’ll be a pile of handmade bamboo flyrods with a sign that says “Fishing Poles – $2 each.” It hasn’t happened yet. But it could. And if it does, I have a fiver in my pocket. That would cover two rods and tax too. Maybe I’d even let them round it up and give them the whole thing.
I park in the shade of a big tree. Just the other side of the tree is what appears to be a homeless guy fanning himself with a floppy piece of cardboard. He appears to be…wilted. But it’s no big deal. We see that kind of thing all the time here in the promised land.
As I get out of the car, he calls out.
“Brother,” he says, “could you spare a dollar?”
Well. I could, but I don’t. Instead, I walk toward the store, moving away until the
their work is chosen, are eligible for inclusion in a city database of artists and art projects to be considered in the future.
A selection committee, consisting of members of the Spruill and local arts community, will choose a winning artist by Sept. 3. The new mural is set to be unveiled to the public at the Oct. 25 Spirits for Spruill celebration.
The current mural on-site, “Rest and Rise,” was painted by last year’s AMPLIFY winner Manty Dey, whose work
voice by the tree is lost in the general noise.
The store’s entryway is one of those airlock-style double doors designed to keep outside stuff outside. As I approach, the outer doors open, letting me in. Immediately the air is cooler. Then the inner doors open too. I step through them into blessed coolness, surrounded by the castoffs of others, searching for fire-sale pricing on things I don’t even need.
I make a quick run through the store. Nothing catches my eye. So I turn to go, back through the airlock that isolates the comfort inside from the inferno beyond.
Yeah, it’s hot. But don’t they say that heat refines?
I reach the car and can’t help but look toward the tree. The homeless guy is still there. He sees me, and he says again, “Brother, could you spare a dollar?”
And I stop.
I know what you are thinking: Don’t feed the need. Don’t be an enabler. Don’t fall for it. Don’t. He will just take the money and fritter it away.
No one will condemn me, I say to myself, if I just get in the car and go. I’ve got the power – the power to do what I want with my five-dollar bill.
I open the car door and settle into the seat. I crank the engine. Cold air pours from the vents.
So heat refines?
I sigh, and I open the car door again. I climb out, back into the miserable July afternoon. I reach into my pocket and pull out the fiver and walk 7 yards and give it away.
“Thanks, brother,” he says. Did I throw away five dollars?
“You’ve been had,” you are thinking. “He played you.”
Maybe. Maybe not.
As I get back into my air-conditioned kingdom, with my groceries on the seat beside me, on the way home to my comfortable house and my cozy life and my prospects for tomorrow, I think again of the guy under the tree.
Sure, I gave him five dollars.
Maybe I did it for him. But maybe I did it for me.
has been displayed at galleries and museums across the state – including the Georgia Museum of Art and the Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia. Previous winners also include Charity Hamidullah (2023), Alice Stone-Collins (2022), Alea Hurst (2021) and Christopher Michaels (2020).
For more information about the Spruill Gallery at 4681 Ashford Dunwoody Road, visit www.spruillarts.org/ gallery.
— Hayden Sumlin
STEVE HUDSON Columnist
OPINION
It’s amazing what you can hear when you listen
RAY APPEN Publisher Emeritus ray@appenmedia.com
The family sits down in the restaurant. The waitress comes to take their order.
The parents order first. Then their young daughter orders for herself.
“I’d like a hotdog, French fries and a Coke. Please.”
The dad – sitting next to her –shakes his head and motions “no” to the waitress – “She wants meatloaf, mash potatoes, and milk.”
The waitress looks at the little girl, then the dad. Almost imperceptibly she pauses and exhales. Then she looks back to the little girl: “Do you want ketchup on your hotdog sweetie?”
The parents tense up. The father glares. His wife stares down at the table. The little girl looks at both her parents, first one then the other.
“She thinks I’m real,” the little girl says.
It not a question and it’s not a statement. It is an observation – an epiphany, an explanation, almost an offering – from the little girl to her parents. A light glimmers for the first time – an aura – within the little girl. It’s not that it hasn’t always been there, though.
Please listen. Please see. Please understand. Are you paying attention?
She-thinks-I’m-real.
I have listened to that part of the podcast, “Stories That Imprison Our Heart,” by Tara Branch (minute No. 24-ish) now a dozen times. I can’t stop listening to it. It is almost as
This is my last column. Wait! Let me finish, because I’m not finished. To those of you popping a cork and saying: “Thank goodness. No more of his weekly, quirky nonsense. Maybe there will be more room in the paper for gardening tips,” I hate to disappoint you.
What I meant to say is that this is my last column I’ll be writing while in my 60s. I am writing this four days before succumbing to turning 70. I’ve been joking with anyone who will listen that I am officially old.
The usual response: “Huh. What did you say? You’ll have to talk louder.”
Another one is (even if I’m three feet from the individual I am addressing) is: “Who’s that speaking? I’ll have to get my glasses.”
I also find it hilarious that I used to find older folks, with their various idiosyncrasies, quite hilarious. Old people always moved slowly than suited my misplaced desire to get somewhere quickly. Now, I can proudly shuffle with the best of them for I am now them.
I realized this undeniable fact last night while me and my cane headed to the store that advertises being “where shopping is a pleasure.” A polite young man probably in his late 40s, where I was what seems like an eye blink ago, kindly offered: “Let me get that door for you, sir.”
My response: “Why, thank you, Sonny. Do I know you? I don’t see so well without my glasses.” I snickered to myself while waiting to refill my blood pressure medicine.”
I find it hilarious to drive slower than I used to. It brings a smile to my mug when some chucklehead in what looks like a monster truck (remember, we old folks might be driving while straining to look over the steering
if I am sitting at the adjoining table and watching and listening, not unlike having a front row seat for “A Streetcar Named Desire” in an old, historic theater somewhere. I, too, have to catch my breath, then breathe. I hold my breath and hope – wait – to see if the father lets her have her hot dog and fries – to see if he gets it. I never see how the scene ends. I can only guess. But I am there, sitting right next to the little girl, wanting to shout, “You are enough. I can hear you. I see you. Promise.”
She thinks I’m real. That story was part of a podcast about stories – how all our lives are part of stories – bound by the stories we believe and stories we don’t. It is about how we navigate the stories through life, how we allow them to impact our lives. Or not.
Stories can be suffocating. They can bury us deeply, so deep we can’t find what our own story is. They can deny us a voice – or give us one. They can deny us agency, the recognition that we too, have our own story to tell and to live – that we too count – our voice, our opinions, our own values –instead of someone else’s.
My daughter used to ask me – “I too?” I suppose I was too wrapped up in my own story that I didn’t notice hers – or acknowledge it as much as she deserved for it to be acknowledged. “I too?” That she had to ask, makes me sad.
Listen. You just have to be still and then listen. Be calm, so you can hear their story and get it. Do you want ketchup on your hotdog, Sweetie? Yes. Please.
wheel; besides, all trucks look huge with that diminishing eyesight), guns his engine when I cautiously make a right turn heading for home. Nothing wrong with my eyesight. I can see the middle finger directed towards me and my deliberate driving suits me just fine. I hear the horn, too. I wonder if these jokers who are right in the middle of hustle and bustle, have paid attention to gas prices. Lots of that being wasted with all that unnecessary acceleration.
It seems like it was a mere 30-second commercial ago that I was always in a hurry to get somewhere. Be it a plane to catch or a meeting to attend, I could never understand why those geezers drove so blasted slow.
Now I understand: We’re taking our time because we have plenty of time. We don’t HAVE to be anywhere. Make no mistake. I get somewhat surly if I’m getting ready to spend an afternoon on my Harley and I get a call from Microsoft. The caller says his name is Frank but all the chatter in
the background sounds like some sort of foreign dialect. I play along for a while, even feigning frustration when asked to turn on my computer and that wily scammer on the other end try to entice me into typing an address and giving the despicable cretin access to my MacBook.
I immediately start asking questions like “How do I turn on my computer?” or “Is that a back slash or forward slash?” I wait for the caller on the other end to get good and frustrated before I offer: “That curry stuff really gives me heartburn. Do you think Alka-Seltzer will help?”
Immediately, the mischief maker from Mumbai hangs up on me.
Mission accomplished. You’re not getting me today, Sonny.
Mike Tasos has lived in Forsyth County for more than 30 years. He’s an American by birth and considers himself a Southerner by the grace of God. He can be reached at miketasos55@ gmail.com.
MIKE TASOS Columnist
PRESERVING THE PAST
Celestine Sibley, a woman of achievement
Celestine Sibley was not born in Georgia, but she was a Georgia treasure. She spent an important part of her life in and around Crabapple and through her writings helped establish the community as a special place, enriching many lives in the process. This week’s column pays tribute to her accomplishments, enthusiasm for life and for the people she inspired along the way.
Celestine Sibley (1914-1999) was the author of nearly 30 books beginning in 1958. Her final published book was “Spider in the Sink,” released in November 1997. She was a reporter for the Atlanta Constitution from 1941 to 1982 and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution from 1982 to 1999. She wrote more than 10,000 columns for the newspapers. She had a no-nonsense approach to writing yet could instill a touch of homespun humor.
When asked how long it took her to write a column, she nonchalantly replied “about 15 minutes.” That was because she said she would go through the day thinking about it, “sort of mentally writing it.”
When she first started out as a political reporter, she could turn out 10 stories a day plus a column, which did not mean that they were any good, she said, but it got the job done. That was her way, quick and thorough, and that made her a model for other young journalists.
When she died of cancer in 1999 the Atlanta Journal-Constitution printed page after page of tributes to her for many days and printed 1.5 million copies of a 24-page supplement. The famous and not famous poured their hearts out in tribute to the remarkable woman who inspired a whole generation of writers and ordinary people.
Former President Jimmy Carter wrote “For as long as Rosalynn and I can remember, she has shared her spirit and soul with the people of Georgia. Her common sense and wisdom reminded us that, although our lives have become very complicated, we are surrounded by simple beauty and unchanging truths – if we only take the time to recognize them.”
When reporter Rheta Grimsley Johnson joined the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 1994, she said, “Celestine Sibley already had a lifetime’s worth of friends with whom to share her wit and wisdom. Yet Celestine was one of the first, the few, to drop by my desk, welcome me to town and invite me to lunch.”
Lee Walburn, who was for a longtime editor of Atlanta Magazine and a highly regarded journalist with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, is a great admirer of Celestine. He told me that she was idolized by all who knew her.
“Most people know her as a writer,” he says, “but she was also one of the greatest reporters of the Georgia Legislature. She was hard working and tough and didn’t take any foolishness from anybody.”
Celestine was very close to her granddaughter Sibley Fleming who has written several awardwinning books. Both women wrote extensively about each other over the years.
In an interview Sibley Fleming described to me a book she wrote, “Celestine Sibley, a Granddaughter’s
BOB MEYERS/APPEN MEDIA
Sweet Apple, the name Celestine Sibley gave to the rustic cabin she purchased in the 1960s near today’s Crabapple community.
PROVIDED
Celestine Sibley as a child with her mother at Pensacola Beach. The photo appears on the back cover of her 1988 memoir, “Turned Funny,” by Celestine Sibley, published by Harper & Row.
Reminiscence.”
“The book is a personal account of a special grandmother through the eyes of her granddaughter,” she said. “She was a great role model for me and my little sister, Betsy. We both followed her around — albeit a generation apart — attached to her apron strings. She imbued in us both a love of nature and books and a keen sense of compassion for the underdog.”
The Georgia Writers Association named Fleming Georgia Author of the Year for the book. Sibley Fleming is currently editor in chief of the Urban
Institute’s Urban Land quarterly magazine. The organization is a think tank in the areas of social and economic policy.
Celestine Sibley’s cherished cottage is located in the North Fulton countryside area of Milton, near Roswell and Alpharetta. She lived there for the final 36 years of her life. She and a partner purchased the rustic cottage and 1 acre in the 1960s for about $1,000 and called it Sweet Apple according to the Georgia Encyclopedia. The log house was built in1844 and may have served originally as a schoolhouse.
She wrote about the house in her 1967 book, “A Place Called Sweet Apple.” To Celestine, the cottage symbolized a kind of life rooted in simplicity and community which she feared was slowly vanishing in Georgia. She lovingly restored the ancient cottage, but as new housing developments moved closer and closer, she used the cottage to record and critique the gradual disappearance of the rural South.
But the cabin symbolized more than that as it served as backdrop to some of her mystery novels. It became a kind of battleground where the forces of change and greed clashed with the values of tradition and honesty. She felt that unchecked growth threatened Southern life and traditions, and she made her views known through her writing. In some of her plots she highlighted the tension between preserving the past with land disputes, greedy developers and the decline of community values. The house still stands today as a private residence.
Celestine Sibley was a pioneer. She never slowed down, and she never quit. The result is a lasting body of work that will guide those who love history or a good yarn for generations to come.
Bob is director emeritus of the Milton Historical Society and a Member of the City of Alpharetta Historic Preservation Commission. You can email him at bobmey@bellsouth.net. Bob welcomes suggestions for future columns about local history.
BOB MEYERS
Columnist
OPINION
Flower bed irrigation using a soaker hose system
It has now moved into a long, HOT, DRY summer, and many of our flower beds are feeling the heat. How can we help them survive and thrive?
As our summers get hotter, water may become a more limited resource.
Outdoor watering can account for 50% or more of household water used during the summer months. Studies have shown that homeowners often water their plants too much and too frequently, resulting in unhealthy plants with shallow roots that are more susceptible to disease and pest infestation.
Although sprinkler irrigation is preferred for turf lawns, flowers and shrubs benefit more from trickle or microirrigation where water is applied slowly and directly to the roots of plants using small, flexVible pipes. Drip irrigation minimizes water loss from evaporation and run-off and uses 30-50% less water than sprinkler irrigation. It also keeps foliage dry, which decreases the risk of disease. There are many kinds of drip irrigation systems, but most consist of buried PVC pipes for main lines, polyethylene tubing for water distribution, emitters, a control valve, water filter and a pressure regulator.
An easier and less expensive alternative is to use soaker hoses available online and from most garden stores. They can be flat or round and made from PVC or recycled rubber. While flat soaker hoses are good for straight, long stretches, round soaker hoses can be curved around flowers and shrubs for direct root watering. This also avoids watering the parts of the bed where there are no plants but where weeds will happily grow when watered.
The first step to setting up a soaker hose irrigation system is to measure the areas you want to water. Soaker hoses come in lengths of 25 to100 feet, as well as “soaker hose systems” with lengths of hose that can be cut and various connectors to customize your system.
Keep in mind extra length may be needed to wind around plants. The round hoses are tightly coiled when removed from their packaging, so it is important to stretch them out in the sun to make them easier to handle before placing them in your garden bed. It is also a good idea to flush them with water to make sure there is even moisture coming from the entire length of the hose. The hose can be laid directly on the soil and then covered with a layer of mulch. Garden pegs are invaluable for holding the hose in place while winding it around your garden plants. Hose
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
Hose splitter with two-hose automatic timer attached. Each hose can be programed separately.
About the author
This week’s “Garden Buzz” guest columnist is Anne Wiskind, a Master Gardener who completed her Fulton County Master Gardener curriculum and internship in April 2025. She is a life-long gardener with an active interest in ecological gardening and encouraging biodiversity. Anne is appreciative of the mentorship from the North Fulton County Master Gardeners during her training.
splitters may be needed to attach multiple hoses from one water source. Regular garden hoses may also be needed to connect the soaker hose to the water source.
Adding automated timers with a rain sensor makes the process seamless. Timers should be set to water between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. If you are watering multiple areas, stagger the scheduled days or times to maintain water pressure. When using automated timers, the faucets will always be open, so it is imperative there are no leaks or drips. Sometimes washers and hose ends must be replaced. Using plumber’s tape and a plumber’s wrench are key in having drip free connections. It is also a good idea to check your water pressure, as most hose work best at 60 psi and may burst at pressures of 100 psi or greater.
So how much water does a soaker hose deliver? The
The City of Dunwoody City Council will meet on Monday, August 25, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. in the Council of Chambers of Dunwoody City Hall, located at 4800 Ashford Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody, Georgia 30338, for the purpose of due process of the following:
ZBA 25-16, 4770 N Peachtree Road, Dunwoody, GA, 30338: Variance from Sec. 16-78 to allow replacement of a City of Dunwoody maintenance facility and associated improvements in the 75-foot stream buffer. Should you have any questions or comments, or would like to view the application and supporting materials, please contact the City of Dunwoody Community Development Department at 678-382-6800. Members of the public are encouraged to call or schedule a meeting with the staff in advance of the Public Hearing if they have questions or are unfamiliar with the process. The staff is available to answer questions, discuss the decision-making process, and receive comments and concerns.
only way to truly know is to place the soaker hose in a bucket for an hour and measure the output. Water output depends on the hose diameter and manufacturer. Often the hose manufacturer’s website will give an estimate of the output/hour. Another option is to stick a finger or soil probe in the soil after 30 minutes of watering and assess the soil moisture. The soil should be moist to a depth of 2 inches and extend about 1 inch on either side of the hose. The frequency and length of watering can be adjusted accordingly. Soaker hoses don’t work well past 100 feet of length or uphill.
The goal is to water deeply and infrequently. A general rule of thumb is that established perennials and shrubs should only be watered one inch per week. Annuals and new plantings will need to be watered more frequently. A rain gauge in your yard may help you determine how much to water, as well as checking your soil and plant health. A soaker hose system can simplify the process.
Happy Gardening!
North Fulton Master Gardeners, Inc. is a Georgia nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose purpose is to educate its members and the public in the areas of horticulture and ecology in order to promote and foster community enrichment. Master Gardener Volunteers are trained and certified by The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension. Learn more at nfmg.net.
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
The City of Dunwoody City Council will meet Monday, August 11, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Dunwoody City Hall, which is located at 4800 Ashford Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody, Georgia 30338 for the purpose of due process of the following:
Text amendments to the Code of the City of Dunwoody for Chapter 27, including Sec. 27-112, Sec. 27-135.1, Sec. 27-146.1, and other sections, the general purpose of which is to create zoning regulations and procedures for group living uses, including, but not limited to assisted living, independent living, community residences, and recovery communities, and for other purposes.
Should you have any questions or comments, please contact the City of Dunwoody Community Development Department at 678-382-6800. Staff is available to answer questions, discuss the decision-making process, and receive comments and concerns.
ANNE WISKIND/PROVIDED
ANNE WISKIND Guest Columnist
DC Aiken
Big Sky Franchise Team
David & Michelle Bertany
Amour & Duane Carthy
Adam Corder
Barbara Anderson
Kerry Arias
Scott Baynton
Joseph Bell
James Bennett
Carl Abernathy
Bruce Ackley
Salpi Adrouny
Alpharetta Lions Club
Omar Altalib
Dave Altman
Ron Altman
Joel Alvis
American Legion Post 201
Alice & Dr. Richard Appen
Gaye Armstrong
Mary Asbury
Bangkok Boxing LLC
Shannon Banna
Beth Barnes
Janet Bass
Caitlin Bates
Jannet Bauer
Barbara Bauschka
Miriam Beattie
Kathy Beck
Laura Bentley
William Bentley
Leslie Berry
Tom Billings
Tochie Blan
Ron Boddicker
Jodi Bogen
Sherri Bolles-Rogers
Helen Borland
Debra Bowen
Joe Bowen
Ryan Brainard
Mark Brandus
Mel Brannen
Carol Bright
Linda Brill
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of Client Programs
Call us for roof repair or roof replacement. FREE quotes. $200 OFF Leak Repairs or 10% off New Roof. Affordable, quality roofing. Based in Roswell. Serving North Atlanta since 1983. Call to schedule FREE Qoute: 770-284-3123. Christian Brothers Roofing
a classified ad, email classifieds@appenmedia.com.
NFCC is seeking a qualified candidate to fill the fulltime Vice President of Client Programs position. The Vice President of Client Programs (VPCP) is a senior leader responsible for creating and implementing the Client Services department strategy for NFCC. This includes creating programs and services, monitoring their effectiveness and ensuring funds are distributed appropriately. The VPCP also leads a team of 13 client services staff who handle client intake, case management, impact and outcomes data, education (GED/English classes) and workforce development programs.
If this sounds like the role for you, we’d love to hear from you! Please submit your resume to jobs@nfcchelp.org
Workforce Development Coordinator
NFCC is seeking a qualified candidate to fill the fulltime Workforce Development Coordinator position. The Workforce Development Coordinator serves as a crucial link between NFCC clients, Volunteer Coaches, and local employers.
The Coordinator collaborates with community businesses to identify hiring opportunities while working closely with Volunteer Coaches who deliver career readiness services including resume writing, job application assistance, and interview preparation. Through these efforts, the Coordinator helps clients improve their employment prospects that may lead to greater financial stability.
If this sounds like the role for you, we’d love to hear from you! Please submit your resume to jobs@nfcchelp.org
Remote/part-time/flexible/contract work for seasoned accountants/bookkeepers. Non-Profit/ For-Profit Clients. QBO and payroll expertise required. Sue@playbook-cloud.com
Part-time warehouse help needed. Pool company in Chamblee. 770-458-5900 or info@linerfactory.com
