SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — The 25th annual Atlanta Jewish Film Festival wrapped another successful year March 5 with its Closing Night celebration, featuring the heartfelt Brazilian dramedy “Cheers to Life!”
The annual Atlanta Jewish Film Festival is one of the largest cultural events of its kind in the world, celebrating the power of film to foster understanding and strengthen connections between Jewish and diverse global communities.
After the 88 in-theatre screenings across six venues in two weeks, some 1,000 patrons packed the Byers Theatre at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center.
Before spending most of the film giggling, reading subtitles and releasing some tears, the audience was treated to a quarter-century celebration of international film in the Jewish center of the South.
Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul, welcoming the audience and film festival organizers, promoted the city’s Performing Arts Center as a hub for exploring different cultures.
In a major announcement, festival organizers revealed an upcoming one-night-only concert Oct. 20 in
See FESTIVAL, Page 4
Dunwoody library plans book sales
► PAGE 18
Dunwoody High School juniors walk the walk for melanoma research
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
DUNWOODY, Ga. — It began with a dare between high school friends, and a slice of the world is better off afterward.
Jack Goldstein and Brennan Owens, juniors at Dunwoody High School, have raised more than $3,000 for a University of Georgia-based nonprofit, Jam for Cam, after climbing 2,724 floors on a stair climber in just 36 hours.
“Sometime last year, one of Goldstein’s good friends dared him to do a half marathon with no training,” Owens said.
“I thought the discipline and
motivation was inspiring, so I decided to join him.”
Owens and Goldstein completed the half marathon. The stair climber challenge Feb. 21-22 was next. The idea to raise money for a college charity came a bit later.
“Stairway to Everest,” which is also the name of the Instagram page promoting the fundraiser, is a popular fitness challenge circling social media. It requires gymgoers to scale more than 29,000 vertical feet, albeit without the harsh conditions found on the world’s tallest mountain.
See WALK, Page 16
Obviously it raises money for a great cause, but it’s more about bringing people together.”
JACK GOLDSTEIN
Dunwoody
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STAIRWAY TO EVEREST/INSTAGRAM
From left, Dunwoody High School juniors Jack Goldstein and Brennan Owens take a break during their 36-hour stair climber challenge Feb. 22 with a goal of climbing more than 29,000 feet, or the height of Mount Everest. Goldstein and Owens have raised more than $3,000 for the nonprofit Jam for Cam through the fitness challenge.
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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.
Security confiscates gun from alleged shoplifter
DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody Police
arrested a 26-year-old Atlanta man Feb. 28 after Macy’s loss prevention stopped him on suspicion of shoplifting as he was exiting Perimeter Mall.
Officers said they met with Macy’s employees who had detained the suspect in their office and reviewed security footage showing the man selecting various Ralph Lauren and Nike items before trying to exit the store.
Loss prevention said they detained him at the exit, searched him and found a semi-automatic pistol in his pants. The employees then took the man back to their office and placed the gun in a safe.
Officers said the man told them that he was getting the items to fulfill someone’s order.
Officers said they issued him a criminal trespass warning, took him to DeKalb County Jail and placed the firearm in evidence.
According to jail records, the man agreed to appear in court and was released March 2.
— Hayden Sumlin
Woman with warrants arrested after altercation
DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody Police arrested a 43-year-old Barnesville woman Feb. 25 at the Hyatt Place hotel off Hammond Drive after responding to an alleged assault of a patron.
Dispatch told officers the suspect was a white female with a shaved head and directed them to the room she was staying in.
Officers said they met with a hotel employee in the lobby because the reporting
party was not at the scene. Eventually, a man called the front desk and told officers that the suspect had thrown an object at him after he refused her solicitation for sex.
Not long after, officers said a woman matching the suspect’s description entered the lobby and they began questioning her.
The woman said a man knocked on her door, entered the room and started a conversation. She said she was unsure of why he requested to exchange drugs for her services.
While speaking with the woman, officers said they discovered two active arrest warrants for probation violation and failure to appear out of Walton and Spalding counties.
Officers said they found a small jar containing suspected methamphetamine in her possession.
She was transported to DeKalb County Jail after confirming the warrant out Walton County and securing one for meth possession.
— Hayden Sumlin
Police arrest hotel guest on family abuse charges
DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody Police arrested a 33-year-old Wisconsin man March 1 after he allegedly beat his wife and threatened his children at the Crowne Plaza Hotel off Ashford Dunwoody Road.
Dispatch said the call came in just after midnight.
Dunwoody officers said they met with the wife, 33, of Milwaukee, who said she, her husband and children, a 9-year-old boy and 6-year-old girl, were in Metro Atlanta for a friend’s birthday.
The woman said she and her husband had an argument earlier in the day Feb 28 and she and her kids left to go eat. When they came back, she said her husband was angry and wanted to speak with her alone in the bathroom.
The woman said her husband was violent, struck her in the face multiple times and strangled her. She said her husband wanted her to unlock her phone. The man locked himself in the bathroom with his
wife’s phone while she and the children fled.
Officers said the woman had cuts on her hands and wrists with bruising to the face and neck area. The woman said she threw up from being choked.
Officers said the hotel had the victims placed in another room, but they were unable to locate the husband.
Hours later at 3 p.m. in the afternoon, officers spotted a suspect matching the man’s description at the Perimeter Center East Exxon.
The man was detained and found in possession of his wife’s phone.
He was charged with aggravated assault, family violence battery, false imprisonment, third degree cruelty to children and theft by taking.
Police said the suspect denied injuring his wife and told officers he had nothing to say.
He was taken to DeKalb County Jail.
More photos, showing more visible bruising after several hours, were uploaded to the department’s case file.
— Hayden Sumlin Store staff detain 2 men suspected of shoplifting
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Officers investigated a reported felony shoplifting of more than $500 of clothing at a North Point department store Feb. 23.
Police arrested two Gainesville men, aged 28 and 39, charging them with theft by shoplifting.
Officers were dispatched to the department store about 8:30 p.m. after a shoplifting was reported, according to an Alpharetta police report. They met loss prevention staff who said four men had entered the store, concealed items in a Nike shopping bag and left.
Police also reviewed surveillance camera footage that showed the alleged theft.
The men stole swimming trunks, pants, shirts and shoes.
Loss prevention staff apprehended two of the four men.
— Jon Wilcox
ASK APPEN
Festival:
Continued from Page 1
partnership with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Turner Classic Movies. The concert is at Atlanta Symphony Hall in the Woodruff Arts Center with TCM’s Ben Mankiewicz hosting.
“I’ve been coming to the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival for years, and I couldn’t be more excited for this extraordinary celebration of film and music,” Mankiewicz said. “Iconic scores from classic Jewish cinema performed live? That’s a night you don’t want to miss.”
A panel of filmmakers, journalists, students and industry experts determine the Jury Awards, honoring outstanding achievements in Jewish cinema across six categories.
The 2025 winners are: “Pink Lady” for Narrative Feature, “Riefenstahl” for Documentary Feature, “The Sacred Society” for Short Film, “Ain’t No Back to a Merry-Go-Round” for the Building Bridges Award, “Sapir” for the Human Rights Award and Tom Nesher as Emerging Filmmaker for “Come Closer.”
James Alexander, a marketing executive and the next president of AJFF, announced Coca-Cola’s $250,000 investment in the festival’s Kenny Blank Vision Initiative, a $2.5 million capital campaign designed to expand the festival’s impact beyond its annual programming.
Kenny Blank, AJFF’s executive and artistic director, said the 25th anniversary is a defining moment for the nonprofit.
“We are grateful to our audiences, supporters and partners for making this milestone so special,” Blank said. “We look forward to building on this momentum as AJFF continues to evolve, expand and elevate its impact in the years ahead,”
During the North American premier of the 2024 Brazilian film “Cheers to Life,” the Portuguese language was no hurdle to understanding and enjoying the film’s characters, familial themes and life-affirming message.
The 103-minute narrative feature blends a young woman’s exploration of her identity and familial history with comedic missteps and chance revelations during an adventure to Israel.
Audiences meet the main character of the film, Jessica, a disillusioned antique shop employee who finds a locket that leads her to seek out her grandparents living in Tel Aviv.
The film is drama, thriller and comedy all set in the backdrop of Israel. The country is almost a character in the story as Jessica and her companions search from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem for her grandmother.
The Closing Night celebration was in the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center’s Byers Theatre, featuring a post-film Q&A panel with the Brazilian cast and crew, including director Chris D’Amato, producer Júlio Uchoa and three main actors from the film.
Rodrigo Simas, who plays Jessica’s sidekick as she tracks down her grandparents, said his character Gabriel receives the help and companionship he needed as his character assists Jessica track down her family.
“It’s a pleasure to be here in Atlanta, this is the first time out of Brazil with the movie and it’s a great
honor to make a Brazilian movie in Israel,” Simas said. “Watching and learning … with our elder characters, not just in the movie but life too, makes us look forward to life and appreciate it.”
Thati Lopez, speaking Portuguese to the audience, said she grew into her character and said Jessica’s transformation throughout the film attracted her to the role.
The atmosphere of the Byers Theatre did not change after the credits rolled. The audience, actors and crew laughed through the difficulties of translating in real-time.
Guests leaving the theater overwhelmingly said they loved the film with men and women in the audience split with affection for the leading couple.
An all-access streaming pass is available March 7-16 to Georgians who want to follow along from home with 21 feature films and 14 short films from the festival. Some are only available for exclusive intheater presentation.
HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA
Moderator Holly Firfer, at left, conducts a post-film Q&A session at Closing Night in Sandy Springs’ Byers Theatre March 5 with the cast and crew of the Brazilian comedic drama “Cheers to Life!”
Each line in the puzzle below 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, 6 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!
BY ANY OTHER NAME
1. It’s a sheep. Down in the dumps. Gumbo vegetable.
2. Kitten’s plaything. It’s an Asian deer. Precious gem.
3. Gambler’s wish. It’s a venomous snake. Kick out.
4. Verdant. It’s a horse, of course. Tidings.
5. Kind of nerve. Sidekick in Juarez. It’s an alpaca or llama offspring
6. Like a maple leaf. It’s a fly or gnat. Small whirlpool.
7. Garden structure. Vow. It’s a marine food related to cod
1 It’s a sheep. Down in the dumps. Gumbo vegetable.
2. Kitten’s plaything. It’s an Asian deer. Precious gem
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. Gambler’s wish. It’s a venomous snake. Kick out.
4. Verdant. It’s a horse, of course. Tidings
5. Kind of nerve. Sidekick in Juarez. It’s an alpaca or llama offspring.
6. Like a maple leaf. It’s a fly or gnat. Small whirlpool.
7. Garden structure. Vow. It’s a marine food fish related to cod.
How to Solve: To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and box must contain the numbers 1 to 9.
digits 1 to 9, and a digit can only be used once in any sequence.
NOTICE
The 14th annual Daffodil Dash 2025 will take place at Brook Run Park on Sunday, March 30, 2025. The race takes place within the park between 8:30am and 11:30am. There may be increased traffic on North Peachtree Rd, Peeler Rd and Barclay Drive. There will be minimal interruption.
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Dunwoody mayor to deliver annual State of the City
Wise Jr.
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DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody Mayor
Lynn Deutsch will deliver the State of the City Address March 18 from 8:30-11 a.m. at the Atlanta Marriot Perimeter Center Hotel.
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The city is partnering with the new Greater Perimeter Chamber, a merger between business advocacy groups in Sandy Springs and Dunwoody, to present the mayor’s address.
Deutsch will deliver an update on the city’s progress and unveil her vision for the year ahead.
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Insight Global, a Dunwoody-based staffing and temp agency, is sponsoring the event.
Like Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul’s September 2024 address, organizers are charging a fee to attend the Dunwoody State of the City Address.
During the Sandy Springs City Council’s annual retreat in early February, some elected officials said they want to avoid charging residents to attend future mayoral addresses.
The cost to attend the Dunwoody State of the City Address is $45 for members of the Greater Perimeter Chamber and $60 for newcomers.
The Greater Perimeter Chamber says attendees grant permission for photos and videos of them to be used in future marketing materials. It also says walkins are not guaranteed entry and will be subject to a $10 surcharge if space allows.
The 90-minute gathering includes ample opportunities to connect with business and civic leaders, a signature breakfast and a chance to hear about the future of the community from Mayor Deutsch.
To register for the March 18 address, visit greaterperimeterchamber.com.
‘Growing up on the edges,’ excerpts from a memoir
Joe Greear calls his memoir “Growing Up on the Edges” because his home was on “the edge of Brookhaven, the edge of Peachtree Creek and the edge of Tullie Smith’s property.”
When the family moved away, the home which had been surrounded by woods and farms was surrounded by high-rise buildings. (“Growing Up on the Edges,” dekalbhistory.org)
Greear’s parents met on the island of Guam in 1948. His father was a draftsman from Georgia and his mom an architect from Washington state. They were both working civilian jobs constructing a new military base.
The couple married in Guam. When they returned to the U.S., they lived in a cottage on Joe’s grandfather’s farm in Helen, Georgia. Then, they moved to Atlanta where their first home was at Oglethorpe Apartments, located on land where Blackburn Park is today.
Joe and his brother, Sol Jr., were born while the family lived at Oglethorpe Apartments. Their parents searched for a house close to their work in downtown Atlanta, with room for a vegetable garden and not too close to neighbors.
They found a two-bedroom, one-bath home on two acres in DeKalb County off North Druid Hills Road. The location was between Buford Highway and I-85, on the south side of North Druid Hills, except I-85 was yet to be built. Greear recalls North Druid Hills Road as a rural two-lane that ran from Peachtree Street to Lawrenceville Highway.
There was a single lane dirt road which led to their house. A gravel turn-around was in front of their home, no lawn or front yard. They shared the driveway with two other houses. The lowest part of the driveway along the bank of Peachtree Creek sometimes flooded.
Greear’s father planted a garden with corn, tomatoes, collard greens and more. The vegetables were canned or frozen by his mom. She made homemade tomato sauce, vegetable soups and pickles.
Their neighbors were Margaret Young and the Browns, whose house “…looked like a cottage out of a fairy tale.” The Browns used a coal-burning pot-bellied stove. Joe Greear recalls going to their home to watch Lloyd Bridges in the scuba diving television show “Sea Hunt.” Greear’s parents did not own a TV because they thought it was a bad influence.
The neighbors also shared a party line telephone.
“Each household’s phone had a distinctive ring, such as two short and one long, that told you if the call was for your house.” If they wanted to make an outgoing call and someone else was on the line, they had to hang up and wait until that person finished their call.
Joe and Sol loved exploring the woods around their home and beyond. Their parents hung up an empty camp stove canister which they would strike with a metal rod to call the boys back to the house.
Cora Lee Bates from Helen, Georgia, took care of the boys while their parents worked. She took Joe and Sol on walks up North Druid Hills across Buford Highway, turning left on Roxboro Road to visit a duck pond at the Standard Club’s golf course. Cora
The Greear home that once sat off North Druid Hills Road in
Lee’s small home was along the way, behind the large home of a woman named Guest. Later, this land was sold and developed into a Red Roof Inn and a private school.
When Joe got older, he walked to Brookhaven, crossing the railroad tracks near where North Druid Hills Road met Peachtree Road. “Just past the railroad tracks was the Brookhaven Building Supply. I recall it as one long loading dock with an order counter and a warehouse behind.
“When shopping at Brookhaven Building Supply, my dad would order his lumber and supplies at the front counter and the employees would load the order into our 1940s Willy Overland.”
Greear recalls an A&P grocery at the corner of Dresden Drive and Peachtree, where his family shopped. His mom would call A&P with her order from work and pick it up on her way home.
There were other shops and the Brookhaven Theater on the other side of Peachtree Street. Greear saw his first scary movie at The Brookhaven Theater. More on that movie, the construction of I-85 and the family’s neighbor Tullie Smith in the next Past Tense.
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.
VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF Columnist
PHOTOS BY: GREEAR FAMILY COLLECTION
a wooded area between today’s Buford Highway and I-85.
Sol Greear Sr. and the set-up he built for the family stereo.
St. Luke’s church plans electronics recycling drive
DUNWOODY, Ga. — Registration is open for Dunwoody’s March 4 electronics recycling drive at St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church, 1978 Mount Vernon Road, from 1-4 p.m.
Electronics recycling will be handled by eWaste ePlanet, ensuring 100 percent data security and zero waste to landfills. The Dunwoody Community Development Department staff, the Sustainability Committee and the St. Luke’s Green Team chipped in to make the day possible.
At last year’s electronics recycling event, 470 residents recycled 31,414 pounds of waste. The recycled items included 225 laptops, 112 desktop computers, 98 hard drives, 2,649 pounds of LCD TVs and 3,031 pounds of printers.
Community Development Director Richard McLeod said Dunwoody residents show their commitment to sustainability year after year by responsibly recycling their old electronics.
“This event not only keeps electronics out of landfills but also helps protect sensitive data with secure disposal,” McLeod said. “We’re proud to offer this opportunity and grateful to the City Council for prioritizing funding for this event.”
Items accepted for recycling include monitors, desktops, laptops, smartphones, tablets, keyboards, servers, networking gear, circuit boards, RAM and CPU components, wires and cables, hard drives and memory cards, digital cameras, GPS units, speakers, copiers, ink and toner, scanners, projectors, game consoles, phone systems, lab and medical equipment, point of sale systems, microwaves, DVD players and barcode scanners.
Items not accepted include cracked LCD TVs and monitors, broken CRT TVs and monitors, light bulbs, radioactive material, hazardous waste, any liquid and paint.
There will be no paper shredding at the event.
To register, visit www.dunwoodyga.gov/electronics.
— Hayden Sumlin
DUNWOODY STATE OF THE CITY
Keynote Speaker Mayor Lynn Deutsch
CITY OF DUNWOODY/PROVIDED
Residents and eWaste ePlanet employees gathering items at St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church off Mount Vernon Road at last year’s Dunwoody electronic recycling drive. This year’s event is April 6 from 1-4 p.m. at the church.
Importance of skin checks for mature skin
Brought to you by - Dr. Kehinde Olumesi of Epiphany Dermatology - Brookhaven
As skin matures, it undergoes various changes that necessitate regular skin checks to ensure overall skin health. Differentiating between age spots, healthy moles and potential skin cancers is crucial. Age spots, often appearing as flat, brown, or black spots on sun-exposed areas, are generally harmless but can be mistaken for more serious conditions. Early detection of skin cancer, including melanoma, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, significantly increases the chances of successful treatment. Therefore, routine skin examinations are essential for mature skin to maintain health and catch any issues early.
Addressing skin conditions and rejuvenation procedures
Dermatologists can assist with a
variety of skin conditions and rejuvenation procedures for mature skin. Common issues such as dryness, age-related pigmentation and conditions like rosacea, psoriasis and eczema, which can persist or develop with age, are also addressed with specialized care plans.
In addition to treating conditions, dermatologists offer rejuvenating procedures to enhance the appearance and health of mature skin. Treatments such as chemical peels, laser rejuvenation and injectable treatments like BOTOX® Cosmetic and dermal fillers can reduce the appearance of wrinkles, improve skin texture and promote collagen production. These procedures not only rejuvenate the skin but also boost confidence and overall well-being. Establishing a relationship with a dermatologist ensures that your skin receives comprehensive care tailored to its evolving needs, promoting long-term skin health and vitality.
Better Hearing is a Better Life!
Atlanta Hearing Associates is dedicated to our mission to make each patient feel like they are a part of our family.
Atlanta Hearing Associates is a large audiology practice that encompasses 5 different locations throughout Georgia. Our offices provide comprehensive hearing tests, tinnitus assessments, ear cleaning, and hearing devices for all ages.
Every doctor you will meet is focused on your needs as a patient and works with every manufacturer to provide a personalized fitting.
Each location utilizes state of the art technology and family-oriented care to help guide our patients to the best hearing devices and information on hearing healthcare.
We also partner with different agencies to provide audiological care to veterans, ATF officers, reservists, police departments, Cochlear implants recipients, and community wellness groups.
We accept all major insurances for patients who have a hearing healthcare benefit that they are eligible to use.
Our offices are located in Atlanta, Decatur, Dunwoody, Lake Oconee, and Milledgeville.
Make colon health your habit
Brought to you by - Wellstar
For many people, talking about colon health can be a little uncomfortable, but potential medical issues don’t just go away if you ignore them.
Being proactive about your wellbeing with preventative care can help catch colorectal cancer or another serious condition early—often before it becomes a bigger problem.
Wellstar is committed to keeping your colon healthy with preventative screenings and expert care, so you can continue to live well.
Catch colon cancer early
Early detection is the best prevention, especially when it comes to colon cancer. People at average risk should start colonoscopies at age 45. Those with a higher risk or a family history of colorectal cancer may need
to start screening sooner. Partner with your care team to create a personalized screening plan—and stick with it to stay ahead of the disease.
The death rate for colon cancer in older adults has been decreasing for the past several decades due to screenings, according to the American Cancer Society. Screenings can identify polyps before they become cancerous and can catch cancer earlier when it is more easily treatable. However, in people under 55, death rates from colon cancer have been increasing by about 1% per year since the mid2000s.
Why colonoscopies work
During a colonoscopy, a Wellstar gastroenterologist will view the inside of your colon and look for polyps or any other abnormal tissue that could be cancerous. This preventative testing is key to catching colorectal issues at
the start. Polyps take about five to 15 years to evolve into an invasive cancer, so regular colonoscopies can catch polyps before they become cancerous. The procedure itself is not painful.
Signs of colorectal cancer
Colon cancer is typically discovered when a patient has a colonoscopy, but it’s important to watch for these warning signs:
• A change in your bowel habits, such as persistent diarrhea or constipation
• Bloody stools or rectal bleeding
• Abdominal discomfort, such as cramps, gas and pain
• Feeling like you are unable to empty your bowels completely
• Weakness or fatigue
• Unexplained weight loss
If you experience any of these symptoms, contact your care team right away.
Colorectal cancer care at Wellstar
If you have been diagnosed with colorectal cancer, count on Wellstar for comprehensive, personalized care. Our specialists will work together with you to form a tailored treatment plan and offer support every step of the way.
Wellstar offers medical expertise close to home, clinical trials and state-of-the-art surgical procedures to treat colorectal cancer. We also have a multidisciplinary gastrointestinal (GI) tumor board that diagnoses and creates treatment plans collaboratively.
Along with cancer surgeons, medical oncologists and other experts, our care team also includes nurse navigators, dietitians, social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists and counselors to provide complete care and support.
Visit wellstar.org/gastro to learn more about gastroenterology care.
At Wellstar, you’ll find a multidisciplinary team of cancer care experts built around your needs and dedicated to comprehensive, personalized treatment.
We are a leader in cancer care, embracing innovation to improve patient outcomes. Our surgeons perform a variety of minimally invasive procedures—providing patients with smoother recoveries and less pain. We also support patients during their cancer journeys with STAT Clinics, which bring cancer care clinicians together and put people at the center of their treatment. With this multidisciplinary approach, patients start care sooner, optimizing treatment and outcomes. wellstar.org/northfultoncancercare
Let’s talk about social media & screen time
Brought to you byAlyssa Kiss, M.A., Summit Counseling Center
Parents raising a teen in today’s world of technology can often experience confusion, stress, and judgement from others for their decisions surrounding social media use and screen time. There are mixed messages, a lack of sufficient research, and little support out there to help parents navigate these tough decisions. As a therapist who primarily works with adolescents, teens, and young adults, I am surrounded by the issue of social media and phone addiction. Often, I work with parents who say the same thing – “I don’t want them to be on their phones so much, but I also don’t want them to be isolated from their friends.”
There is no doubt that screen time and social media are impacting us all, especially kids and adolescents. This age group is inundated with screen time which is causing issues with attention and the brain’s reward system. The research we currently have clearly shows that excessive screen time can impact social-emotional development, language development, and executive functioning. These can deeply impact adolescents who are already struggling with increased academic pressure and developing peer relationships.
So, what can we do about it? I have often found myself after a day of sessions with adolescents just wishing that I could wake up and social media would have vanished. I see the impact it has on these students while also knowing it is unrealistic to believe that it can be completely cut out of anyone’s life. Here are a few tips about navigating this difficult topic.
1. Have an open discussion. Help educate your child on the impact of social media and screen time. Oftentimes kids don’t understand or fully realize why their parents are limiting their screen time. Take some time to openly talk to your child about the ways that social media and screen time impact them without using judgements.
2. Educate yourself on the issue. This is a very complex issue with lots of different things to consider. Take some time to read up on the research and tips from leaders in the field. Here are a few recommendations:
a. Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive (and survive) in Their Digital World by
Dr. Devorah Heitner
b. The Distracted Mind: Ancient Brains in a High-Tech World by Adam Gazzaley and Larry D. Rosen
3. Model the relationship with your phone that you want your child to have.
Kids are constantly watching their parents to learn about the world around them. This is no different when it comes to screen time and social media use. By modeling the relationship with technology that you would like your child to have, it can help your kids learn how to navigate their use of technology.
4. Implement screen time limits that
your child is actively involved in. Use collaboration with your child to set screen time limits that they can understand and feel a part of. Giving a teen or adolescent a level of autonomy in their own screen time typically helps them adhere to the rules set. This varies given the child’s age and is best suited for middle and high school students.
5. Give yourself grace and be flexible. We are in unprecedented times as we all learn to navigate the way technology has so prevalently impacted our lives. Remember to be kind to yourself and maintain a flexible mindset. As we learn new things in this area, give yourself space to adjust your stance or approach.
PEXELS
KISS
ATTENTION LEADERS
Walk:
Continued from Page 1
Most of the challenges are spread over weeks or months to help keep people fit as they go about their day. The 17-year-olds decided to push it.
Goldstein said they originally planned to do the challenge on their own but had the idea to create a social media page to document the steps, so classmates couldn’t question it.
His older brother Ryan is a Sigma Nu fraternity brother at UGA. When his brother heard about the upcoming fitness challenge, Ryan said he pitched the idea of using it to raise money for a fraternity-based nonprofit.
“The cause was important to us; my grandfather suffers from melanoma cancer, so I reached out to Ryan and asked if there was any way we could be a part of it,” Goldstein said. “Obviously it raises money for a great cause, but it’s more about bringing people together.”
It was their first time on a stair climber, and both said the support they drew from each other was crucial to seeing the challenge through. After 36 hours of limited sleep and a couple of breaks, the high school juniors said the fundraiser and having a community cheering them on made a real difference.
Jam for Cam was formed in the fall
BOOK SALE
Thursday, Mar. 13
Friday–Saturday, Mar. 14-15
Monday, Mar. 17 Dunwoody Library 5339 Chamblee-Dunwoody Road Thurs. 1-4pm:
Preview Shopping for Members Only 4-8pm Open to All (Join that day!)
Fri.-Sat.10am-5pm Mon. 10am-6pm Bag Day –Fill a large grocery bag for $7.00
of 2018 to honor Cameron Fearon, a UGA student and Sigma Nu brother, who passed away after a battle with metastatic melanoma in August of that year.
Fearon grew up in Buckhead, graduating from North Atlanta High School in 2017 and joining Sigma Nu at UGA a few months later. He began his battle with melanoma in the eighth grade, fighting the cancer for years until he passed away at the age of 19 before his sophomore year of college.
He never complained about his terminal diagnosis, preferring to enjoy time with friends and family in Atlanta and Athens.
Fearon’s fraternity brothers and the broader community came together to throw a musical festival, raising more than $70,000 in 2018, with more than 7,000 people in downtown Athens.
Each year, the fraternity raises tens of thousands of dollars for three charities, the Melanoma Research
Foundation, Camp Carolina where Fearon spent his childhood summers, and one selected annually by the Athens and UGA community.
Jam for Cam raised $120,000 in 2019 and $287,000 in November 2023.
The event is more than just fundraising for cancer research and scholarships. The nonprofit is committed to bringing a community together where everyone can celebrate the sound of good music, something that Fearon was passionate about.
Since its inception, the nonprofit has raised more than $850,000, cementing the festival as an Athens staple, drawing in students and families across the Southeast.
Goldstein and Owens have pitched in a few thousand toward the festival’s goal of raising $500,000 this year. Both said there’s no chance they’re missing the March 29 festival.
With donations still coming in, Goldstein and Owens also arranged a
PUBLIC NOTICE
The 17th annual VanderDash 5k and Fun Run supports Vanderlyn Elementary and will take place at Vanderlyn Elementary on Saturday, March 15, 2025. The race takes place between 8:00-10:00am. There will be road closures on Vanderlyn Drive and Vermack Road from Vanderlyn Drive to Chamblee Dunwoody Rd.
For more information and questions visit: https://runsignup.com/Race/GA/Dunwoody/VanderDash
percentage night March 6 at Dunwoody’s Village Burger. They are expecting the donations to keep growing.
When they aren’t attempting fitness challenges or prepping for college applications, the two Wildcats work at the Village Burger. Goldstein said when he brought the idea to his manager, he immediately okayed it.
This year, the nonprofit’s March 29 music festival is set to be the first in the streets of downtown Athens since Widespread Panic’s famous 1998 album release.
While annual gatherings like AthFest Music and Arts Festival and the Athens Twilight Criterium bring large crowds, Jam for Cam is expecting to have thousands packing the streets.
Performers include The Gringos, a winner of a local battle of bands the competition, Atlanta-based Penelope Road, Denver’s Congress the Band.
Milky Chance, a platinum-album selling German rock band, headlines the 2025 Jam for Cam, the biggest band to grace the festival’s stage yet.
The Sigma Nu brothers now running the festival were middle schoolers when the fundraiser began. When the business operating the festival’s venue announced a permanent closure, the Jam for Cam Board took their proposal to the Athens Downtown Development Authority.
For Fearon’s family and close friends the next generation continuing to honor him and his legacy means the world.
To check out Goldstein and Owen’s Instagram page “Stairway to Everest,” visit www.instagram.com
For more information about Jam for Cam, tickets to the March 29 festival or how to donate, visit www.jam4cam.com.
Adult Fiction & Nonfiction
STAIRWAY TO EVEREST/INSTAGRAM
From left, Murray, Laurie and Jack Goldstein celebrate with Brennan, Cassie and Russ Owens Feb. 23 after the two Dunwoody High School juniors completed a fitness challenge and fundraiser. Goldstein and Owens have raised more than $3,000 for a University of Georgia-based nonprofit, Jam for Cam.
Sandy Springs lists lineup for summer concert series
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — This summer, Sandy Springs is hosting two family-friendly concert series: City Green Live and Concerts by the Springs.
The free concerts will be at two unique venues in the City Springs district, offering an impressive lineup of live performances and bringing together a wide range of musical genres to the heart of the city.
City Green Live will feature high-energy, nationally touring artists performing on the 4-acre park’s stage off Galambos Way. It offers attendees a lively, outdoor music experience whether they’re a fan of rock ’n’ roll, R&B or pop.
Residents and visitors are invited to bring chairs, blankets, friends and family to enjoy a night on the lawn. In addition to the music, there will be a variety of food and beverage options available from food trucks, pop-up bars and nearby restaurants.
The Friday night series promises an unforgettable night under the stars, with the following performances scheduled:
• April 11 – Tonic (rock)
• May 23 – Face 2 Face (a tribute to Billy Joel and Elton John)
• June 13 – September in the Park (a tribute to Earth, Wind & Fire and Chicago)
• July 25 – Black Jacket Symphony (performing Saturday Night Fever)
• August 15 – Moon Taxi (alternative/Indie)
Meanwhile, Concerts by the Springs invites music lovers to enjoy performances at the Heritage Museum & Park’s amphitheater on Sunday afternoons. The series will spotlight a diverse roster of musical acts
ranging from 70s
Attendees are encouraged to pack a picnic and relax while enjoying the music, making it the perfect way to dance the evening away with neighbors and family.
The schedule is as follows:
• May 4 – Ansley Stewart Band (pop hits)
• June 1 – Funk Force Five (Motown, oldies, classic R&B)
PUBLIC
NOTICE
Friendship Circle of Atlanta will host the largest celebration of friendship and inclusion at the Friendship 5K & Festival at Brook Run Park, 4770 N Peachtree Road, Dunwoody, GA 30338. On Sunday, April 6, the Friendship 5K & Festival offers a timed 5k race, a shorter 1k route, followed by a festival with fun for every stage and ability.
Registration and race packet pick up : 11 am
Ceremony and race: 12 pm Friendship Festival: 1:00-3:00pm
Friendship Circle’s mission is that everyone feels seen and included, no matter their physical, developmental abilities. On April 6, we celebrate that loud and proud.
Be a part of this sensational event!
Friendship5k.org
•
•
To learn more, visit www.sandyspringsga.gov/ summerconcerts.
rock revival to funk party hits.
• July 13 – Troubadour Project (70s rock revival)
August 3 – Mike Veal Band (blues, rock and funk party hits)
September 7 – The Bourbon Brothers (a tribute to The Rat Pack)
— Hayden Sumlin
CITY OF SANDY SPRINGS/PROVIDED
Friends of Dunwoody Library gears up for book sale
The Friends of Dunwoody Library offers several sales a year. The most recent featured books for children and young adults, but now it’s time for the adults.
I enjoy popping in on the sale weekends and saying hello to the volunteers, though there’s also an ongoing sale in the lobby of the Dunwoody Library during regular library hours. Since I live in Fulton County and belong to E. Roswell Library, I rarely pop into the Dunwoody Library except to donate books. Donations are always welcome except right before and during the sales.
When you purchase books at the sale, your dollars support a myriad of programs at the Dunwoody Library for children and adults. Children’s programs include Make & Take craft kits, Kids Yoga, Teen Hangouts and Lego Club. Crafts and educational presentations are available for adults.
It takes a village to bring all this to the Dunwoody community. The FODL book committee sorts donated books into topics to make it easy for shoppers to find their favorites. Just before the sale, they alphabetize the books by author. I greatly appreciate this arrangement and have discovered to my dismay that not all library sales do this. The FODL group has spoiled me.
I asked the FODL to suggest a volunteer to spotlight in this column, and they put me in touch with Sarah Mycek, who manages the children’s books. As you can imagine, she’s busiest when one of those sales is upcoming, but her work with children’s books is never ending.
Two days a week, she sorts the incoming children’s book donations. For the two carts of children’s books that are part of the ongoing lobby sale, she created a colored dot system so she can easily rotate the books and keep the selection fresh.
Coming up with several Special Monthly Topics is another task that falls to Sarah. She tries to connect them
to a popular pre-K theme or a subject studied in elementary school. Two of her favorites were Community Workers and Dinowoody — books about dinosaurs, of course.
My take is that Sarah is never at a loss for ideas. Implementing newer labels for the children’s sale is one she especially enjoyed. The labels include words and an image so younger children can find books independently.
Sarah has volunteered with the Dunwoody Friends for three years, and I was fascinated to learn that she began her volunteer career in 2010 at her hometown library in Needham, Mass. There, she helped her mother to sort children’s books and set up and work the sales. Would you believe that she plans her trips back to Massachusetts based on the timing of the Needham Library book sales so that she can
• March 17— Bag day Bargain! $7 per bag 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
work those, too? Currently, she is on the board for both the Dunwoody and Needham Friends organizations.
“I love seeing kids get excited when they have a good book in their hand,
especially one that I enjoyed as a kid,” she says. “And I love helping to get books into the hands of teachers for their classroom libraries.”
Her enthusiasm almost makes me want to donate my remaining childhood books to the FODL, but I’m not quite ready. My Dr. Seuss books and all the others will have to stay on my bookshelves for a bit longer. And come March 13, I’m sure to be adding more books to my adult collection.
Happy reading!
Award-winning author Kathy Manos Penn is a Sandy Springs resident. Find her Dickens & Christie cozy mysteries on Amazon or locally at The Enchanted Forest. Contact her at inkpenn119@gmail. com and visit her website www.facebook. com/KathyManosPennAuthor/.
KATHY MANOS PENN Columnist
KATHY MANOS PENN/PROVIDED
Sarah Mycek volunteers to help assemble children’s books for the Friends of the Dunwoody Library.
OPINION
Louie E Jones, undertaker with a rebel streak
Most folks of a certain age in the Alpharetta area are familiar with the name Louie Jones due to the Louie E. Jones Funeral Home. Fewer people may be aware of his service as a state senator and fewer still know about his personality. Today, we will try to portray the various aspects of this unique man and his accomplished wife Gertrude.
Louie Eugene Jones (1897-1987) was born and raised in Alpharetta in a house adjacent to the Milton County Courthouse on today’s Main Street. He lived with his parents and three siblings. Alpharetta was buzzing economically. It was said that there was a cotton gin on almost every corner. Farming was the chief occupation, but merchants, hotels, stables, blacksmiths and carpenters helped keep the town alive. From the early days of the century through the Great Depression, Alpharetta was the county seat of Milton County, but the roads were dirt and the county overall was very poor. Things improved when the county merged with Fulton County in 1932.
Louie’s father, Maj. Harrison Jones (1872-1918) was an undertaker who established a funeral business in Alpharetta in the early 1890s. Louie’s mother, Frances Naomi DeVore Jones (1878-1960), was a teacher. We know that as a child Louie had a pet goat thanks to a photo in the book “Alpharetta, Milton County – The Early Years” by celebrated local historian Connie Mashburn. Jones’s goat pulled a cart with large metal wheels.
Upon the death of his father, Louie, age 21, took over the funeral business.
Jones developed a love for politics. He served as Milton County Coroner for eight years. When Milton County and Fulton County considered a merger, Jones was serving a two-year term as state senator representing Milton, Forsyth and Gwinnett counties. He maneuvered a bill in the legislature that led to the merger and was largely responsible for the bill’s success in the Senate. He said there wasn’t much opposition to the merger because the county was so poor.
In a March 1979 interview in the Neighbor newspaper he said, “We didn’t have one inch of paved road and only one road scraper.” He believed the road situation forced the merger. Most of the time, the people were knee-deep in mud, he said.
According to a 1931 article in the Atlanta Constitution, Jones was one of the most popular members of the Senate and
a member of some of the most important Senate committees.
After the merger, Jones left the political arena and returned full-time to the funeral home, which moved several times over the years. In a January 1987 article in the Alpharetta Review, Jones was quoted saying that before he became a licensed embalmer in 1925, his biggest business was selling caskets. He had to make two trips a day with a horse-drawn wagon to the train depot across the river in Roswell to pick up his caskets. He owned the business for more than 50 years before selling it.
Jones was not afraid of a little controversy. He had a partial interest in
a drugstore on South Main Street near today’s Milton Avenue. In the 1920s, businesses could not open on Sundays. One Sunday in 1923 he opened his store to sell refreshments during the city’s annual June Singing. According to Connie Mashburn, the police came and locked door. Louie went back to the store and removed the door and continued to sell refreshments. The public was outraged about his behavior. About 135 citizens, representing 75 percent of the population, signed a petition. Mashburn says, “Louie was known as a rebel. He had his own way of doing things.”
Lifelong local resident Elsie Knight has childhood memories of Jones.
“He was a true southern gentleman,” she says. “He was very kind and everybody liked him. He used to joke that he had more money underground than he had on top.”
Apparently, not everyone’s funeral expenses were paid in a timely fashion.
Elsie recalls that Louis’s wife, Gertrude Callaway Jones (1900-1984), was a fourth grade teacher at Alpharetta School on Broad Street, which is today’s Milton Avenue.
In her book “Echoes of the Past: A Glimpse of Life in a Small Town,” published in 1990, Eulalia Maddox Wilson said of her teacher, “Mrs. Gertrude Jones (called in those days simply Miss Gertrude) helped students develop good penmanship and encouraged their interest in literature.”
In those days, boys delayed going to school because they had to help bring in the crops. Miss Gertrude and other teachers worked with them to get them caught up with the girls.
Gertrude was born and raised in McDonnough and attended business school at the University of Georgia and Emory University and received her degree from Oglethorpe University. She taught school for 39 years at Alpharetta School. At a banquet for retiring teachers, she was celebrated as an inspiration to students and fellow teachers alike.
Special thanks to Pat Miller, president of the Alpharetta and Old Milton County Historical Society for her help with this column.
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
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY: ALPHARETTA AND OLD MILTON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
As a child, Louie Jones had a goat. In this 1905 photo Louie is in the public area near his home behind the courthouse. This was the area where the annual county fair, tent revivals and other popular events were held.
Louie Jones stands beside his 1938 Meteor hearse in this advertisement. The Meteor Motor Car Company began making cars in 1915 in Indiana. They pioneered direct sales of funeral vehicles to funeral homes.
This portrait of Louie Jones appeared in a March 1979 interview in the Neighbor newspaper.
OPINION
Share the love with passalong plants
Passalong plants are those we acquire when another gardener shares a seed, a cutting or a plant. Sharing or passing along plants and seeds is one of the oldest traditions in gardening. My garden is special to me because of the contributions from friends and fellow gardeners, which includes many plants that are often not available in our large retail nurseries. My inspiration and wisdom come from generous people who share their plants: daylilies, mountain mint, salvia, bee balm and flowering almond.
Passalong plants are typically durable and easy to propagate, and they often come with experienced advice on how to continue their success. The added bonus is that when from friends and neighbors, they are free! The nature of passalong plants being easy to propagate makes it necessary for us to let our recipients know how the plants spread. Some plants will pass themselves along!
Timing
Passalong plants are easy to propagate by cuttings, division and seeds, and they can be propagated in fall or spring.
A good rule of thumb is to divide your perennials in the season opposite of when they bloom. For example, I divide my spring bloomers (Stokes aster, phlox, and bee balm) in the fall.
Cuttings
A cutting is a term for using a stem, leaf or root to reproduce a plant.
NOTICE OF COMMUNITY MEETING
4515 Chamblee Dunwoody Rd.
Applicant: Toxaway Automotive Group
Reason for meeting: Special use permit to allow drivers to remain in their cars during oil change
Location of Meeting: 4515 Chamblee Dunwoody Rd., Dunwoody, GA 30338
Date and Time: March 26, 2025 at 6:00-7:00 P.M
About the author
This week’s “Garden Buzz” guest columnist is Julie Dangel, a lifelong researcher and educator and a North Fulton Master Gardener since 2015. She is a native Georgian and a resident of Sandy Springs for 40 years. As a member of the North Fulton Master Gardeners, she has served on the board and divides her time volunteering between the Teaching Museum/ Greenhouse and Lost Corner Preserve.
Both herbaceous and woody plants can be propagated from cuttings. I find stem cuttings the easiest to propagate. I choose a stem 3-5 inches long and remove all but three or four leaves. Plants can be rooted in water or soil. In soil, dipping the tip of the stem in rooting hormone can enhance propagation.
Division
Many perennials and bulbs eventually become overcrowded and thrive when divided. Mature plants can be separated by digging up a clump, pulling apart the smaller plants or by using a sharp spade or knife to cut the clump or tuber into smaller pieces. This is true of plants such as Stoke’s aster, bluestem grass, and irises.
On some plants, you will find babies around the base that can be replanted. I find this to be true for herbs and succulents as well.
Seeds
You can also save seeds as your plant matures or just let them ripen on the plant. These seeds will regerminate in the soil with favorable conditions.
My favorites, including cleome, four o’clocks and milkweed, are easy to propagate by seeds.
To grow your plants from seeds, plant them outside or fill a seed tray with moist soil. Plant your seeds with just enough soil to cover them (you want good seed to soil contact) and keep the soil moist but not too wet. Provide light to ensure that the seeds get the energy needed to grow. Please see the list of resources for details on propagating your plants. If you are looking to purchase passalong plants, the North Fulton Master Gardeners will offer their favorite plants during the 2025 Garden Faire Plant Sale. Plan to attend Saturday, April 12, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at
cutting ready for planting.
the Grove at Wills Park in Alpharetta. Master Gardeners will be available to provide gardening advice for your plants.
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. Previous Garden Buzz columns are featured at: https://appenmedia.com/ opinion/columists/garden buzz/.
SAVE THE DATES for NFMG’s 2025 signature events: Garden Faire on April 12th and Garden Tour on June 7th. Learn more at www.nfmg. net.
JULIE DANGEL Guest Columnist
JULIE DANGEL/NORTH FULTON COUNTY SCHOOLS TEACHING MUSEUM Stem
