High school sports hosts media day
BULLDOGS 27, WILDCATS 10
Decatur’s steel defense overpowers Dunwoody
By ANNABELLE REITER annabelle@appenmedia.com
DECATUR, Ga — After both offenses slowed to a lull, the Decatur Bulldogs turned on the jets for an unanswered pair of touchdowns in the fourth quarter to secure a 27-10 win over Dunwoody Sept. 26.
Decatur, playing at home, forged a 10-0 lead that would have extended into the third quarter if not for a pass interference call that helped set up a 35-yard field goal from Dunwoody senior Christian Lee with four seconds left before halftime.
quarterback Jack
Dunwoody leaders exhale as proposed 2026 budget predicts sound financials
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody city leaders were set to discuss the city’s proposed 2026 budget this week, and all signs point to a more stable spending plan without dipping into reserves. For coverage of the meeting go to appenmedia.com or check next week’s Crier.
The proposed budget calls for overall spending of $70.5 million, representing a decrease of 0.15 percent from the current year.
While the overall budget for 2026 remains essentially flat, the city’s general fund is ticking up by about $1 million, or 2.71 percent, to $38 million. The general fund pays for day-to-day city operations like routine maintenance and personnel costs.
Much of the remainder of the budget goes toward capital projects – big-ticket items like equipment, sidewalks and street resurfacing. Capital projects are funded chiefly through sources like the special transportation sales tax and excess general fund revenues.
Over the past four years, the city has faced skin-tight spending plans that included the potential of drawing from its reserve fund to cover revenue shortfalls.
PHOTOS BY: ANNABELLE REITER/APPEN MEDIA
Decatur running back Isaac McCalep rushes for a first down at Decatur High School Sept. 26. McCalep plays on both sides of the ball, logging one pass deflection, and the Bulldogs went on to beat Dunwoody 27-10.
Dunwoody
Quartararo hands off to running back Cameron Irastorza at Decatur High School Sept. 26.
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DeKalb County approves real-time crime center
By ZOE SEILER zoe@appenmedia.com
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — DeKalb County will get a real-time crime center to track data and deploy more cameras and drones. At its Sept. 23 meeting, the DeKalb County Commission approved an $18 million contract with Flock Safety for the technology.
The contract will be paid for over the next 10 years. Because the contract is for 10 years, there will be layers of deployment strategies using crime data, identifying troubled areas, and focusing on tire dumping and street racing.
In a newsletter, DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson said the initiative, called Digital Shield, will deploy Flock Safety cameras and drone technology across the county to aid in technology-driven crime prevention. The initiative will be implemented immediately, but full deployment is expected within the next year.
The cameras and drones will also integrate with a $2 million Real Time Crime Center (RTCC) at the DeKalb Police Headquarters. The drones will be placed throughout unincorporated DeKalb.
“Digital Shield is about protecting every corner of DeKalb County,” Cochran-Johnson said. “This unprecedented investment delivers the tools our police officers need to prevent crime, solve cases faster and
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.
Repeat shoplifter arrested after 3 prior convictions
AAPPEN PRESSCLU B
DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody police arrested a 62-year-old Atlanta man for felony shoplifting Sept. 18 at the Target off Perimeter Center Place after discovering four prior convictions on his record.
A Target loss prevention officer told police that he apprehended the man after he passed all points of sale with a backpack full of store merchandise including food and alcoholic beverages.
The department’s report says the merchandise totaled $45.25.
An officer said Target employees asked to press charges against the man but did not want to issue him a criminal trespass warning.
While escorting the man out, the officer said he made several comments
give residents the peace of mind they deserve.”
Digital Shield uses advanced license plate recognition and real-time data sharing to help police track stolen vehicles, identify suspects and provide critical leads during investigations. The newsletter says cameras will cover major corridors, neighborhoods and high-traffic intersections throughout the county.
Dunwoody Police opened their own RTCC in August. The city’s program is also operated with equipment from Flock Safety.
The cost of the county’s Digital Shield in the first year is $561,000, and it increases from year to year over the next 10 years.
At the Employee Relations and Public Safety Committee Sept. 16 meeting, Police Chief Greg Padrick said the initiative includes more license plate reader cameras, pan-tilt cameras, four drones, three mobile security trailers, Flock 911 and more search functions in the system.
“This is very exciting. Multiple teams have been working on this strategy for a long time to basically put DeKalb County public safety at the forefront for technology-driven policing,” Padrick said. “The ultimate goal for Digital Shield for a Safer DeKalb is to protect our communities, empower our officers and enhance public safety and confidence in public safety as a whole.”
about running away the next time he is apprehended and returning to the store to shoplift again.
Because of the comments, Target loss prevention then requested he be criminally trespassed.
After he notified the suspect, the officer said the man told him he didn’t care and would be back.
The officer said he then searched the man’s criminal history, finding four prior shoplifting convictions from 201721 in Fulton County and the cities of Chamblee and Dunwoody.
In Georgia, shoplifting becomes a felony after a fourth conviction, even if the prior three offenses were misdemeanors.
After obtaining a felony shoplifting warrant, a prison transport officer took the man to DeKalb County Jail. As of Sept. 26, county records show he remains in jail.
— Hayden Sumlin College Park woman cited for felony shoplifting
DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody police arrested a 45-year-old College Park
Hi, I’m Zoe Seiler and I report on DeKalb County. If you have any story tips or ideas please contact me at zoe@appenmedia.com
Increased reach
Digital Shield is designed to expand officers’ reach, detect and deter crime and give DeKalb Police the opportunity to respond faster.
“What this does is provides 24/7 coverage far beyond what human resources can do,” Padrick said. “We have officers all throughout the county. They’re seen, but with this digital technology, the camera systems and the implementation that we’re looking for gives us a much greater footprint to have eyes in areas that we can’t always get to as fast as we would like.”
The Flock Safety operating system will centralize all camera feeds from license plate readers, the pan-tilt cameras and body-worn cameras. It will also centralize the drone dispatch and records management system.
The drones will be able to fly at 400 feet or higher, beyond the visual line of sight, covering 3.5 miles in any direction. Crime analysts and officers will be trained to operate the drones.
DeKalb County will have a total of 271 license plate readers, which help police with vehicle fingerprinting and recognition.
See CENTER, Page 17
woman for felony shoplifting Sept. 19 after she allegedly concealed two Dior gift sets at the Macy’s off Ashford Dunwoody Road.
An officer said he met with the store’s loss prevention team, which had already detained the woman after she attempted to pass all points of sale. The Macy’s merchandise totals $322.
After reviewing security footage of the incident, the officer said he placed the suspect under arrest and transported her to headquarters.
The officer said he sought charges for felony shoplifting after discovering the woman had three or more shoplifting convictions out of Cobb, DeKalb, Henry and Rockdale counties from 2015-21.
While speaking with the woman, the officer said she repeatedly gave him her sister’s name, which he discovered after checking her driver’s license.
Officers transported the woman to DeKalb County Jail for felony shoplifting and providing a false name to law enforcement.
As of Sept. 26, county records show she remains in jail.
— Hayden Sumlin
Deadline to register to vote is Oct. 6 for Georgia residents
By ZOE SEILER zoe@appenmedia.com
NORTH METRO ATLANTA — Heads up, voters. The deadline to register to vote or change an address is Oct. 6 for the upcoming municipal elections.
Cities across the state will elect their leaders. One statewide race for the Public Service Commission is also on the ballot. Election Day is Nov. 4.
Individuals who are at least 17 1/2 years old, United States citizens, and residents of Georgia and the county in which they live are eligible to register.
Persons cannot register to vote if they are currently serving a sentence for a felony or have been ruled mentally incompetent by a judge.
Voters may fill out a voter registration application and mail the completed and signed application to their county voter registration office.
The application requires a copy of an ID to be included. To view the application, visit https://sos. ga.gov/sites/default/files/forms/ GA_VR_APP_2019.pdf
Here are the addresses for some local registration offices:
• DeKalb County: Voter Registration & Election, 4380 Memorial Dr., Suite 300, Decatur, GA 30032-1239
• Fulton County: Fulton County Election Hub and Operation Center, 5600 Campbellton Fairburn Road, Union City, GA 30213
• Forsyth County: Forsyth County Voter Registrations & Elections, 1201 Sawnee Drive, Cumming, GA 30040
Individuals can register online if they have a valid driver’s license or Georgia identification card. To register online, visit https://mvp. sos.ga.gov/s/olvr-home.
According to Fulton County Elections, individuals should receive their precinct card in the mail within three to four weeks after registering to vote.
College students can update their voter registration to their college address. They can also vote absentee and should visit their home county’s voter registration office website for more information.
To check your voter registration status or update your address, visit https://mvp.sos.ga.gov/s/.
DEAN HESSE/APPEN MEDIA
People who are at least 17 1/2 years old, U.S. citizens, and residents of Georgia have until Oct. 6 to register to vote in the November election.
Chamblee Library opened in
The first library in Chamblee was opened by the city in Chamblee Plaza shopping center on Feb. 1, 1963. Betty Spiva was the first librarian, working along with Hazel Kelley and Margaret Johnson. Hazel Kelley took over as librarian when Betty Spiva left in 1965. Kelley continued in that role until 1983.
These women opened the 3,580-square-foot library. The library was open 23 hours each week and housed 5,000 books. (“History of Chamblee Library,” held at Chamblee Library)
Twenty years later, the Chamblee Library was turned over to DeKalb County. Mayor Woodie Malone and Decatur librarian Louise Trotti thought the people of Chamblee would support a library. Trotti got her start as the mobile librarian for DeKalb County, driving the bookmobile around the county before there were libraries.
From late 1984 until 1990, the Chamblee Library was in the former office of Dr. William Alfred Mendenhall at 3460 Chamblee Dunwoody Way. Dr. Mendenhall was known for his house calls as the doctor for local families in the 1940s and 1950s. After Dr. Mendenhall retired, doctors continued to rent space in the building.
To prepare the new library, the staff and 50 volunteers moved 33,000 books to the new location in just two weeks.
3460 Chamblee Dunwoody Way was more recently the location of Translation Station and today is home to Wild Aster Books. Stellow Coffee and Floral is preparing to move into the remainder of the space.
In late 1985, the DeKalb Library Board of Trustees decided to purchase 1.7 acres at 4115 Clairmont Road to build a new library. A groundbreaking was held in 1987 with DeKalb County Chief Executive Officer Manuel Maloof and Chamblee Mayor Dub Brown as the first to shovel dirt. After some delays, the building was completed in September of 1989.
The new Chamblee Library opened in 1990. Three wooden carousel horses were an additional attraction of the new library. They were carved by Marietta artist Lincoln Stone and installed on brass poles by Stone and his assistant Keith Lutz.
One of the horses also became a time capsule. It was filled with “newspapers, toys, cassette tapes, and notes to the future.” Children loved to climb on the horses and parents loved to take photographs. The horses are still there today, but as they aged and became less sturdy, it became necessary to move them behind a fence for viewing only. (DeKalb News Sun, Feb. 14, 1990, “Mane Attraction Arrives at Chamblee Library”)
On the day of the official opening, April 1, 1990, a week of festivities took place. State School Superintendent Dr. Werner Rogers and U.S.
Congressman Ben Jones gave a formal address. There were clowns, storytelling, games and cooking demonstrations. Lincoln Stone spoke about the creation of his carousel horses. The celebration also included a gathering of Chamblee High School graduates and long-time residents to share their memories. (DeKalb News Sun, March 28, 1990, “A Dedication Celebration.”)
Thank you to Elena Barrio, Branch Manager of Chamblee Library for sharing her archive of newspaper clippings, history and knowledge.
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
VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF/APPEN MEDIA
Three original 1990 carousel horses at the Chamblee Library, one of which contains a time capsule.
PAID CONTENT
DUNWOODY
HOME TOUR
Classic Bones with a Contemporary Soul
Provided by the Dunwoody Woman’s Club
Tucked into a wooded court just off Windsor Parkway this traditional brick home had a meaningful and updated renovation in 2023.
This home is one of the beautiful homes featured in the 52nd Annual Home Tour set for Wednesday, Oct 8, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. and is hosted by the Dunwoody Woman’s Club. All profits from the home tour are used to fulfill the club’s charitable initiatives. Home tour tickets can be purchased in several ways, as outlined below at the end of this article.
Definitely worth the drive, visitors can enjoy gathering spaces with easy flow for long-term modern living. Updated patterns, textures, lighting fixtures and incredible tile work on floors and walls create a wonderful vibe from the minute you step into the soaring foyer.
This is a two-office home and the wife’s office is to the left of the foyer behind sliding glass French doors. This light-filled room features upholstered rose-colored chairs, a vintage rose and blue rug, plants and plenty of sunshine. The husband’s office is a former in-law suite and has references to his restaurant career.
The spacious, swoon-worthy kitchen across the back of the house has an island that can seat up to 20 during family visits. Cabinets are rift sawn white oak and compliment veined quartz countertops and handmade Artesian tiles. Upstairs bedrooms include a primary suite with a fireplace and a formal bath with heated towel racks and a luxurious soaking tub. The well-designed shower features niches for shaving, shampoo and even a wine glass! A crystal fan-delier above crowns the room appropriately.
Close by, the couple’s 5-year-old son has a bedroom with a “Monster Truck” theme thanks to colorful paint, vinyl cling decals and miniature trucks lined up on a narrow shelf behind the bed. The remote, colored lighting framing the trucks serves as a night-light and makes falling asleep a breeze. More “Monster Trucks” appear in a children’s playroom downstairs. After converting a single car garage into a playroom, the parents created a playhouse that you enter by ladder and exit by a slide hopefully into a soft landing of cushions.
Both homeowners are wine aficionados and have converted their
lower level into a pub with odes to Ireland and Great Britain. Walls are saturated in a moody dark Jasper Green paint by Sherwin Williams providing a masculine backdrop for a massive wine collection. A narrow hallway features a ceiling of curved oak barrel strips and a wall constructed of wine box lids. Faux tin tiles adorn the ceilings in the TV room and bourbon bar area.
This is a home that showcases the owners’ personalities and creativity all while delivering exceptional and original interior design.
Back by Popular Demand: Our Raffle!
Enter for a chance to win one of three fabulous prizes, each valued at $500 or more:
• A shopping spree at Lauderhill’s Fine Jewelry
• A luxurious Face Haven spa gift basket
• An original painting by the talented artist Pat Fiorello
Raffle tickets will be sold exclusively on tour day so be sure to bring cash or a credit card to enter for a chance to win.
Purchase tickets now in any of the following ways:
• Online at www. dunwoodywomansclub.com/eventtickets/
• In person at The Enchanted Forest, located in the Dunwoody Hall Shopping Center or at Judy & Grace Boutique in the Shops of Dunwoody
• Directly from any member of the Dunwoody Woman’s Club
•Scan the QR Code at right.
•Will Call: Tickets purchased online can be picked up on tour day Wednesday, October 8, starting at 9:30 a.m. at the Spruill Center for the Arts (5339 Chamblee Dunwoody Rd., Dunwoody)
Tickets are $35 in advance and $40 on tour day. We look forward to seeing you at the home tour and appreciate your support. Remember, profits of the tour help fund our charitable projects. Buy your tickets today! For more information about the Dunwoody Woman’s Club go to www.dunwoodywomansclub.com.
High School boys basketball coach
the DeKalb County Schools Administrative Building
500 career wins in January.
DeKalb County Schools media day holds promise for winter sports
By ANNABELLE REITER annabelle@appenmedia.com
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga — DeKalb County Schools held a media day at the administrative building Sept. 20 for winter sports.
Tucker boys basketball Head Coach James Hartry, who celebrated his 500th career win last season, said he is more focused on February basketball, not November, and his sights are on improving upon their Final Four loss last season.
The Tigers fell 76-40 to Pace Academy in the semifinals last year, finishing with a 25-7 record.
“We are looking forward to big things this year,” Hartry said. “I hope my guys understand what kind of bullseye is on their back going into this season. And then with us being bigger, better and more improved, that bullseye just became bigger.”
two steals per game campaign.
After some talk of a transfer to Cedar Grove this summer, Williams is returning to Tucker. He said he is ready for the expectations being a captain this season and his sights are set on a ring.
“If you can be disciplined off the court, you’re gonna be disciplined on the court as well,” he said. “We’re focused on defense, just great energy, high intensity. Being a team, playing as a team, just being whole as one.”
Tucker girls basketball has been on the ups the last two years, improving from four wins in the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 seasons to 13 last season.
Head coach Shana Herman said at media availability that they are looking for 20 this year.
Senior captain Elaina Parker said the team has been putting in significant work this summer.
Hartry said their success last season came despite being a smaller team, and the addition of 6’9 senior Julian Glenewinkel from Basel, Switzerland, will add some length for an additional push to advance to the title game.
Glenewinkel has competed with the U19 Swiss National team, playing most recently in Munich, Germany. The forward was ranked in the top five players for his age group in Switzerland.
During media availability where Hartry introduced his team and their plans for the season, he highlighted freshman shooting guard Vance Wilder Jr. who will be joining the team this year. Wilder has already received offers to play college basketball.
Senior guard Jakobe Williams won DeKalb Player of the Year last season after a 17.6 ppg (third in DeKalb County), 52 percent shooting, four assists and
Guard Harmonie Cooper was fourth in ppg in DeKalb County last season and looks for another dominant season coming off being named to the All-Region First Team.
Lakeside girls look to improve
Lakeside girls basketball returns DeKalb County’s leading scorer in 5’10 combo guard Gabriella Benjamin. The junior is the only returning girls basketball player in DeKalb that averaged more than 10 rebounds a game last year.
Head coach Lakia Morton said the team’s goal is improve upon their firstround exit last season.
“We hope to play well, play together and continue toward a region championship,” she said. “Defense is the key for everything for us. You know we’re going to outwork you, that’s who we are.”
See MEDIA, Page 7
ANNABELLE REITER/APPEN MEDIA
Tucker
James Hartry introduces his Tigers at
Sept. 20. Hartry celebrated
Atlanta International School celebrates 40th anniversary
ATLANTA — Atlanta International School marks its 40th anniversary this year, representing a journey from 51 students in a converted army barracks on Powers Ferry Road to 1,350 students across two campuses.
The school says the anniversary will be marked by year-long activities, including student-driven retrospectives, future-facing talks and celebrations with flair.
The AIS community represents over 90 nationalities across two campuses in Buckhead and Sandy Springs.
Founded by parents and local supporters determined to bring an international school model to Atlanta, it is now the only school in the Southeast to offer all four International Baccalaureate programs.
AIS has recently launched innovative learning pathways on top of its acclaimed language immersion programs in Chinese, French, German and Spanish. AISx allows students to build flexible schedules tailored to their needs, alongside groundbreaking partnerships for student-athletes with Atlanta United Football Club and the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy.
Head of School Kevin Glass said the spirit of inclusivity, innovation and intentionality that defined our founders remains central to AIS today. It’s a private school with an emphasis on a global perspective, critical thinking and supporting students’ passions.
“On behalf of the entire AIS community, I thank those who, 40 years ago, dedicated themselves to realizing the dream of an international school for our city,” Glass said. “They were courageous leaders who shaped their world for the better — just as we ask our students, and our more than 2,000 alumni, to do today.”
To watch the 40th anniversary celebration, visit vimeo. com/1117187990.
— Hayden Sumlin
Media:
Continued from Page 6
The Lady Vikings went 13-12 last year, finishing fourth in Region 4 of 5A. In the first round of the state tournament, they met Langston Hughes High, who went on to lose to River Ridge in the championship game.
With Benjamin now an upperclassman and new talent coming in ready to be developed, Lakeside is hungry to earn their respect.
Morton said team chemistry will push the Vikings past the first round for the first time in nearly a decade, and players added that they are ready to prove how underestimated they are.
Winning ways at Cross Keys
Cross Keys girls basketball is gearing up for another go after their first winning season in over four decades. Head coach David Radford said consistency has been the magic ingredient.
“We don’t panic, we don’t pout, we don’t have a pity party,” he said. “We play for each other. We know we play against schools with way more resources, but we know that all we have is us, so we stick together.”
Hoping to improve their win total by
AIS milestones over the past four decades:
• 1985: AIS first opens its doors on Sept. 3
• 1988: AIS purchases Long Island campus
• 1991: First graduates earn the IB Diploma
• 1995-6: North Fulton Drive Campus opens
Students and employees at Atlanta International School form a “40” on the athletic field at 2890 North Fulton Drive in Atlanta to commemorate the institution’s anniversary.
• 2008: AIS becomes an IB Continuum School
• 2014: UN Global Goals integrated into the curriculum
• 2023: Launch of AISx with ATLUTD students
• 2025: Opening of the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy at the new Sandy Springs campus
three this season, 15 wins will secure an overall winning record for the class of 2026. Radford is confident this is within reach.
Getting back to state
Chamblee boys missed the state tournament after a buzzer-beater off the backboard by Shiloh in the region tournament last year.
Senior guard Octavius Gresham, who was on the bench due to injury during the final shot, said it fuels him all the same.
“Chemistry is really there this season,” he said. “We’ve been putting in a lot of work on defense and just forming a wall. We’re not taking anything for granted on the court.”
Head coach Christopher Terry said “one stop” has become a team motto this summer.
“If we had hit that one stop, then we could be having very different conversations right now,” he said. “This season we’re focused on making it through adversity, persevering because we know on the other side of that is the
success that we’re looking for.”
The Bulldogs went 6-8 in Region 4 of 5A, finishing fourth out of eight teams last year. Five seniors on the team are all energized to improve upon their 1511 overall record last season.
DeKalb County Schools Director of Athletics Brandan Lane was one of the main facilitators at the busy event keeping nearly 20 schools moving through the media stations.
“I’m looking forward to a great season,” he told Appen Media. “Thank you to all of our board members for approving the things we need and trying to make things right for our students. Also, shoutout to our superintendent for believing in our department as well and investing in our student-athletes.”
DeKalb County Schools Executive Director of Athletics Myss Jelks said getting so many girls on wrestling and flag football teams to the media day event was special.
“Being able to have this opportunity for the girls is really beyond my wildest dreams,” she said. “I just couldn’t picture this 30 years ago that we would have this many girls participating in flag football and in wrestling now. I’m really excited about what we have going on in DeKalb County, and it’s exciting to be able to showcase teams that wouldn’t necessarily get the regular shine and create an equitable opportunity.”
ATLANTA INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL/ PROVIDED
ANNABELLE REITER/APPEN MEDIA
DeKalb County Executive Director of Athletics Myss Jelks goes over the events of the day at the DeKalb County Athletics winter sports media day Sept. 20.
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Naturalist details ways to help wildlife in winter
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Metro Atlantan naturalist and environmental educator Roseanne Guerra kept the Friends of Lost Corner on the edge of their seats Sept. 23 for her seminar, “Falling for Georgia Wildlife.”
A few dozen members of the local nonprofit and a couple of interested residents stopped by Lost Corner Preserve, a 24-acre city park at Brandon Mill and Dalrymple roads, to learn how they can help birds, insects and all wildlife survive winter months.
There’s a lot to explore at the park, including walking trails, champion oak trees, a community garden, native plants and wildlife, Falling Branches Creek and some historical artifacts surrounding the 1850s homestead.
The Friends of Lost Corner brings a variety of nature-focused speakers to the public for free.
“Today, we’re talking about Georgia wildlife in the fall … it’s a time of travel, migration and bodily changes,” Guerra said. “Fall is a time of plenty. Here in the Piedmont region, our main trees are oak, hickory and pine, and they’re making their fruit right now.”
See WILDLIFE, Page 16
FRIENDS OF LOST CORNER/PROVIDED
Lost Corner Preserve is a 24-acre park, featuring a community garden, walking trails and a renovated cottage, at the corner of Brandon Mill and Dalrymple roads in west Sandy Springs.
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Raffensperger returns to roots in campaign stop for governor
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger stopped by the Rotary Club of Johns Creek-North Fulton Sept. 24 to speak with the community that first elected him to public office.
Raffensperger has announced his run for governor, setting up a competition next fall between high-ranking Republicans Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and Attorney General Chris Carr. Other candidates have announced but that’s the Big Three.
Raffensperger touted his efforts to make Georgia’s election process more secure, reforms to professional licensing services and initiatives to attract advanced manufacturing.
The secretary of state registers voters, tracks annual corporate filings, grants professional licenses, and oversees the state’s securities’ market.
He cited his efforts to build bipartisan trust in Georgia elections, reduce backlogs in professional licensing and hold bad actors accountable for financial misconduct.
“Number one, my focus is going to be creating great paying jobs for Georgians because affordability is something that’s really been a pain point for so many people,” he said.
His other priority is public safety.
Raffensperger cited his experience setting a budget for the Johns Creek Police Department during his time on City Council.
“We made sure that we had a fully funded police force and great training and great salaries,” Raffensperger said. “That’s what we need to do up and down the line, so local, state and federal are working together to make sure we can really take a bite out of crime.”
Raffensperger is the state’s 29th secretary of state, winning elections in 2018 and 2022. He entered the national spotlight in 2020 when he resisted pressure from President Donald Trump to find enough votes to swing the outcome of the election.
His pitch to voters is that he is a lifelong conservative Republican who they can trust will tell them the truth.
Raffensperger fielded questions from the media before and after he spoke to the Rotary Club.
er said there are many differences, citing his experience as an entrepreneur and public official.
“I understand what it is to be a small business owner when you have nothing,” Raffensperger said. “The Governor’s Office requires someone who has the executive level of skill to build a big team.”
While his actions during the 2020 election drew the ire of Trump’s base, Raffensperger won by a larger margin in 2022 and without a general runoff election.
Trump endorsed Jones in early August, setting up the lieutenant governor to be a frontrunner for the Republican Party’s nomination.
When asked if Trump’s endorsement makes him concerned about his path to the Governor’s Office, Raffensperger pointed to his track record of expanding his businesses, the need to support local economies and efforts to attract high-paying jobs in manufacturing and technology. He also discussed some ways to provide relief for Georgians struggling to afford necessities and bills.
“Coming off that sugar high, when the federal government under the Biden administration was pumping all those dollars, we had the highest inflation that we’ve ever had in the last 40 years,” he said.
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The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Greg Bluestein asked him what his message is to conservative primary voters who view him as not loyal enough to the president or “MAGA enough.”
Raffensperger said he believes the United States should have a secure border, explaining his support of the Trump administration’s shutdown of crossings without changing any law. He also mentioned the murder of Laken Riley, human and sex trafficking and the death of his son from fentanyl in 2018 as reasons to support a secure national border.
“President Trump wants to bring manufacturing back to America, [and] I just want it to stop here in Georgia,” he said. “That’s what my job will be. How can we reshore industry and bring it back to Georgia? That will create great paying jobs for Georgians.”
When asked what separates him from other Republican candidates, Raffensperg-
Because many homeowners have seen their property assessments climb significantly in the last five years, Raffensperger said the state needs to cap tax bills.
Last November, voters approved a referendum on House Bill 581 that caps annual property assessments at the inflation rate, which is based on the consumer price index.
Raffensperger said Georgians have not seen their incomes increase with the price of goods and services, which has hurt seniors on fixed incomes the most.
“We need to cap property taxes for seniors,” he said. “Then, we’re going to take a look at some other issues related to that. Stay tuned.”
Fulton County voters will decide Nov. 4 whether to approve new property tax breaks, providing exemptions for some senior homeowners. The proposed reductions in assessed values, each with their own ballot question, are 25 percent for residents age 65 or older and 50 percent for residents over the age of 70.
CITY OF DUNWOODY FY 2026 PROPOSED BUDGET
Notice is hereby given that the proposed FY 2026 Budget for the City of Dunwoody is available for inspection online (www.dunwoodyga.gov) and with the City Clerk at Dunwoody City Hall, 4800 Ashford Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody, GA 30338, weekdays between the hours of 8:00 A.M. and 5:00 P.M. The City of Dunwoody will hold a Public Hearing at 6pm on October 14, 2025, at which time any person wishing to be heard on the budget may appear. A second Public Hearing, as well as a vote to adopt the 2026 Budget, will be held at 6pm on October 27, 2025.
HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger listens to comments from members of the Rotary Club of Johns Creek-North Fulton Sept. 24 before discussing ways he has worked to improve the lives of Georgians.
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!
CRAYOLA COLORS
1. Bullfight bull. Orange yellow. High point.
2. Tall story. Foe. Purple shade.
3. Light shade of blue. Pond organism. Wear away.
4. Way to go. Arab bigwig. Yellowish-green color.
5. Blue-violet color. Persian spirit. Mishmash.
6. Stumble. Deep pink. Religious song.
7. Church part. Squirrel’s stash. Brown with a tinge of red.
1 Bullfight bull. Orange yellow. High point
2. Tall story. Foe. Purple shade.
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. Light shade of blue. Pond organism. Wear away
4. Way to go. Arab bigwig. Yellowish-green color
5. Blue-violet color. Persian spirit. Mishmash.
6. Stumble. Deep pink. Religious
Budget:
Continued from Page 1
Though not required by law, most cities maintain emergency reserves.
Dunwoody’s City Charter mandates four months of reserves, but its goal is to keep more than six months’ worth of operational costs set aside for emergency.
The threat of dipping into reserves evaporated earlier this year when Dunwoody officials reported a $1.26 million increase to the city’s tax digest, including collections of business and occupation taxes, rental income and franchise fees.
Even with the additional breathing room, the city is not throwing a party.
Assistant City Manager Jay Vinicki called the 2026 budget “careful and lean.”
“Revenues are looked at on an ongoing basis during budget development and are even changed during the year,” Vinicki said. “Expenses for the general fund were also kept in line to ensure that no use of fund balance was proposed.”
City officials said the new budget reflects disciplined spending and long-term financial stewardship.
Vinicki said Dunwoody is keeping pace with its Metro Atlanta peers, citing new companies and mixed-use developments making their way into Central Perimeter.
“The city is thriving. Residents are enjoying more city amenities than ever before,” Vinicki said. “We have the best of both worlds, both urban and suburban.”
Pressures on the budget
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Dunwoody has consistently funded a small portion of its operational budget with the city’s extra cash but has avoided having to spend its reserves, or fund balance.
“Capital budgets go up and down from year to year unlike operating budgets which tend to have trends,” Vinicki said.
Since 2020, the city’s general fund has increased by more than 50 percent.
Vinicki said inflation and employee compensation increases are significant drivers in the annual budget
Wildlife:
Continued from Page 11
While animals that hibernate are collecting their food stores for the winter months during the fall, she said it’s best to be patient.
Guerra, who got her college degree in computer programming, said her life changed after taking a master birder class in 2012 with the Atlanta Audubon Society, now called Birds Georgia.
“One of the beautiful things about Atlanta is that we have such great seasons,” she said. “I’m from New Orleans. It’s nice in April and October, and the rest is horrible weather-wise. I love living here for the reason, and our wildlife reflects that, especially our birds.”
Contrary to a commonly held belief, the naturalist said many birds do not migrate because of colder weather, instead they seek habitats where food remains plentiful.
process.
The city has taken steps to keep those costs in check, like renegotiating long-term contracts and bringing some services in-house. The city’s contracts for staff were set to expire at the end of the year.
The City Council approved a staffing reorganization Sept. 8 designed to save as much money as possible on personnel costs without reducing the level of city services.
“The rebid contracts in 2020 were proposed by vendors at what were known to be lowered locked-in costs for five years,” Vinicki said. “The rebid and bringing some positions in-house were always known to be major factors in the 2026 budget.”
The year-over-year change for renewed contracts and 12 new city positions next year is an increase of $650,000, or 13.4 percent, from the current budget.
Personnel costs account for almost two-thirds of the 2026 general fund budget.
“Having to address personnel and benefit costs for any private business or municipal government is always a challenge,” Vinicki said. “Employee recruitment and retention are critical to the services the city provides, [and] Dunwoody citizens benefit from low turnover and consistency of employees.”
The 2026 budget also includes around $585,000 within the city’s remaining portion of its American Rescue Plan Act funds.
“If you’re an insect eater, there’s not a lot of bugs to be had in Atlanta in February,” Guerra said. “You’ve got to go to the tropics, if you’re going to eat yearround … same thing with fruit eaters.”
Some of the state’s “resident birds,” which do not migrate, include barred owls, great blue herons, cardinals and bluejays. While hummingbirds and catbirds will head south soon, Georgians can expect to see more sparrow and duck species.
If any Georgians see a hummingbird in their backyard after Nov. 1, Guerra encourages them to report it to the state Ornithological Society. While it’s rare, some Western species make their way to the Southeast.
There are a few migratory animals found in Georgia because of harsh northern winters, including the official state marine mammal of Georgia, the North Atlantic right whale.
“They live in the Arctic [Ocean], but the water is too cold for babies,” Guerra said. “The pregnant females migrate
The city was using ARPA funding to pay for an annual ambulance subsidy, but Vinicki said DeKalb County restructured how it contracts for the service, rendering the subsidy unnecessary.
Paths in Central Perimeter
At the same time, Dunwoody faces challenges keeping up with one initiative that business leaders tout for prosperity: paths and trails.
After highlighting the positive impact paths have on economic development to the Sandy Springs Conservancy in early September, Perimeter CID Executive Director Ann Hanlon said Dunwoody’s relatively smaller Public Works Department budget slows the build-out of its trail network.
The Sandy Springs Public Works Department has a $14 million operating budget next year, while Dunwoody plans to operate with just over $2 million a year for the first time. Alpharetta has around an $11 million budgeted, and Roswell has $12 million.
It’s not an apples-to-apples comparison because Sandy Springs has twice as many residents as Dunwoody and a higher property tax rate.
Brookhaven, a neighboring DeKalb County city with a slightly higher population, has a Public Work’s budget of just over $2.5 million this year.
Dunwoody residents have wide-ranging views on the city’s ambition to construct new paths, parks and trails. Some residents joined to oppose a 2023 bond referendum that would have brought in $60 million for parks, trails and paths. Others spoke passionately in support of it. Ultimately, the referendum went down to defeat.
Appen Media asked city officials about Dunwoody’s decreasing budget for capital projects and the impact of the failed bond referendum.
“Previous years’ budgets include different projects along with other ones at different stages,” Vinicki said. “If the bond had passed, it would have been a funding source for the projects tied to the bonds.”
Because of the city’s capped property tax rate, assessment freeze and 1-mill homestead exemption, the city almost only sees gains in property tax revenue from commercial buildings.
Without increased revenues and funding sources, it’s unclear how quickly Dunwoody will be able to construct new trail, path and parks projects.
down the east coast of the United States and give birth to their calves off the Georgia coast.”
Because the species is endangered, the state uses helicopters off the coast of Savannah to track their numbers each winter.
In the realm of flying insects, most have seasonal life cycles. Those that migrate include the Monarch butterfly and the Green Darner dragonfly.
Guerra said Georgia wildlife thrives when it has access to native plants, which they have evolved alongside. While homeowners typically try to avoid them, dead trees, brush piles and leaf litters are crucial for native wildlife during the colder seasons.
Volunteer programs coordinator Ellen Fenoglio regularly invites naturalists, Master Gardeners and educators to share their depth of knowledge during seasonal offerings.
A variety of nature-focused subjects are brought to the public for free in the historic cottage restored by the City of
Sandy Springs.
The next lecture, “Leave the Leaves,” is Oct. 11 at 7 p.m. and focuses on why leaf litter in our yards is important to our wildlife.
Neighborhood residents Cheryl Barlow and Trisha Thompson Fox created Friends of Lost Corner as a grassroots nonprofit in 2011, after becoming friends with the property’s previous owner, Peggy Miles.
The pair worked to fulfill Miles’ desire to preserve her family’s land for community use after she passed in 2008. The Trust for Public Land and the city then partnered to purchase the site, fulfilling her wish that everyone would be able to experience her slice of paradise at Lost Corner.
The Sandy Springs Recreation and Parks Department installed trails, implemented security measures and built the parking lot. The park officially opened on March 17, 2016.
To view upcoming programs, visit friendsoflostcorner.org.
APPEN MEDIA FILE PHOTO
Dunwoody Assistant City Manager Jay Vinicki speaks on budget planning during a City Council meeting after a 2024 planning retreat.
Center:
Continued from Page 2
“It provides critical investigative leads in real time,” Padrick said. “This changes the game for us when we say be on the lookout for something.”
The pan-tilt zoom cameras are surveillance cameras, which DeKalb Police does not currently have.
“Pan-tilt, zoom will pick up on any movement, any identity in any area where we strategically place these cameras,” Padrick said. “They have the capability to detect specific information.”
Flock 911 is a live 911 system that provides officers with information before a call is dispatched.
“It’s going to give us quicker information, fresher information that’s not being translated through an operator and then to a dispatcher and then to the officer,” Padrick said. “The officer is able to get that information in real time through Flock 911.”
Gunshot detection
The system also includes gunshot
Football:
Continued from Page 1
The Wildcats knotted the score 10-10 early in the third quarter on a 17-yard burst through the middle from Cam Irastorza.
From that point on, it was a stalemate until late in the third quarter.
Decatur punter Aidan Hovatter got the Bulldogs the defensive position they were looking for. Bad luck also kept the Wildcats at bay. One punt bounced backwards nearly into Dunwoody’s own red zone.
Late in the period, Decatur managed to take the lead on a 29-yard field goal. Even into the fourth quarter, it felt as if Dunwoody’s defense was figuring
detection to pick up on signals and sends it to the Flock system quicker than a 911 call.
As more information is gathered, such as gunshots that aren’t always reported, Commissioner LaDena Bolton wondered if the department will have the staff to respond to increased activity.
Padrick said that as recruitment
out how to stop the Bulldogs, led by lineman Cole Camp and defensive back Duke White.
The Wildcats forced two field goal attempts and the punting unit in three straight Bulldog drives, and it looked like Dunwoody was on its way to turn the game around, until it all fell apart.
Dunwoody struggled closing drives. The penalty yards that helped them score their first points started to pile up against them in the second half.
That’s when Decatur flipped a switch, proving the best offense is a strong defense. Dunwoody was looking at first down and 15 yards to go when a bad snap forced them back 20 additional yards.
Middle linebacker Kaleb Harris then grabbed an interception off a pass deflection by safety Isaac McCalep.
and retention ramp up, the intent is to operate the real-time crime center 24/7, using mostly civilian crime analysts.
“The gunshot detection, we do expect that to give multiple alerts, but we will also overlay that with camera systems,” Padrick said. “We may not be able to dispatch an officer immediately to the area, but we will have operators
The play set up running back Sadur Salahuddin for his second touchdown of the game.
On Dunwoody’s next drive, when the Wildcats were again in a tough downs situation, senior captain Walinase Kamanga capitalized on another fumbled snap, this time in the end zone for the Bulldogs’ last touchdown.
Decatur head coach William Felton said the Bulldogs’ 2-4 record isn’t indicative of where the team is at and that he is focused on “staying the course.”
“What we try to teach our kids is, focus on the next play,” he said. “Don’t get caught up in the things that happened in the past, you can’t change it. The only [place] you can be is where your feet are, and that gives us an
in the real-time crime center that can pull up those cameras and better inform any officers that do respond on what they’re actually looking for.”
Commissioner Chakira Johnson asked how the system could integrate with other systems and cities. Padrick said the system would integrate with the Dunwoody Police Department. Agencies that have Flock systems and other private Flock cameras would also be incorporated.
Cobb and Gwinnett counties, as well as surrounding cities, have realtime crime centers.
Commissioners at the ERPS meeting expressed their support for the Flock system and real-time crime center.
“I’m by what technology and advancement does,” Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson said. “It also can save lives, not only the public, but our officers as well. I’m for it. I’m excited.”
“It’s a comprehensive system covering all layers and a response for a digital system for DeKalb County police services,” Padrick said.
He added that Digital Shield will allow the police department to detect, investigate and respond.
opportunity to make a play.”
Middle/outside linebacker Nicholas Nathaniel said the Bulldogs’ strength of schedule has set the team up for success further down the line.
“We bounced back, we’ve been more connected,” he said. “Overall, we have improved so much from our first game. These last two games we’ve kept our spirits up and our mindset straight.”
Nathaniel was a major player in the Bulldogs’ defense, right next to McCalep to assist with the pass deflection, and also took snaps at wide receiver.
The Bulldogs will face Shiloh, currently 2-1 in region play and sitting in second place in Region 4 of 5A, Oct. 3. Dunwoody goes up against Arabia Mountain, which is currently in second-to-last place.
DEAN HESSE/APPEN MEDIA
An old geezer competes with time to stop aging
RAY APPEN
I remember in elementary school PE class being out on the playground and feeling sorry for those kids who were overweight, uncoordinated, weak, or otherwise ill-adapted for playground sports in any way, shape or form. Same thing goes in middle school – watching those kids try to climb the ropes and not even being able to progress more than one or two pulls “up.” Or, when we did wrestling, and their names were called, watching the pure abject fear, or maybe just resignation, at being objects of laughter as they walked out to the center of the mat knowing the humiliation that awaited.
I was the guy who did almost everything athletic without much effort. I set the school record for pullups; I won the county high jump. Won Punt, Pass and Kick several years. I was “most athletic” one year. I could do kip ups without using my arms. I thought I would be king of the mountain forever!
That was, of course, until my growth spurt didn’t spurt, and everyone else’s did – around 9th grade. Without changing anything, almost overnight, I seemed to tumble down from my lofty perch to average – to the mean.
Later, in high school, I tried to redeem myself as a tennis player. I figured if I practiced 3-5 hours a day, seven days a week – which I did – I would eventually become fairly good. I almost got there after three years of that regimen. I can still hit a tennis ball fairly well today – courtesy of those three years or dedicated work done roughly 50 years ago.
Later in life, as an adult, as a father, husband and guy trying to start a career at the Miami Herald and then a business (Appen Newspapers) here in Alpharetta, I ran. And ran. And ran.
In Miami, almost every single day, I ran across bridges, along beaches and causeways. My runs were usually through turf that was drop-dead stunning, regenerative and peaceful. The more stressed out I was, the farther I ran. I don’t think I’ve ever been happier than running along the beach on Key Biscayne almost every day for an hour or two. Just call me Forrest Gump.
In Alpharetta, I lost my runs through stunning scenery – although had I dared to run along Freemanville Road or Birmingham Highway, I would have retained it – that is, if I wasn’t hit by someone driving a $150,000 vehicle – in a hurry to no place in particular and on their phone. Instead, I usually ran along Haynes Bridge Road, across Ga. 400, and farther. It wasn’t as pretty but, with my headphones blasting and usually in deep thought, I almost didn’t
notice and certainly didn’t care. Later, I added swimming and lifting weights at the Y starting at 5 a.m. every weekday to my anti-stress – anti-aging regimen. And honestly, it worked – kind of. Swim in the mornings. Run after work in the late afternoons or at night. The routine forced me to retro-manage my life –toward health – eat better, sleep better and abstain from stuff like alcohol. If I wanted my run and swim, I had to take care of myself; it was a simple choice. Which did I want more?
Fast forward to 71. No way. I am still Forrest pounding out the miles. Not.
Time has been such a snark to me these past few years. I made a new friend that goes by the name of sciatic. Had never met him nor – honestly – had I even ever heard of this “guy.” Wow, do I ever know “sciatic” now. It has taken me just at a year to make that new friend disappear.
Then of course, my lower back. My X-rays came back “sever compressed disc” and “very severely compressed disc.” So, okay, no more running. That one truly hurt – my heart. But if I have to stop running to avoid my friend sciatic or my friends L2 and L3, I guess I haven’t much choice.
Which brings me to those aerobics’ classes – that Zumba, Body Pump, Flow Yoga, pilates and the like – all done in large rooms, filled with people, music blasting, and frequently a masochistic
instructor with a microphone and little empathy.
So, I went to one of those things with my wife Christina the other night. I suspected that it was not going to feel quite the same as running along the beach at dusk or smacking a tennis ball against a backboard. It wasn’t. It was just me, one other guy, and maybe 50 women of all ages – all in better shape than me – or at least in better gymcondition doing those things. I expected humbling. I got it. I expected hard, really hard. It was that. I didn’t expect it to be fun. It wasn’t. I expected to make a fool of myself, but I didn’t dare to look around to see how many of those women were laughing and shaking their heads feeling sorry for that old guy over there. So, I just assumed I made a fool of myself without confirmation. I felt like an anemic, toneless, muscle-less, bumbling Richard Simmons mime trying to lead a class and tripping over his shoelaces and falling flat on his face while still chanting “and 1 and 2 and 3.” It was ugly.
So, I decided to stick with my swimming at the Y so early in the morning that I almost always have my own lane and rarely have any witnesses. Seventy-one and counting. Go to heck sciatic. And if I close my eyes during those laps (I’m up to a mile now) it feels kind of like running along the ocean's edge. I’ll go with that.
Appreciating all the benefits of seeing clearly
Sometimes a thing has to fall to pieces to set the stage for…well, for what comes next.
It was the fall of a year a long, long time ago.
School had started.
A young me, ever the good student, had taken a test a couple of days before. The teacher had given the test back to everyone, but she had not given mine back to me.
Instead, I was sitting there, after school, with my mom and the teacher, and they were talking. About me.
“The thing is,” my teacher was saying, “is that even though they’re all wrong, they’re all right too.”
She had written the problems on the board, and I had copied them onto my paper, and I had solved them. I had
solved them correctly. But I had copied them wrong. I didn’t know that – I thought I’d faithfully ciphered everything from the communal blackboard to my personal paper.
But I hadn’t. I’d copied everything wrong.
A cold stone of fear began to coalesce in my gut.
Was I somehow seeing wrong? Oh no.
I wasn’t hearing wrong, though. I was hearing just fine. And I remember what I heard next:
“I think he wrote them down wrong,” the teacher was saying, “because he can’t see the board. I think he needs…”
Oh no…here it comes...
“…glasses.”
I remember it like it was an hour ago. Some things you just remember that way.
Why am I thinking about that now? I don’t know.
Anyway, I’ve just spent 20 minutes
on top of the Temple Mound at Etowah Indian Mounds, a state historic site (and designated National Historic Landmark) located near Carterville, Ga. This elaborate cultural site is home to several earthen mounds built by Native Americans over a period of 500 years or more, starting around 1000 AD.
Who built the mounds? Prevailing wisdom seems to be that this complex was constructed in several phases over several centuries by people “ancestral” to the Muscogee (Creek) tribe. The Creek tribe considers Etowah (Italwa) to be an important part of their heritage. That’s the short version; you’ll learn much more about the site’s history when you visit.
I’ve been exploring slowly at the top of the temple mound, letting my feet go where they will. But it’s hot in the sun. I’m sweating, and sweat had messed up my glasses. I pull ’em off my face and wipe them dry on my shirt and put
them back upon my nose, reveling (as I always do when it happens) in how much clearer things look when not seen through a haze of obfuscation.
Done with the top of the mound, I begin the descent down the long, straight flight of steps which had taken me to the top. It’s near closing time, and I know I have to keep it moving. Still, at the bottom, I don’t turn left toward the visitor center but instead turn right toward the Etowah River.
That’s right. I want to see the fish weir that the original residents had built in the river. You know how I am. If it’s “fishing,” I’ve got to check it out.
Ranger Lucy
I walk on, vaguely thankful that I can see clearly through my now-relativelyclean spectacles, and that’s when I spot Ranger Lucy, a naturalist at the site.
See ETOWAH, Page 20
Publisher Emeritus ray@appenmedia.com
STEVE HUDSON Columnist
OPINION
The history of peaches and Peachtree streets
Can you guess which city in the United States has more streets with some form of “Peachtree” in its name? If you said Atlanta, you would be correct. The most common count is 71 streets, although that can vary depending on definitions, for example whether authors meant metro Atlanta, the city limits or how they counted slightly different names, for instance Peachtree Road vs. Peachtree Rd NE.
The 71 figure goes back to various publications beginning in a 2009 Estately real-estate blog which told readers they could sort through “the 71 streets, drives, and avenues with the name ‘Peachtree’.” Various searches on my part confirmed that the number is still considered valid. If you wish, add 10 “Peachtree” name variants across Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Milton, Roswell and Sandy Springs. Regardless of the number, giving instructions involving Peachtree Street can be a challenge.
Peachtree is also used for various place names: Peachtree Center, Peachtree City, Peachtree Corners, Peachtree Battle, Peachtree Park, Peachtree Hills and more. If one includes subdivisions, apartment complexes, office parks, and shopping centers, the number across Metro Atlanta would number in the hundreds. And, of course, there is the annual Peachtree Road Race.
The reason why Georgia is called the “Peach State” is even more complicated than coming up with a number. After all, Georgia is not the leading producer of peaches. That honor goes to California by far, with South Carolina second. Georgia is generally ranked 3rd or lower, depending on the year used for comparison. Georgians have to be satisfied with the knowledge that our peaches are the sweetest and best tasting, no matter what others might say. Also, “The Peach State” is the only state with “Peach” as part of its slogan. In the early 1900s through the 1950s, Georgia was the leading producer of peaches, but for a number of reasons it has lost first place.
To make matters even more confusing, the word Peachtree, according to some sources, may not refer to a fruit tree at all. That interpretation says the name comes from a Muscogee (also called Creek) settlement called Pakanahuili, which has been trans -
lated to mean Standing Peachtree, the name of a major Creek village in today’s Atlanta, but it has also been translated as “standing pitch tree,” referring to pine trees.
People have been enjoying peaches for a long time. They originated in China about 7,500 years ago. Peaches traveled west on trade routes to Persia, then Europe and eventually to the Americas. China is the world’s leading producer of peaches today. The first peaches in the U.S. were introduced to St. Simons and Cumberland islands in the late 1500s by Franciscan monks. The fruit did well in the rich Georgia soil, but it was the Civil War that launched peaches as a serious crop when soldiers picked the fruit wherever they could find it. Georgia produced a particularly sweet peach, and its reputation as the best peach spread quickly. In 1995, the Georgia Legislature designated the peach as the official state fruit even though “The Peach State” was never formally adopted as the state motto. Fresh Georgia peaches are available from mid-May to August.
The most celebrated street in Atlanta is Peachtree Street which began as a country road in the early 1800s. In her 1936 Civil War romance “Gone with the Wind,” Margaret Mitchell paid tribute to the street. Scarlett O’Hara lived on Peachtree Street after the fall of Atlanta during reconstruction. In real life, Mitchell lived in a modest apartment on Peachtree Street when she wrote the novel and used the street as a symbol of the transformation of the city from antebellum prosperity to postwar reality. Her book was published in 1936 and won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction the following year. The film debuted in Atlanta on Dec. 15, 1939, an event that drew huge crowds and national attention. In 1940, it won eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actress (Vivien Leigh), and Best Supporting Actress (Hattie McDaniel). Clark Gable was nominated for best actor, but he did not win.
The treasured journalist and author Celestine Sibley’s book “Peachtree Street, U.S.A.” was published in 1963. It is her ode to the iconic thoroughfare
and an affectionate portrait of Atlanta. She included personal anecdotes, the city’s history, landmarks, people, Sherman’s march, why people love Atlanta, and many other topics. See my July 2, 2025 column on Celestine Sibley by searching my name on appenmedia.com.
Frank Sinatra co-wrote a song called “Peachtree Street” in 1950 and recorded it as a duet with Rosemary Clooney. Elton John had a home on Peachtree Street in Buckhead from 1991 to 2023 and in 2004 named an album “Peachtree Street.”
There is no doubt that the Peachtree and its luscious fruit are everywhere around us. Names of streets and roads, neighborhoods, events, businesses, brands and more number in the thousands. I believe that is something we can all be proud of.
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
BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
Postcard of Peachtree Street, Atlanta, issued circa 1930-1945.
SOLUTIONS
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Etowah:
Continued from Page 18
She is standing near her truck and looking out toward the river. Maybe toward the fish weir? I hope so, because I don’t really know where it is, and time really is running short.
“If you move slowly,” she says as I approach, “you can see them!”
See what? Fish? No –
“Hummers!” she says.
Ahhh. Hummingbirds!
I walk closer and look. There’s an opening in the undergrowth, a green window of sorts bespeckled in white and yellow-orange flowers. The orange ones, Ranger Lucy adds, are jewelweed – and hummingbirds love jewelweed.
“Are there many?” I ask. “Many hummers?”
There are. Some buzz among the flowers. Others divebomb one another or fight with their beaks in mid-air. Sometimes, when they get tired I guess, they take a break and have a rest on a twig in the nearby tree.
“And if you’re quiet,” Lucy says, “you can hear them twitter.”
I am, and I do, hearing and seeing all with crystalline clarity.
And then, for the briefest of instants, I flash back to those blurry days decades before…blurry days when I wouldn’t have been able to see the birds save as blobs of out-of-focus fuzz…blurry like before the Day of the Glasses, before that day when the lady at the optical shop placed tortoise-shell spectacles onto my elementary school ears and told me how handsome I looked. She was just trying to make me feel better about it all, but I knew that the horrible reality was that I’d be one they called Four Eyes the next day at school. Childhood can occasionally be horrible when you’re a child.
And yet even as I’d sat there waiting for my fate to fall on me, I had glanced through my new glasses and gazed through the nearest window and
THE CITY OF DUNWOODY, GEORGIA NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
(HOLY COW!) discovered that trees had individual leaves.
Who would have thought it? Certain not me. Think about that – individual leaves!
And so I’d sat there, mesmerized, seeing trees like I’d never seen them before, reveling in the exquisiteness of it all, seeing clearly at last after all those years.
The residual benefits
As quick as it came, the flashback starts to fade. I shake myself back to the present and just stand there, again as then, watching (sharply and crisply) as dozens upon dozens of little flying jewels go about their business of the day.
“They are neat,” I say to Ranger Lucy. “They are cool.”
But that, she adds, is just the beginning of the show.
“The monarch butterflies will be here soon too,” Lucy says.
Those butterflies will bring even more color to the airspace.
Maybe I’ll have to come back and see that, for those butterflies will bring even more color to this little part of the world. Yeah! That sounds like fun, and I know who would enjoy seeing them with me. She called a minute ago. She’s fixing supper for us as we speak. I’ll bet she would fix us a picnic to bring, a masterpiece of a meal to share among the hummers and the butterflies.
It will be grand.
And I think: It sure is nice when you can see things clearly. That really can turn life around.
The City of Dunwoody City Council will meet on Monday, November 10 , 2025 in the Council Chambers of Dunwoody City Hall, which is located at 4800 Ashford Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody, GA 30338, for the purpose of due process of the following:
SLUP 25-01, 4570 Ashford Dunwoody Road : Raising Cane's, LLC requests a Special Land Use Permit for a drive-through to allow the construction of a new drive-through restaurant.
Should you have any questions, comments, or would like to view the application and supporting materials, please contact the City of Dunwoody Community Development Department at 678-382-6800. Staff is available to answer questions, discuss the decision-making process, and receive comments and concerns.
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Bilingual (English / Spanish) Donor Operations Supervisor
Administrative and HR Coordinator
The Administrative & HR Coordinator provides comprehensive administrative support to the President and essential human resources functions to the Vice President of People and Culture. This dual role combines executive administrative duties including board meeting preparation, correspondence management, and event coordination with HR responsibilities such as recruitment support, benefits administration, and employee record maintenance.
The Bilingual (English / Spanish) Donor Operations Supervisor (Full-time) manages the donation door process and delegates tasks to staff, volunteers, and community service workers. As the face of NFCC, they provide excellent customer service while greeting donors and ensuring donations are properly removed from vehicles and sorted in designated areas. They are responsible for maintaining the security of merchandise and keeping all areas clean and organized.
The Administrative & HR Coordinator takes initiative, can multi-task and remain very organized. The role requires exceptional organizational skills, discretion with confidential information, and the ability to manage multiple priorities effectively.
The Supervisor must be able to lift up to 75lb frequently and be on their feet most of their shift. They must enjoy staying busy, training and influencing others to work as a team in a professional manner. Must have the ability to work Tuesday through Saturday 9am – 5pm. An extraordinary Total Rewards Package is included with this opportunity!
If you have a bachelor’s degree in business administration, human resources or another relevant field, at least two years of administrative experience and enjoy project management and coordination, we’d love to hear from you!
Please submit your resume to jobs@nfcchelp.org
If this sounds like the role for you, we’d love to hear from you! Please submit your resume to jobs@nfcchelp.org
Automotive Service Technicians & Mechanics. K.R. Parker & Associates Inc, Chamblee, GA. Idntfy probls, often by using computerized diagnostic equip. Plan work procedures, using charts, technical manuals, & exp. Test parts & systs to ensure that they work properly. Follow checklists to ensure that all critical parts are examined. Perf basic care & maintenance, incl changing oil, checking fluid levels, & rotating tires. Repair or replace worn parts, such as brake pads, wheel bearings, & sensors. Perf repairs to manufacturer & cust specs. Explain automotive probls & repairs to clients. Req High School Diploma & 2 yrs exp as Automobile Technician certified. $58,469/yr. Send resume to: gregk.r.parker@gmail.com
To place a classified ad, email classifieds@appenmedia.com.
Deadline is Thursdays by 3pm.
Education Manager
Bilingual (English / Spanish) Donor Operations Supervisor
The Education Manager is responsible for coordinating the educational activities ranging from formal classroom to on-line programs, and workshops. Programming includes ESL, GED, Workforce Development and Financial Support events for families working toward financial stability. The Education Manager supervises NFCC team members within the program department including the Sr. Education Specialist, Workforce Development Coordinator and contract ESL Instructors.
The Bilingual (English / Spanish) Donor Operations Supervisor (Full-time) manages the donation door process and delegates tasks to staff, volunteers, and community service workers. As the face of NFCC, they provide excellent customer service while greeting donors and ensuring donations are properly removed from vehicles and sorted in designated areas. They are responsible for maintaining the security of merchandise and keeping all areas clean and organized.
If you have a bachelor’s degree in Adult Education or other relevant field and 3 years’ experience in a non-profit program manager role or other relevant experience, we’d love to hear from you. Please submit your resume to jobs@nfcchelp.org
The Supervisor must be able to lift up to 75lb frequently and be on their feet most of their shift. They must enjoy staying busy, training and influencing others to work as a team in a professional manner. Must have the ability to work Tuesday through Saturday 9am – 5pm. An extraordinary Total Rewards Package is included with this opportunity!
If this sounds like the role for you, we’d love to hear from you! Please submit your resume to jobs@nfcchelp.org
Bilingual (English / Spanish) Donor Operations Supervisor
The Bilingual (English / Spanish) Donor Operations Supervisor (Full-time) manages the donation door process and delegates tasks to staff, volunteers, and community service workers. As the face of NFCC, they provide excellent customer service while greeting donors and ensuring donations are properly removed from vehicles and sorted in designated areas. They are responsible for maintaining the security of merchandise and keeping all areas clean and organized.
The Supervisor must be able to lift up to 75lb frequently and be on their feet most of their shift. They must enjoy staying busy, training and influencing others to work as a team in a professional manner.
Must have the ability to work Tuesday through Saturday 9am – 5pm. An extraordinary Total Rewards Package is included with this opportunity!
If this sounds like the role for you, we’d love to hear from you! Please submit your resume to jobs@nfcchelp.org
Truck Driver
Bilingual (English / Spanish) Donor Operations Supervisor
NFCC is seeking a Truck Driver (Donor Operations Services Associate II) to join our Facilities team. Our Truck Driver collects scheduled donations from businesses, residential locations, and special events while serving as a key point of contact for donors to coordinate pickup appointments. As the face of NFCC during donor interactions, this role requires maintaining a professional and a welcoming presence that reflects the organization’s values. Additionally, this position contributes to facility maintenance operations as needed.
The Bilingual (English / Spanish) Donor Operations Supervisor (Full-time) manages the donation door process and delegates tasks to staff, volunteers, and community service workers. As the face of NFCC, they provide excellent customer service while greeting donors and ensuring donations are properly removed from vehicles and sorted in designated areas. They are responsible for maintaining the security of merchandise and keeping all areas clean and organized.
The Truck Driver works Monday through Friday 9am – 2pm and periodically on Saturdays or Sundays for special events.
If you have 1-2 years of Box Truck delivery experience, maintain a valid Ga Driver’s License free of any traffic violations for the past 3 years and enjoy providing excellent customer service, we’d love to hear from you! Please submit your resume to jobs@nfcchelp.org
The Supervisor must be able to lift up to 75lb frequently and be on their feet most of their shift. They must enjoy staying busy, training and influencing others to work as a team in a professional manner. Must have the ability to work Tuesday through Saturday 9am – 5pm. An extraordinary Total Rewards Package is included with this opportunity!
If this sounds like the role for you, we’d love to hear from you! Please submit your resume to
ESL Contractor Instructor (Evening)
Bilingual (English / Spanish) Donor Operations Supervisor
NFCC is seeking an Evening ESL Contractor Instructor to teach English classes through our Adult Education program, serving students throughout North Fulton and surrounding counties. Our ESL Program runs three sessions annually, with comprehensive lessons covering speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills, along with regular assessments to track student progress.
The Bilingual (English / Spanish) Donor Operations Supervisor (Full-time) manages the donation door process and delegates tasks to staff, volunteers, and community service workers. As the face of NFCC, they provide excellent customer service while greeting donors and ensuring donations are properly removed from vehicles and sorted in designated areas. They are responsible for maintaining the security of merchandise and keeping all areas clean and organized.
We’re looking for an instructor who is available to teach evening classes. The ideal candidate will be committed to maintaining strong enrollment of at least ten students per class and who can create an engaging learning environment that supports adult learners in achieving their English language goals.
If you have a bachelor’s or master’s degree in TESL, TESOL, English with a TESL certificate, linguistics or applied linguistics with a TESL certificate, we’d love to hear from you! Please submit your resume to jobs@nfcchelp.org
The Supervisor must be able to lift up to 75lb frequently and be on their feet most of their shift. They must enjoy staying busy, training and influencing others to work as a team in a professional manner. Must have the ability to work Tuesday through Saturday 9am – 5pm. An extraordinary Total Rewards Package is included with this opportunity!
If this sounds like the role for you, we’d love to hear from you! Please submit your resume to jobs@nfcchelp.org
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2025 Scan
Ticket includes top-shelf whiskey, bourbon & spirits, live music, a golf simulator, cigars, and delicious food from your favorite restaurants.
WORKS 755 Echo Street NW, Atlanta, GA 30318
Get in early and skip the lines. PARKING
745 Echo Street NW, Atlanta, GA 30318
