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October 22, 2026 | AppenMedia.com | An Appen Media Group Publication | Ser ving the community since 1976

Dunwoody approves Georgetown plan to guide redevelopment By HANNAH YAHNE hannah@appenmedia.com

From left, Alex Wittlim, Will Tovey, and Robbie Tohar pose with their team’s statue during the Atlanta Kosher BBQ Festival Oct. 18 in Dunwoody.

DUNWOODY, Ga. — The Dunwoody City Council on Oct. 13 approved the Georgetown Small Area Plan, the city’s initiative to redevelop that center of activity, enhance its housing and retail options, and boost its overall connectivity. The blueprint is based on the city’s comprehensive plan. Community Development Director Richard McLeod said the small area plan replaces any other plan for Georgetown and its

included neighborhoods. Council members had few comments on the overall plan. Council Member Catherine Lautenbacher asked which of the new roads planned for the development will be private. McLeod said that has not been decided. As part of the Interstate 285 express lanes expansion, the Georgia Department of Transportation also plans to convert Cotillion Drive to one-way westbound traffic and Savoy Drive to one-way eastbound traffic.

See PLAN, Page 14

JAMIE GODIN/APPEN MEDIA

Kosher barbecue festival brings Jewish Atlanta together By JAMIE GODIN jamie@appenmedia.com DUNWOODY, Ga. — The Atlanta Kosher Barbecue Festival returned Sunday with 15 teams competing in brisket, ribs, chicken and chili, while drawing attendees from across metro Atlanta to a new location near Perimeter Mall.

Jacqueline Morris, executive director of the Atlanta Jewish Life Foundation, said the festival is designed to bring together Jewish residents across different levels of religious observance, while also welcoming non-Jewish attendees. “It’s one of the few events in Atlanta where any person, Jew or non-Jew, no matter how kosher, can attend,” Morris said.

“Everyone from Orthodox to Reform is welcome in the same spot. Everyone can eat, which is always a rarity.” To maintain kosher standards, organizers provide the meat, grills, utensils and other cooking equipment used by competitors.

See KOSHER, Page 14

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COURTESY CITY OF DUNWOODY

The Georgetown Small Area Plan, approved by the Dunwoody City Council Oct. 13, outlines a long-term vision for redevelopment in the area. Cotillion Drive is mislabeled as Cotillion Road on the city’s map.

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2 | October 22, 2026 | Dunwoody Crier | AppenMedia.com/Dunwoody

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One year later: Horton-era questions left unanswered By JIM BASS jim@appenmedia.com

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DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — On the morning of Oct. 9, 2025, DeKalb Schools superintendent Devon Horton was scheduled to be sworn in as Decide DeKalb Development Authority’s first board of directors member from DeKalb Schools. Within hours, however, the morning took a dramatic turn. Horton did not attend the meeting and a legal document showed that Horton was federally indicted on 17 charges related to his time as superintendent of Evanston-Skokie School District 65 in Illinois. On Oct. 5, 2026, the same day that his successor Norman Sauce swore in as DeKalb Schools’ superintendent, Horton, 49, pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud, embezzlement and tax evasion for participating in a kickback scheme using district contracts. Horton was indicted alongside three individuals — Samuel Ross, Antonio Ross and Alfonzo Lewis. In late September, Samuel Ross pleaded guilty to one wire fraud charge. He also agreed to cooperate with prosecutors for the remainder of the case. U.S. Attorney Emily Vermylen said that, based on Horton’s criminal history, if the court deemed he had taken appropriate responsibility for his actions, Horton would be eligible for 87 to 108 months in prison (about seven to nine years). If he had not taken appropriate responsibility, Vermylen said, he would be eligible for 121 to 151 months (about 10 to 12 years). While Horton is no longer with the district, DeKalb County Schools is still dealing with the aftermath of his tenure. The district says it is still conducting a forensic audit of Horton’s time in DeKalb County. But the district has stopped answering questions about the audit and has not publicly mentioned it for nearly five months. A stroll through the Horton era In September 2022, the DeKalb County Board of Education contracted with the Georgia School Boards Association to conduct a nationwide superintendent search and identify a replacement for interim superintendent Vasanne Tinsley. Following the months-long process, the DeKalb School Board selected Horton to lead the district in a 6-1 board vote. Only former board member Joyce Morley opposed the hiring, calling it a “grave mistake.” The school board hired Horton in June 2023 at a base salary of $325,000. He earned a $35,000 retention bonus in 2024 and received a raise to $360,000 along with a contract extension through 2028.

RICHARD CAHAN/EVANSTON ROUNDTABLE

Devon Horton, right, former superintendent of Evanston/Skokie School District 65, arrives at federal court at the Dirksen Federal Building in Chicago with his lawyer Terence Campbell.

Shortly after his hiring in July 2023, the board approved the hiring of five central office staffers, one of whom was Antonio Ross, who was later named in the indictment. Ross turned down the position citing personal reasons. Horton led the district through several challenging moments. He was part of a contentious Druid Hills High School modernization decision that could have relocated the school. He also launched the Student Assignment Project, to redistrict and close schools to reduce empty seats in DeKalb Schools. After his federal indictment on Oct. 9, 2025, the DeKalb School Board responded immediately, calling an emergency meeting that same day and naming Sauce acting superintendent. The board met again in a special, called day-long executive session on Oct. 15 to accept Horton’s resignation and agreed to look into his time at DeKalb County Schools. The school board ordered a forensic audit to investigate all financial contracts and purchases conducted during Horton’s tenure. The board approved the audit unanimously. So, where’s the audit? A forensic audit is a specialized accounting review of financial records conducted to seek evidence when there is suspicion of fraud, embezzlement or other financial crimes. The board approved a contract with Plante Moran for a $125,000 forensic audit covering the full span of Horton’s tenure, July 1, 2023, through October 10, 2025. The audit’s scope included a forensic examination of all DeKalb County School District purchasing card accounts, executed independent contractor agreements (ICAs) for professional services and executed contracts for change orders to capital, construction and non-capital procurement.

It also included emails sent from and received at DCSD email addresses related to certain vendors, individuals and other key topics mentioned or related to the indictment, as well as any communications related to possibly fraudulent or inappropriate purchasing card transactions. The original timeline called for data collection from November 2025 to January, analysis of credit card, contract and email activity from February to April, and a reporting phase in May. On April 20, however, the school board discussed the matter in executive session and unanimously approved an increase in the forensic audit budget from $125,000 to $200,000, as well as a time extension to “early July” 2026 for reporting. The expanded scope required Plante Moran to analyze additional email activity for three weeks and conduct interviews for another three weeks. The district discussed this update at its audit committee meeting on May 28. Since then, the district has made no statement, mention or public vote for an extension of the contracted forensic audit. The district has provided no update on the cause of this delay. The district has held no audit committee meetings and has not scheduled any since May 28. According to DeKalb Schools policy BBC-R(1): Board Committees - Standing Committees, ”the audit committee will conduct meetings at least quarterly.” In a response to a Decaturish open records request on Oct. 7, a DeKalb legal services representative said the investigation was still pending. “The independent audit is still pending. Pursuant to GA Code § 5018-72(a)(8), pending investigations are exempt from public disclosure until 10 days after the same has been presented to the agency or an officer for action, or the investigation is otherwise concluded or terminated,” DeKalb Schools legal representative said. Decaturish has repeatedly asked whether an extension had been granted and for more details as to the audit’s timeline. In July, a legal services representative repeated the same response and added that the audit was not being driven by an estimated timeline, despite the contract’s timeline originally being approved for a six-week extension in April. “While we understand the public's interest in the independent audit's completion, it is important that the review is conducted thoroughly and accurately rather than being driven by an estimated timeline. We will provide updates to the Board and the public, as appropriate, once additional information is available,” the legal representative said in July.

AppenMedia.com/Dunwoody | Dunwoody Crier | October 22, 2026 | 3

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4 | October 22, 2026 | Dunwoody Crier | AppenMedia.com/Dunwoody

City offers help with business, alcohol license renewals

COURTESY CITY OF DUNWOODY

Employees of the Dunwoody Public Works Department join the 2025 Great Dunwoody Cleanup. The city will hold this year’s cleanup Nov. 14.

Registration open for Nov. 14 Great Dunwoody Cleanup DUNWOODY, Ga. — Registration is open for the Nov. 14 Great Dunwoody Cleanup, and organizers are inviting families, neighbors, classes and community groups to take part. The citywide effort lets groups adopt a stream, street, neighborhood common area or wooded space to clean. “The Great Dunwoody Cleanup keeps gaining momentum because it’s easy for anyone to jump in,” Dunwoody

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DUNWOODY, Ga. — City officials are hosting open-house sessions to help business owners renew their occupational tax and alcohol privilege licenses before the Nov. 30 deadline. The sessions are held at Dunwoody City Hall, 4800 Ashford Dunwoody Road, and are put on by the city’s business licensing division. Sessions are 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. Oct. 23 and Nov. 18 and 4:30 to 6 p.m. Nov. 6. Businesses must have an occupational tax license to operate in Dunwoody. Businesses must renew this license each year. Businesses that sell or serve alcoholic beverages must also have an alcohol privilege license. This also applies to wholesalers or importers of alcoholic beverages. This license must also be updated annually. The city recently emailed a streamlined renewal packet to addresses on file for business owners in the city. Businesses with no changes in ownership, registered agents or other required information may be eligible to use those packets to renew their licenses. Businesses with changes to their information should contact the business

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AppenMedia.com/Dunwoody | Dunwoody Crier | October 22, 2026 | 5

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6 | October 22, 2026 | Dunwoody Crier | AppenMedia.com/Dunwoody

NEWS

DeKalb County commissioner denounces Shadowbox reps By DYANA BAGBY dyana@appenmedia.com DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — DeKalb County Commissioner LaDena Bolton denounced officials at Shadowbox Studios after they showed up at an Oct. 13 DeKalb County Board of Commissioners meeting to support her proposal to define and classify data centers by size, energy usage, water use, noise and backup power. Bolton’s proposal to define data centers would lay the foundation for future county legislation to study and regulate the massive facilities, she said. It is the latest development in a saga over data center development in DeKalb County that has stretched on for more than a year. Commissioners face increasing pressure from developers to build the massive facilities. A temporary pause on data center development has been extended through the end of March 2027 as county officials work to determine how to regulate the facilities that house thousands of computer servers needed to meet the rising demand for artificial intelligence. Peter Rumbold, CEO of Shadowbox Studios, and Jeff Weber, the company’s chief real estate development officer, attended the meeting. Shadowbox Studios wants to build an approximately 1.1 million-square-foot data center on 155 acres of its property in south DeKalb, once eyed for a film studio expansion. The company and its real estate affiliate, Henrico 183, recently sued DeKalb County over its moratorium on new data center development. “We are supportive of Dr. Bolton’s idea of correcting the process, and have been attempting for months to engage in constructive dialogue with the county,” Rumbold said during public comment at the start of the meeting. “All of this because we are deeply concerned that the tenor of the proposed regulatory framework around data centers will lead to a de facto ban on them across the county.” Rumbold said Bolton’s suggestions are “largely practical” but questioned the proposal to ban data centers larger than 1 million square feet. “That is the equivalent of having the definition of multifamily use state that an owner can never develop more than 250 apartment units on their site, regardless of whether that site is 20 acres or 2,000 acres,” Rumbold said as many in the audience turned their backs on him to show their opposition. Rumbold went on to say his company’s proposed data center would generate over $130 million in property tax revenue each year — roughly $56 million to DeKalb County, $14 million to the Metro South Community Improvement District and $63 million to the DeKalb County

DYANA BAGBY/APPEN MEDIA

Jeff Weber, chief development officer for Shadowbox Studios, is jeered at the Oct. 13 DeKalb County Board of Commission meeting after speaking in support of data centers. The company is suing the county trying to overturn its temporary pause on data center development so it can build a massive facility in south DeKalb. School District. Several people in the audience audibly jeered his numbers. Weber followed Rumbold and told commissioners residents were sharing “significant inaccuracies” about data centers. For example, he said, the average daily usage for cooling Shadowbox’s proposed data center would be “less than 3,000 gallons [of water] per day, roughly the amount of water used by just a single fast food restaurant.” “And not the millions and millions of gallons often cited,” Weber said. “In fact, on Dr. Bolton’s proposed definitions, our facility would be considered a low-water facility, only marginally higher than the lowest proposed water use designation.” Several people also jeered Weber. Hours later, when Bolton’s item finally came up for consideration on the lengthy agenda, she took a few minutes to address Rumbold’s and Weber’s comments. She denied any connection to them or to Blackhall Studios, the company once owned by Ryan Millsap and now known as Shadowbox Studios. “Y’all, this morning, my name was called, and I want to make it very clear — I’m about to nip this in the bud — I don’t know nobody from Blackhall. I don’t know nobody from Henrico. I don’t know nobody from Shadowbox,” Bolton said, her voice quivering. “I don’t want nobody associating me or this document with anybody who called my name this morning,” she added. “For a year and a half, we’ve been talking about these doggone data centers, and ain’t nobody from your organization been up here. And I find it peculiar that when there’s a lawsuit in place, you come up in here calling my name. We’re not going to do that. We’re going to cut that

off right now.” Bolton originally proposed an ordinance to define and classify data centers, but said Oct. 13 that she now wants the legislation to be considered a resolution. An ordinance is a written, legally binding law, while a resolution is a formal expression of the board’s opinion or policy. Commissioner Michelle Long Spears asked Bolton about limiting data centers to no more than 1 million square feet. “Just making sure I’m crystal clear on this, you’re suggesting nothing larger than a million square feet,” Spears asked. “I am, and I do want to reiterate that I’ve always said I don’t believe in campussized data centers,” Bolton said. “You can put a line item that implies that something larger is excluded. But yes, I don’t think it’s worth studying because the community doesn’t want that.” Spears asked how the proposal could be changed. Bolton told her she did not want to be the only sponsor of the resolution and wanted all commissioners to have a hand in writing it. “Because this was intended to be heard in committee, I don’t want to override the committee process,” Bolton said. “I do want us to work on it together. I would prefer if all of us were sponsors on this and we come together and define what data centers are.” Bolton said DeKalb County must define what a data center is before it can consider any zoning regulations or even an environmental impact study. “We need to make sure everybody is on the same playing field, not just the [county] departments, but any third parties,” she said. “Everybody needs to be looking at the same thing, so we’re not comparing apples and oranges. We need to make sure we’re all looking at the

same defined structure of a data center.” The debate over data centers in DeKalb County is heated. Dozens of residents and activists have attended board meetings regularly for more than a year, telling commissioners that the massive facilities will strain the county’s water system, drain electricity from nearby residents and create noise pollution. Several people at the Oct. 13 meeting spurned Bolton’s proposal during public comment. “Data centers are not effective tools for economic development,” said Jonathan Holly, a Kirkwood resident. “They require massive capital investment and yield very few permanent local jobs,” he said. “I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: They steal our land, drink our water, drain our power and they are an essential piece of an anti-human project. There is no responsible way to build an industrial parasite. Don’t set definitions; just ban them.” Gina Mangham of the DeKalb Citizens Coalition, a group of activists formed to fight data center development in the county, blasted Bolton for not seeking community input before introducing her proposal. “You’re pushing definitions with no basis, even without a past committee review,” Mangham said. “Why? What is the rush and what is the purpose? Your resolution is premature, but you put us on the defense. So let me be clear: We do not need definitions.” Commissioners finally agreed to hold off another month before taking up the resolution. The resolution will go before the Planning, Economic Development and Community Services Committee Oct. 27 and is slated to go before the full board Nov. 10.

AppenMedia.com/Dunwoody | Dunwoody Crier | October 22, 2026 | 7

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A vendor painted a ghost on a child’s face Oct. 4 at the 2025 Carvin’ in Crabapple festival which drew 1,500 people.

Halloween and fall events across Dunwoody and north Fulton By HANNAH YAHNE hannah@appenmedia.com ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Trunk-or-treats, costume contests and a goat pumpkineating contest are among the fall events planned across north Fulton County and Dunwoody through Nov. 1. Dunwoody Free flashing reflectors from the Dunwoody Police Department help kids stay visible on Halloween night. They’re available while supplies last. Spooky Fridays featuring a showing of “Hocus Pocus,” Friday, Oct. 23 at dusk, at Ashford Lane, 4500 Olde Perimeter Way. Halloween Farm Festival, Saturday, Oct. 24, noon to 6 p.m., at Donaldson-Bannister Farm, 4831 Chamblee Dunwoody Road. There will be a candy mystery, games, crafts, a petting zoo, live music and food. Admission is free, and activities cost 75 cents to $4. Truck or Treat, Thursday, Oct. 29, 5-8 p.m., Brook Run Park, 4770 North Peachtree Road. There will be food

trucks, live entertainment and trick-ortreating. Haunting at High Street, Saturday, Oct. 31, 5:30-8:30 p.m., on The Green, 101 High St. There will be trick-or-treating, live music, face painting and a costume contest. Goat-pumpkin pie eating contest, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2-3 p.m., Brook Run Park. Bring your pumpkins for the goats and vote for the hungriest one. Sandy Springs Spooky Springs, Saturday, Oct. 24, 5-7 p.m., Abernathy Greenway Playable Art Park, 70 Abernathy Road. Admission is free, with trick-or-treat stations, face painting, music and food vendors. Roswell Halloween Fun House, Friday, Oct. 23, 4:30-7 p.m., East Roswell Recreation Center, 9000 Fouts Road. There will be magic shows, crafts, inflatables and trick-or-treating, and costumes are encouraged.

See EVENTS, Page 9

Events:

COMMUNITY

AppenMedia.com/Dunwoody | Dunwoody Crier | October 22, 2026 | 9

Continued from Page 8 Adaptive Truck or Treat, Saturday, Oct. 24, 10 a.m. to noon, Waller Park, 250 Oak St. Unique Individual Ranch hosts this free, sensory-friendly event for children and teens with special needs. Registration is required. Trunk or Treat, Friday, Oct. 30, 4-7 p.m., Roswell City Hall, 38 Hill St. The Roswell Police Department will have candy, games and a petting zoo. Alpharetta Trick-or-Treating at Avalon, Saturday, Oct. 24, 10 a.m. to noon, rain or shine. There will be candy and activities, plus a Rhythm n’ Shoes dance show at noon. Johns Creek Ghosts and Goblins Gala, Saturday, Oct. 24, 6-8 p.m., at Autrey Mill Nature Preserve. The adults-only evening includes heavy hors d’oeuvres, drinks and a silent auction. Tickets are $50, or $85 for couples. Party on the Plaza, Friday, Oct. 30, 6-10 p.m., at Medley. The grand opening celebration is a free, family-friendly Halloween night with live music. Milton Carvin’ in Crabapple, Saturday, Oct. 24, 4-7 p.m., Broadwell Pavilion, 12615 Broadwell Road. Bring your own pumpkin. Carving and painting tools are provided, along with face painting, games and inflatables. The Milton Police Department’s Trunk-orTreat runs at the same time.

HANNAH YAHNE/APPEN MEDIA

Children gather in front of a Milton Fire-Rescue Department fire truck at the 2025 Carvin’ in Crabapple festival at Broadwell Pavilion.

10 | October 22, 2026 | Dunwoody Crier | AppenMedia.com/Dunwoody

NEWS

What ESPLOST projects are on the ballot for DeKalb voters By JIM BASS jim@appenmedia.com DEKALB COUNTY, Ga — Ahead of the Nov. 3 election, school districts are firming up plans for what the upcoming Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax VII will fund. ESPLOST is a voter-approved 1-cent sales tax that helps fund the school districts’ capital projects. ESPLOST VII is expected to collect more than $925 million across three school districts by 2032. If DeKalb County voters approve it, ESPLOST VII would begin July 1, 2027, and run until 2032. The funds would be mostly distributed to DeKalb County School District, with City Schools of Decatur and Atlanta Public Schools receiving small percentages based on their student enrollment totals inside DeKalb County. DeKalb County School District DeKalb schools estimates that it will receive roughly $825 million over the five-year duration of ESPLOST VII. At a called board meeting Sept. 16, the district discussed project recommendations for what could be funded but that could change. Chief of Capital Improvement Darrell Stallings said that unlike previous ESPLOSTs, the district may review and propose these recommendations annually to avoid project deferrals or cancellations, which affected ESPLOST V and VI plans. Several projects proposed in ESPLOST VII are deferred projects from ESPLOST VI. District leaders pitched four options for the ESPLOST VII schedule. Several projects, including 14 roof replacements for $50 million to $65 million; 20 HVAC replacements for $100 to $120 million; and all ESPLOST VI deferred projects, are listed across all four options. Below is a list of all schools listed for possible HVAC or roof replacements: Druid Hills High School’s modernization project, already approved in December 2025 for $175 million, is also listed across all four options. Two of the four options consider districtwide high school athletic field upgrades, one for $40 million that would cover lighting upgrades and another for $145 million that would cover lighting, restroom, concessions and bleachers upgrades. Three of the four options list Clarkston High School to receive a major $165 million modernization. A fourth option allots only $15 million to the school, funding designs for a modernization but no construction. While the ESPLOST VII decision process takes place, the district is also undergoing its Student Assignment

A DeKalb County School District ESPLOST sign stands outside of Sequoyah Middle School. Project. The process attempts to redistrict the county to increase efficiency and relieve overcrowding and undercrowding in schools. In the Student Assignment Project’s middle and high school concepts released Sept. 15, the district focused on an imbalance created by the new Sequoyah High School. The addition leaves the district with one more high school than middle school. To address this, one of the four options proposes converting and modernizing Cross Keys Middle School for $100 million. Sequoyah Middle School has served as Cross Keys High School’s feeder, but once Sequoyah High School is completed in 2029, Cross Keys will lack a feeder middle school. The two options in the Student Assignment Project would be to create splits in middle schools to enter high schools or to open another middle school for more balance. Fire alarm upgrades, also a deferred item from ESPLOST VI, are listed in all options for $15 million. Similarly, district staff program management is listed for $60 million, and fine arts enhancements are listed in all options for $20 million. Multiple board members said this would not be enough to fund a previously discussed performing arts school and convocation center. Other projects listed across all four options include renovations at Allgood Elementary and Rock Chapel elementary schools for $40 million each, and a $30 million Miller Grove High School roof and full facade replacement to repair water

JIM BASS/APPEN MEDIA

infiltration issues across the school. Each option includes a varying amount – between $30 million and $115 million – going toward the district’s department of innovation and information technology, with some options including a new phone system, network infrastructure, video surveillance and instructional devices. Below is the full list of the four options proposed during the meeting:

These include roofing upgrades, security systems, elevator fixes, new playgrounds and a stadium returf at Decatur High School. The district also allots $13 million toward outstanding debt and the lease of a public works building. In addition, $2.4 million will go toward instructional equipment and $2.4 million will go to technology like wireless networks, data systems, etc.

City Schools of Decatur The City Schools of Decatur is expected to receive about $58.3 million, according to its proposed ESPLOST VII project plan. The planning estimate is still awaiting board approval. Earlier this year, Decatur schools discovered an error in ESPLOST VI funding payouts, receiving less than expected over four years. DeKalb County Schools failed to provide the state of Georgia with a Certificate of Distribution, so funds were distributed based on outdated ESPLOST V enrollments. Because of the error, DeKalb was forced to pay Decatur Schools $9 million and Atlanta schools $2.9 million in ESPLOST funds; however, that total is not added to ESPLOST VII. For ESPLOST VII, Decatur Schools is planning to invest $12 million in a variety of capital, safety and security priorities. It also plans to replace $11 million worth of assets, including buses. Decatur Schools plans to spread $14.7 million across its 10 schools for several facility renewals and upgrades.

Atlanta Public Schools Atlanta Public Schools is expected to collect $789.5 million in ESPLOST VII funding from Fulton County. Because Atlanta’s boundary overlaps with parts of western DeKalb County, it projects $41.5 million from DeKalb’s ESPLOST. Several schools would receive renovations, expansions or additions, in addition to new schools and several planned improvements to infrastructure, safety and security, technology, athletics and transportation. APS projects planned in the east Atlanta area include additions to Midtown High School and Maynard Jackson High School and HVAC system replacements to Hope Hill Elementary School and Mary Lin Elementary School. The plan also includes a new medical magnet academy and an Atlanta School of the Arts scheduled for 2028. To read more about Atlanta Schools’ potential ESPLOST VII projects, visit atlantapublicschools.us/about/ departments/operations/facilities/ esplost.

COMMUNITY

AppenMedia.com/Dunwoody | Dunwoody Crier | October 22, 2026 | 11

PET OF THE WEEK

NARAFELLE Narafelle (ID No. 61263833) — It’s easy to fall in love with Narafelle. Volunteers and staff certainly have. She went out to have her photos taken and hopped up on a bench with one and a lounge chair with another. Her tail was wagging, and she was happy and smiling — and so was everybody else. She’s a lovebug who walks well on a leash and is very gentle and low-key. She’s about 51 pounds, 5 years old and has pretty caramel-and-white coloring. She’s irresistible across the board and about as sweet and easy as they come. Check out her video, and then come meet Narafelle and fall in love. Expand your family by four furry little feet; meet Narafelle and have a loving friend forever. All adoptions include spay/neuter, vaccinations and microchip. All you have to do is provide the love and security that every shelter animal deserves! If you would like more information about Narafelle or if you have questions about adopting, fostering or volunteering, please email adoption@dekalbanimalservices.com or call 404-294-2165. All potential

IMAGE PROVIDED TO APPEN MEDIA

adopters will be screened to ensure Narafelle goes to a good home. Come visit Narafelle and hundreds of other adoptable pets at DeKalb County Animal Services today — no appointment needed! Our address is 3280 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, Chamblee, GA 30340. You can also email adoption@dekalbanimalservices. com or call 404-294-2165 for more information. We look forward to helping you find your new best friend!

October 22, 2026 | Dunwoody Crier | 12

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14 | October 22, 2026 | Dunwoody Crier | AppenMedia.com/Dunwoody

NEWS

Kosher: Continued from Page 1

PHOTOS BY: JAMIE GODIN/APPEN MEDIA

A member of the Grillin Tefillin barbecue team serves chili to festivalgoers during the Atlanta Kosher BBQ Festival Oct. 18 in Dunwoody.

Ed Heller of Masterful Menches of Meat samples food during the Atlanta Kosher BBQ Festival Oct. 18 in Dunwoody. The team was the festival’s grand champion in 2025.

Plan: Continued from Page 1 Mayor Lynn Deutsch said the state should select a developer for the projects on Cotillion and Savoy drives by the end of this year, and current plans could be modified. Lautenbacher asked whether Dunwoody would have any input on the redesign. Cotillion Drive, however, is owned by the state. “If it wasn’t a GDOT road, it’d be a whole different conversation,” Deutsch said. Council Member Rob Price said the area is “ripe for redevelopment” and that updated guidance from residents on what they want it to look like is important. Deutsch said public input was “tremendous,” with more than 100 people attending a public meeting on the plan. High Street modifications Council members supported the

altered zoning conditions requested by High Street Development to build three commercial buildings instead of a seven-story residential building. No public comments were made. Senior Planner Madalyn Smith said this layout will provide “a different relationship … than the traditional mixed-use buildings that they’ve constructed so far.” The modified plans include two new green spaces, about 100 surface parking spaces and an underground garage. The change is specific to Block 6, which is expected to be built alongside Block 5 in the development’s second phase. The first phase, completed in 2024, includes 598 apartments, 42,600 square feet of office space and 164,361 square feet of retail. Deutsch said she wants the plan adjusted to better account for deliveries and temporary parking. Representatives from the developer said they will return Oct. 26 with those changes.

Kansas City Barbecue Societycertified judges evaluate the entries. “All of our meat is kosher,” Morris said. “One of the things that we do to keep it that way is we actually supply all the meat, all the grills, all the utensils, everything.” Morris said 15 teams competed this year, fewer than usual. Last year’s festival drew about 4,000 people, she said. This year also marked a move to a larger site after the festival spent most of its previous years at the same location. For some teams, the competition began long before the festival opened. Will Tovey said members of his team had already been at the site for hours when they learned there was a problem with the refrigerated truck holding the competition meat. “The refrigerator truck that was supposed to keep it all refrigerated did not, in fact, keep it refrigerated,” Tovey said. “So we threw it all out.” Replacement briskets arrived in the early morning hours, but they were frozen. “We got frozen briskets here at 1 in the morning, and I don’t know if you’ve ever tried to grill a frozen brisket,” Tovey said. “We can’t do that.” The team improvised, using propane burners and large trays of water to thaw the meat before cooking.

A decorative ram wearing mock tefillin is displayed during the Atlanta Kosher BBQ Festival Oct. 18 in Dunwoody. Tovey said the brisket finally went on the grill around 4 a.m. The team had been at the site since the previous night. Despite the overnight scramble, the team finished second in the chili competition. By Sunday afternoon, much of the cooking had wrapped up as attendees moved between food vendors, activity areas and team tents across the festival grounds. Morris said the event’s broader purpose goes beyond the competition. “Our organization is about connecting Jewish Atlanta,” she said. “We do it through festivals.”

COURTESY CITY OF DUNWOODY

High Street Development’s revised plan for Block 6 replaces a seven-story residential building with three commercial buildings framing a central green.

AppenMedia.com/Dunwoody | Dunwoody Crier | October 22, 2026 | 15

16 | October 22, 2026 | Dunwoody Crier | AppenMedia.com/Dunwoody

AIKENOMICS

OPINION

Why local newspapers still matter more than ever Now that The Atlanta JournalConstitution has ended home delivery throughout metro Atlanta, I think many of us have a new appreciation for just how important our local newspapers D.C. AIKEN really are. Guest Columnist We are fortunate dcaiken.com to still have publications like Appen Media that understand what local journalism is supposed to be about: covering the stories that directly affect the communities where we live, work, raise our families and do business. Local government. Local schools. Local sports. Community events. New businesses. Development. Elections. And, yes, sometimes those seemingly small stories that will never make the national news but matter a great deal to the people who actually live here. Perhaps best of all, they still understand there is something special about receiving an actual newspaper

delivered to your home each week. No app. No scrolling. No searching through a website trying to figure out what happened down the street. Just a newspaper, a cup of coffee and an opportunity to find out what's happening in your community. For me, this is personal. I have lived in north Fulton for more than 50 years and grew up reading our local newspapers. When I was in high school — Go Hornets! — I couldn't wait to read the paper and see what was happening in local high school sports. As the years passed, my perspective changed. I still followed the sports pages, but from 2001 through 2015, I had the privilege of serving Alpharetta as a council member and mayor pro tem. Suddenly, I wasn't just reading the local news. Occasionally, I was part of it. And having spent those years on the other side of the reporter's notebook, I can tell you something important: Good local journalism matters. Over those years, our local journalists consistently treated me with respect. They asked tough questions when necessary, but their reporting on

PROVIDED

A Milton Herald reader’s dog, Buddy, pictured after fetching the paper.

Alpharetta and their interviews with city officials were, in my experience, accurate and fair. Today, the relationship has come full circle. I am fortunate that these local publications carry many of my economic articles. I try to write about economics for the "common man" ... people like my fictional friend Joe Lunch Pale, who

occasionally makes an appearance as he tries to navigate mortgage rates, inflation, housing costs and the everyday challenges of our local economy. National news certainly matters. Washington matters. Wall Street matters ... but what's happening at City Hall, in our schools, on Friday nights at the football field, at the business opening down the street or with the development being proposed around the corner often matters a whole lot more ... because this is home. It's fall fundraising time for our local newspapers, so I would encourage you to give what you can to support Appen Media. Local journalism isn't free to produce, and once it disappears, it is awfully difficult to bring back. Let's make sure the next generation can still experience what so many of us grew up with: opening the front door, picking up the local paper, pouring a cup of coffee and discovering what's happening right down the street. Support local journalism. Support our communities. And let's keep that newspaper coming home. Learn more at appenmedia.com/join.

PAST TENSE

The different voting locations of the 1930s and ’40s People who lived in Dunwoody in the 1930s and 1940s voted at Nash’s Store. The store was on the west side of Nandina Lane from the beginning of the 20th century until the VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF 1920s, when it moved to the corner of Columnist Chamblee Dunwoody and Mount Vernon roads. The store was also the location of Shallowford District Court meetings. (“History of DeKalb County, GA 1822-1900,” by Vivian Price) Polling locations for DeKalb and Fulton counties were regularly listed in the Atlanta newspapers by militia districts, which were first established in 1784. Within the Cross Keys District, Brookhaven citizens voted at Harkey’s Pharmacy, located in the business district on Peachtree Road and next door to Brookhaven Hardware. City Hall was the location for voters in Chamblee, also part of the Cross Keys District. In Doraville, voting took place at the family-owned Munday’s Store. The Oak

Grove District of Fulton County, today’s Sandy Springs, voted in the “vacant store next door to Sandy Springs Pharmacy.” (Atlanta Journal, Nov. 1, 1936, “Location of Ballot Boxes, Fulton, DeKalb County”) Farther down Roswell Road in Grogan’s District, voters went to D.H. Brantley’s store and service station, also known as The Pines. Those living in Roswell were told to vote at Cecil Coleman’s Filling Station. Over the years, some voting locations stayed the same, and others changed. At Grogan’s, the location changed to Morgan Falls School, and those living in Oak Grove voted at Sandy Springs School. The American Legion Hall, located close to the fire station, became Brookhaven’s voting place. The Dunwoody Grammar School served as a voting location for the Shallow Ford District, and Chamblee voted at Hughes Drug Store. (Atlanta Journal, June 6, 1950) If a town had a courthouse, it usually served as the polling location. Alpharetta listed the Old Courthouse, and the people of Decatur voted at their courthouse. The city of Atlanta began researching

APPEN MEDIA FILE PHOTO

the feasibility of voting machines in 1941. After Roy LeCraw defeated Mayor William B. Hartsfield by a little over 100 votes in the 1940 election, the city aimed for accuracy and faster results. When LeCraw returned to military service in 1942, Hartsfield became Atlanta’s mayor again following a special election. (Atlanta Journal Magazine, Oct. 14, 1945, “Voting Machines for Atlanta?”) By 1950, all Fulton County precincts had voting machines, and voters were encouraged to review the proposed constitutional amendments before going

to the polls. A sample voting machine was placed in the Fulton County Courthouse so voters could become familiar with the new voting method. (Atlanta Journal, Nov. 5, 1950, “Voter’s Aid Asked to Speed Balloting”) It is important to note that the people voting in these locations and throughout Georgia were overwhelmingly white voters. Although the 15th Amendment gave Black men the right to vote, that right was not enforced, and there were efforts for decades to prevent them from voting. The 1965 Voting Rights Act finally brought about change. “The law outlawed literacy tests, poll taxes, and other obstacles to voting. It gave the federal government the authority to take over voter registration wherever voting rights were threatened.” (Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, “150 Years and Counting”) Award-winning author Valerie Biggerstaff is a longtime columnist for Appen Media and the Dunwoody Crier. She lives in Atlanta. Write her at pasttensega@gmail.com. Learn more at pasttensega.com.

GET OUTSIDE GEORGIA

OPINION

AppenMedia.com/Dunwoody | Dunwoody Crier | October 22, 2026 | 17

STEVE HUDSON/APPEN MEDIA

My buddy Marty tries his luck in the waters of Talking Rock Creek, which flows beside a small park in the town of Talking Rock. It’s a beautiful place to explore on a fine fall day.

Telling it like you want it to be Ahh. It’s election time, and (coincidentally) fall is here at last. Can fall fishing be far behind? There’s that hint of crispness in the air (which refreshes me!) and interminable political ads on the STEVE HUDSON TV (which give me Columnist indigestion). OK, let’s cut to the chase: I hate those ads. They are almost universally of the he-said-she-said variety, meanspirited and jaggedly biting and all the rest of those things that folks of a more civilized ilk forswore back in second grade. But there’s nowhere else to go. So I listen to the talking heads, hearing the charges and counter-charges, wondering where they were when their mommas were trying to teach them how to behave in a nominally civilized world. Those are not happy people, I say to myself as yet another one winds up and makes the pitch. I realize that I wouldn’t invite a single one of ’em to go fishing with me. Life’s too short to hang out with people who bring you down, and that seems to be the thrust of so many of the ads — not to inform or educate or help me decide important things in reasoned ways, but rather to inflame and polarize and incite disjointedness when positivity might be what we need instead. Inevitably, I wonder: What makes them think I want them running my world? And there’s that other question too. Where’s the truth? What’s real?

I was talking recently with someone near and dear to me. We were talking politics (not a good idea sometimes), and my conversational companion had just made a statement that was so far from reality that even that second grader would have known. Being of the journalistic persuasion, I called foul. The response was disturbing. “Those may be your facts,” I was told in no uncertain terms. “But I have my own facts.” And that was that, and ne’er the twain shall meet. So, again, what’s real? I’ll tell you what’s real. What’s real is fishing. What’s real is the little bass I tangled with last week on Talking Rock Creek. The afternoon had opened up, so my buddy Marty and I took a couple of hours and made the short drive up to the town of Talking Rock. It’s a neat little town just off Interstate 575, and (icing on the cake) it boasts a creek (Talking Rock Creek), which flows along right beside a public park. No fisherman could ask for more. How would it be? We were going to find out. “I think,” I said to Marty, “that this is going to be good.” That at least is how I wanted it to be. The creek was flowing low and clear, and the fish can see you coming a mile away. That’s tough. But now and then, if you’re careful, and if the light falls just right, you can ease up on a likely spot and make a cast. So I did just that, offering a tiny little pink spider I call the Gracie Bug (after

granddaughter Gracie, who picked the color). The little fly landed softly and began drifting down the run, bouncing on the riffles in the fast water at the head of the pool and then slowing as the water deepened. That deep water was the target. If there were fish here, I knew, that’s where they’d be — there unseen in the deep places, tucked up close to the rocks, waiting for something interesting to float along. The bug drifted on — and then there was a splash as something came up from the depths and grabbed the Gracie Bug and took off across the pool. I set the hook, and a few minutes later I cradled a small Talking Rock Creek bass in my hand. I thanked the fish. That’s what we do, you know. The fish said, “Any time!” and with a flick of its tail slipped from my palm and returned to its refuge among the rocks. I kind of envied the fish. It would not have to put up with any political ads that night. It would not have to worry about what’s real and what’s illusion, would not have to be bothered by raging rhetoric and baffled by the task of figuring out what’s truth and what is, well, not just lies but dam’ lies. In these days of confused situations (another song reference there — did you catch the others?), it becomes so important to divine fact from fabrication. How do you do that? One way is the way this paper does it — through careful research, hard questions, unfettered investigation — through quality reporting, in other words. There is still some of that out there, and you can be a part of it

through the Appen Press Club. When you join, you’re making a contribution to the future health of solid reporting. The dollars go straight to funding the quality local journalism for which Appen Media’s various news outlets are known. Check it out at appenmedia.com/join. You’ll be doing something worthwhile, and our corner of the world will be a better and more honest place because of it. Because ... why? Because it’s important to know how things really are. There’s a line in a song by Chris Thile (of Nickel Creek fame, if you’re a fan of progressive bluegrass music) and Thomas Bartlett. The song is “Falsetto,” and let me warn you that it’s overtly political in case such things upset you. Anyway, some of the lyrics go like this: “Don’t tell it like it is,” Thile sings. “Don’t tell it like it was. Just tell it like I want it to be.” Is that an observation? Or is it a warning? I play that song in my head just now as I turn on the TV, for there they are — the same old angry voices, charging and accusing and innuendo-ing. Listening to it could make me sad if I let it. But it doesn’t. Come morning, it’ll still be early fall. In Talking Rock Creek, the bass will still be patrolling the deep places, waiting for something interesting to float by. Maybe that something will be another Gracie Bug. Maybe the big one is down in there somewhere, keeping one eye on the flow, wondering if I’m really serious about it. Waiting ...

Puzzles

Dunwoody Crier 10/22/26 Connect-It

Connect-It

Dunwoody Crier Crier................................October 22, 2026 | 18 Dunwoody 10/22/26 Crossword

Across

1 Concludes 5 Lackawanna’s lake 9 Wistful word 13 Writer Ephron 14 Do penance 15 Singer Falana 16 Black stone 17 Hare 19 Letters of distress 20 Columbo star Peter 21 Jewish scholar 22 Successor 24 Stir-fry pan 26 Yang’s counterpart 27 Amphitheater 29 Droop 30 Most painful 32 Eight furlongs 34 Wager 37 Gob 38 Douglas ﬁr, e.g. 40 Harem room 41 One of Alcott’s Little Women 42 Kind of exam 43 Farm horse 45 Draw 46 Liabilities 47 Split pea 50 Electric ﬁsh 51 Depend 52 ___ artery 54 Feathery scarves 56 Barbecue site 59 Craziness 62 Former Yugoslav leader 63 Band member

7 Dunwoody Crier 10/22/26 Sudoku

1 Son of Seth 2 Faux pas 3 After dinner drink 4 Woodwind instrument 5 And others, for short 6 Stone 7 Octopus’s defense 8 Always, in verse

9 Jessica of Dark Angel 10 Foyer 11 Excuse 12 Gown material 14 Open slightly 18 Biblical boat 20 Debacle 23 Compass pt. 24 Homeless child 25 Looked amorously 27 Hammett hound 28 Drift 29 Photog’s request 31 Bakery offering 33 Wears away 34 Hair holders

Partners

10/22/26 Puzzle How to Solve: Each line in the puzzle Dunwoody above has Crier three clues andKakuro three answers. The last letter in the first answer on each line is 1. first Brass Hobbes’ partner. Music genre. the lettercomponent. 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 Kakuro, alsoThe known as Cross is a challenging number puzzle, crossword style grid. The rules are eas 2. Wear away. Bawl Chip’s for 3 answers on the line.out. Buteach here’s the partner. catch! clues are notSums, in order - so the first clue in Line 1solved may in(ora may not) actually To the solve the Sudoku puzzle, row, column and above the diagonal line in a black square is the sum of the white squares to the right of it. A number below the diagonal l be the second or the thirdnumbers answer in1that line. Got it? Good luck! boxformust contain to 9.

of themammal. white squares in the& sequence 3. Mork’s partner. Playful aquatic Up down below toy. it. You may only use the digits 1 to 9, and a digit can only be used once in an

4. Porgy’s partner. Free-for-all. Witch trials venue.

Down

40 43

64 Actor’s forte 65 From scratch 66 Bouquet 67 Consider 68 Doctrines

1. Brass component. Hobbes’ partner. Music genre. 2. Wear away. Bawl out. Chip’s partner. 3. Mork’s partner. Playful aquatic mammal. Up & down toy. 4. Porgy’s partner. Free-for-all. Witch trials venue. 5. Wine bottle info. Tidings. Ren’s partner. 6. Ollie’s partner. Spa feature. Rand McNally book. 7. Highway ramp. Knight fight. Gracie’s partner. PuzzleJunction.com

45 49

PARTNERS

29 31

21 24

PuzzleJunction.com

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, 4 and 6 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!

PuzzleJunction.com

35 Blue-pencil 36 Beach shades 39 Brad 44 Actress Barbara ___ Geddes 47 Repeat 48 For all to hear 49 Oblivion 50 Author Umberto 51 Beams 53 From a distance 54 Well (It.) 55 Provo neighbor 57 News bit 58 Pulls 60 Ancient 61 Fish story 62 Mai ___

5. Wine bottle info. Tidings. Ren’s partner.

6 3

6. Ollie’s partner. Spa feature. Rand McNally book. 7. Highway ramp. Knight fight. Gracie’s partner.

6 8 4

8 2

See puzzle solutions on Page 20

Would you like your business included in the next Real Estate Report? Reach affluent North Atlanta communities with

a circulation of 114,000 the first week of each month.

How to Solve: To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and box must contain the numbers 1 to 9.

How to Solve:Copyright Kakuro,©2026 also PuzzleJunction.com known as Cross Sums, is a challenging number puzzle, solved in a crossword style grid. The rules are easy: A number above the diagonal line in a black square is the sum of the white squares to the right of it. A number below the diagonal line is the sum of the white squares in the sequence below it. You may only use the digits 1 to 9, and a digit can only be used once in any sequence.

Solution

Solution 9 4 7 3 5 6 1 8 2

1 2 3 9 7 8 5 4 6

5 8 6 2 1 4 7 9 3

3 9 8 5 2 7 4 6 1

6 5 4 8 3 1 9 2 7

2 7 1 4 6 9 3 5 8

8 6 5 1 4 3 2 7 9

7 3 2 6 9 5 8 1 4

4 1 9 7 8 2 6 3 5

To learn more, call 770-442-3278 or email: mike@appenmedia.com

AppenMedia.com/Dunwoody | Dunwoody Crier | October 22, 2026 | 19

DEATH NOTICES Oscar Fleckner, age 85, of Roswell, GA passed away on October 8, 2026. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Patricia McDade, age 81, of Alpharetta, GA passed away on October 12, 2026. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Cornerstone Medical, Inc. will no longer participate in the Medicare Program (Title XVIII of the Social Security Act) effective October 31, 2026. The agreement between Cornerstone Medical and the Secretary of Health and Human Services will be terminated on October 31, 2026 in accordance with the provisions of the Social Security Act. The Medicare program will not make payment for durable medical equipment and oxygen therapy services furnished to patients who are admitted on or after October 31, 2026. For patients admitted and serviced prior to October 31, 2026, payment may continue to be made for up to 30 days for durable medical equipment services furnished on or after October 31, 2026. Janis Simmons Cornerstone Medical, Inc.

Susan Neel, age 83, of Alpharetta, GA passed away on October 10, 2026. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Carole Wilson, age 82, of Roswell, GA passed away on October 12, 2026. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

20 | October 22, 2026 | Dunwoody Crier | AppenMedia.com/Dunwoody

6 3

SOLUTIONS Solution

6 8 4

A L A S E R I E E N D S Join today L O L A A T O N E N O R A for $16/month J A C K R A B B I T O N Y X R A B B I F A L K S O S Y I N W O K H E I R PuzzleJunction.com 22/26 Kakuro A R E N A S A G B E T M I L E S O R E S T O D A C O N I F E R T A R DC Aiken N grid. The rules are easy: A number B B I style D inOa crossword A L solved O R puzzle, A M Y number Cross Sums, is a challenging Big Sky Franchise Team E B D right E T I squares number below the diagonal line is the sum of it.T A S to the in a black square is the sum of the white David & Michelle Bertany L the digitsR1 toE 9,LandYa digit can only be used once in any sequence. L may EonlyEuse D it.A You the sequence below MaryAnne Browne P I T B O A S I L I A C Amour & Duane Carthy T I T O T O M F O O L E R Y Scott Childress A N E W L I N E S T U B A I S M S D E E M O D O R

8 2

6 7 4 3 6 2 9 3 8 3 7 7 9 Connect-It Solution 4 5 1

Support Local News Join Appen Press Club CHARTER MEMBER Adam Corder Patrick Cressaty Lindsay DeFranco Robert Flint Robin Fricton Zachary Hahn

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Barbara Anderson Kerry Arias Scott Baynton Joseph Bell Rita Brown SM Buscher Mark Casas

David Conti Theodore Davis III Maureen Drumm Charlcie Forehand Aileen Horton Deborah Jackson David Johnson

Solution

7 G E O R G E X I T I L T

9 4 7 3 5 6 1 8 2

4 1 9 7 8 2 6 3 5

Kim Truett Roger Wise Jr. Colt Whittall

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Scan QR code to join the Appen Press Club

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Support Local News Join Appen Press Club

Join today for $16/month

MEMBER (CONT.) Susan Huss Paul Huth Jeffrey Hyde J. Craig Inman Sandra Jacobs Susan Jacques Lynn Johnson Tyler Jones Zach Jones Patricia Kachur Amy Kanderis Arthur Kebanli Laura Keck Mark Kelly Nancy Kennell Randall Kent Carol Kerr Sally Klaskala Allison Kloster Dyna Kohler Brett Koutnik Larry Krueger Jess & Chris Kysar Malinda Lackey Sarah Lamm Daniel Lashinsky Richard Lapin Christine Law Brandon Leach Dennis Lee Ken Leffingwell Carol Lehan

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Jay O’ Meara Celia Mendez Jennifer Mendoza Dan Merkel Al Merrill Chris Miller Christine Miller Patricia Miller Milton Animal Hospital George Mobley Joe Modica Fred Moeller Sarah Moen Catherine Moore Ralph Moore Carol Morgan Kathy Morgan Stu Moring Karen Mowery Leslie Mullis Donna Murphy Jack Murphy Aileen Nakamura George Nathan Caroline Naughton Richard Nichols Cindy Nolan North Fulton Master Gardeners, Inc. Carol & Carl Obenland Tricia Novarro Bob O’Brien Martha O’Brien

THE FUTURE OF LOCAL NEWS

Jay O’Meara Diana O’Sullivan Anne Pappas Lynn Pennington Jonathan Peters Kurt & Leslie Phillips Mary & Jan Phillips James Potts Debra Powell Seth Price Joyce Provissiero Chuck Pugh Douglas Quat Patricia Rackliffe Robert Radloff Raj Rajagopalan Pankaj Rajankar Ashwin Ramaswami Cheryl Rand Manu Rao James Rasmussen Paula Rattray Lori Rausch Jean Rearick Joseph Reed Scarlett Reynolds Righteous PR Angie Rigney Sean Riley Neil Robertson Rory Robichaux Kimberly Robinson

Continued innovation in digital media has changed the ways in which people buy, sell and interact with products and services. It has caused businesses to reassess the ways in which it communicates with potential customers and advertises its products. It has been well documented that these changes have had a destructive impact on local newspapers, which continues to be a primary source for local news, but is no longer a primary source for local advertising dollars – historically the lifeblood for reporters and their coverage. At Appen Media Group we want to address this conflict head on, and build new and innovative approaches to monetizing local news and creating a sustainable future for local journalism in metro Atlanta.

Matt Rohs Kim Romaner Rita Rosenthal Claudia Ross Courtney Rozear Fran Russell Janet Sandberg Carolina Santos Kelly Sarmiento Fran Schefer Derek Scheidt Dorothy Scherr Stephanie Schniederjan The Schoenblum Family Robert Scholz Robert Schreiner Stephanie Schuette Susan Searles Frances Segars Tracy Shealy Tina Shelton Lisa Shippel Steve Short Tom Simon Cindy Simpson Robert Singleton Faye Sklar Mitchel Skyer Judith Slaughter Andy Smith Lee Smith Tia Solh

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THE APPEN PRESS CLUB

One solution is the creation of a membership driven organization called the Appen Press Club that is dedicated to recruiting people and companies to join as members. Members pay recurring monthly or annual dues that are 100% dedicated to sustainable journalism. By providing predictable revenue, Appen Press Club members and partners help fund the salaries and expenses of local reporters who will no longer be subject to the whims of marketing budgets and an ever changing advertising world. In turn, those reporters will provide the readers they serve with highly researched and qualified journalism focused on subjects that directly affect their quality of life.

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22 | October 22, 2026 | Dunwoody Crier | AppenMedia.com/Dunwoody

SERVICE DIRECTORY Landscaping

Pressure Washing

AwArd winning LAndscApes

20 years of Keeping Dunwoody Green

Installation Maintenance Seasonal Color

Ogletree Enterprises

a MALTA Award Winning Firm Ken Ogletree

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CELEBRATING MY 45TH YEAR! THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU! • Competitive Pricing: Ext. house wash, fences, pool/patio decks & driveways (ASK ME ABOUT MY

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• BRICK • CONCRETE Alex Fraser, President www.alexfrasermasonry.com E-Mail: afrasermasonry@aol.com

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Driveways $250 OFF NEW DRIVEWAY!

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Mention this ad. Concrete driveway specialists. Driveways, Pool Decks, Patios, Walkways, Slabs. A+ BBB rating. FREE ESTIMATE. Call Rachael at 678-250-4546 to schedule a FREE Estimate. 30 years of experience. ARBOR HILLS CONSTRUCTION INC. Please note we do have a minimum charge on accepted jobs of $5,000.

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We sell, install and repair garage doors and openers.

Miscellaneous

Home Improvement

Rot Repair Technician

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Thurman | 770.899.1354 | www.rot-doc.com

Garage Doors

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Electricians

Belco Electric

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and follow us on:

Handyman Matthew the Handyman - Carpentry, painting, drywall, plumbing. Electrical and small jobs. 404-547-2079. CARPENTRY AND REPAIRS Wood Rot, Roof Leaks, Decks and Refinishing. Interior and Exterior Painting. Flooring, Doors and Handyman Punch Lists. Give us a call, we do it all. 770-262-6272.

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SERVICE DIRECTORY THE REESE GROUP INT LLC

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Full-Time Position: General and Operations Manager Company: Hi Level Fashion LLC Location: 4400 Ashford Dunwoody Rd., Suite 2030, Dunwoody, GA 30346 Duties: Manage daily operations; oversee administrative and financial functions; improve efficiency; develop policies and strategies; manage budgets; supervise staff; coordinate with vendors, clients, and departments; ensure legal and company compliance. Requirements: Associate’s degree; 36 months experience; Arabic, English & French required. Employment: Full-Time Contact: Osama Khrawesh | (919) 500-8786 | e.qusrawi@gmail.com

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LUXURY TEAM OF THE YEAR In terior South east ’s 2026 Real Estate A ward Winn er

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Both Both company-wide company-wide & & office-wide office-wide ranking ranking is is for for closed closed volume volume in in 2025. 2025. The The above above information information is is believed believed accurate, accurate, but but is is not not warranted. warranted. Harry Harry Norman, Norman, REALTORS®® is an exclusive member of Forbes Global Properties in Georgia. Forbes®® is a registered trademark used under license.