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HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA
Roswell resident Leyla-Marie Bouadou promotes school bus safety July 31 at Heards Ferry Elementary in Sandy Springs for the 2025 School’s Open Drive Carefully Campaign. Leyla-Marie was named the AAA Safety Patroller of the Year after graduating from the fifth grade at River Eves Elementary School in Roswell.
By HAYDEN SUMLIN
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. —
Roswell resident Leyla-Marie Bouadou, recognized as AAA Safety Patroller of the Year, has a message for drivers before Fulton County Schools students begin classes Aug. 4.
Leyla-Marie, who just finished fifth grade at River Eves Elementary School in southeast Roswell, said serving on her school’s Safety Patrol taught her the importance of awareness around cars and buses.
After being nominated as
Safety Patroller of the Year at River Eves Elementary last school year, she took home the statewide award. Only one patrol member per state, in the Auto Club Group’s territory, wins the annual recognition.
“In fourth grade, my teacher Mr. Klosterhaus nominated me for for the Safety Patrol Program. And I loved it because I became very helpful to my school” she said. “And, I’m very grateful to all the students out there, have a great school year and stay safe.”
See SAFETY, Page 11
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — The Sandy Springs Development Authority, Public Facilities Authority and City Council met July 29 to finalize an agreement with the developers constructing a parking garage off Sandy Springs Circle.
CBRE subsidiary Trammell Crow announced plans in early June to begin construction this year on an 8.1-acre redevelopment — Hillcrest — just a block from City Springs off Mount Vernon Highway.
Currently, the site consists of Sandy Springs United Methodist Church’s Hitson Center, a grass field and a parking
lot. Because of the property’s steep grade, Trammell Crow says the development will terrace down from Mount Vernon Highway along Sandy Springs Circle. Following the afternoon Public Facilities Authority meeting, the City Council abandoned its slope easements along Sandy Springs Circle because the developer plans to replace it with a streetscape
along the mixed-use development.
Sandy Springs United Methodist Church, which is selling a chunk of its properties on the south side of Mount Vernon Highway, says it plans to use proceeds to fund significant improvements to its primary campus.
See PARKING, Page 10
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By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — After 24 years, Pig-N-Chik BBQ within the Fountain Oaks shopping center off Roswell Road (Ga. 9) announced the location is closing Aug. 16.
Pig-N-Chik’s two other Metro Atlanta locations, 5071 Peachtree Boulevard in Chamblee and 1815 Briarcliff Road in Decatur, are set to remain open.
On the last day of pulled pork sandwiches, ribs and brisket , PigN-Chik is hosting a “Shut Er Down” party Aug. 16 as a thank you to the community.
In a July 24 announcement on the local restaurant chain’s Facebook page, the owners said they received word that the landlord is not going to renew their lease of the space in Suite 45a at 4920 Roswell Road.
The BBQ spot's 1,875-square-foot space is closest to the Roswell Road and Long Island Drive intersection with an outdoor patio and ample parking.
“Twenty-four great years of serving the amazing communities of Sandy Springs and Chastain Park is about to come to an end,” the post says. “We
want everyone to know how much we appreciate all the love and support we've had over those 24 years. Please come visit us as often as possible before our closing date.”
Jamestown, a real estate investment firm based in Atlanta and Cologne, Germany, purchased the Fountain Oaks shopping center for $47.9 million in April 2024. In 2013, it sold for just under $27.7 million.
Pig-N-Chik BBQ co-founder Jim Graddy describes the restaurant's story on its website.
"Back in the ’70s, my uncle Rick had a pig farm. I spent many summers there helping out with the animals and the land," Graddy wrote. "Not much later, I would meet my best bud, Bill Marrack. Bill quickly became involved in our smoking hogs and pig-pickings. Together, we discovered a shared passion for barbeque, compelling us to become business partners."
Graddy and Marrack transformed how BBQ is enjoyed in north Metro Atlanta, bringing pizzeria-style delivery and the counter-service restaurant model, before the fastcasual trend.
For more information, visit pignchik.net.
so on. The connecting letter is outlined, giving you the correct number of letters for each answer (the answers in line 1 are 5, 5 and 4 letters). The clues are numbered 1 through 7, with each number containing 3 clues for the 3 answers on the line. But here’s the catch! The clues are not in order - so the first clue in Line 1 may (or may not) actually be for the second or third answer in that line. Got it?
1. Montana city. Hurry up. Like a beaver.
2. Edible mushroom. Sheik’s bevy. City of Peru.
3. Swiss city. Bird of prey. Music genre.
4. Gambling game. City of Belarus. Like a sheep.
5. Utah city. Disney dog. Miserly.
6. Baby’s bed. City of Mali. Spill the beans.
7. Beach sight. Fertile track in a desert. North Dakota city.
1 Montana city. Hurry up. Like a beaver
2. Edible mushroom. Sheik’s bevy. City of Peru
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. Swiss city. Bird of prey. Music genre
4. Gambling game. City of Belarus. Like a sheep
5. Utah city. Disney dog. Miserly
6. Baby’s bed. City of Mali. Spill the beans.
7. Beach sight. Fertile
DUNWOODY, Ga. — The Perimeter CID is launching Playfully Perimeter, a new pop-up series with its first event, Play it Cool!, from 3-7 p.m. Aug. 27.
The inaugural community field day is just south of I-285 within the city of Brookhaven at the Perimeter Summit Green off Ashford Dunwoody Road.
The event is free to the public, but registration is required.
In collaboration with Explore Brookhaven, Discover Dunwoody and Visit Sandy Springs, the Playfully Perimeter series looks to expand awareness of the business district and highlight its continuous growth and new developments.
The community improvement district in Central Perimeter, including all three cities in Fulton and DeKalb counties, has commercial property owners agree to pay an extra tax to fund local improvements and services. It is governed by two boards, separated by county.
The Playfully Perimeter series includes three "immersive experiences" between August and December that look to promote the area’s mixed-use developments, cultural centers and pedestrian activity zones.
The Perimeter CID says Play It Cool! taps into the nostalgia of childhood field days with games like
sack races and pickleball; oversized yard games like Jenga and Connect 4; and music-based experiences such as a Hula Hoop contest and Limbo.
To register visit, eventbrite. com/e/playfully-perimeter-tickets1458751608329?aff=oddtdtcreator.
Ann Hanlon, executive director of the Perimeter CIDs, said her team is excited to showcase the growth of their district, feature unique businesses and build partnerships.
"This past year has proven that big moves in Perimeter aren't just possible. They're happening," Hanlon said. "We want Perimeter to be the place to be and spend time in Metro Atlanta."
— Hayden Sumlin
PERIMETER CID/PROVIDED
The Perimeter CID is launching Playfully Perimeter, a new pop-up series with its first event, Play it Cool!
By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Jason Virdi remembers a sense of dread in the backseat of an Uber as he and his wife rushed their dog Ruby to the vet.
The couple was desperate. An aspiration during a surgery had led to a dangerous lung infection. It was the latest crisis in a string of cascading health issues that began with a surgery complication from a routine spay.
Virdi, who worked in finance at the time, said his mind defaulted to problem-solving. He questioned whether the driver was going fast enough or whether they would be delayed by construction. His wife Elizabeth Ruocco was distraught.
At the hospital, a team of veterinary professionals leaped into action, putting Ruby on oxygen and getting her the emergency care she needed.
“Once we got her there, I felt a lot better,” Virdi said.
Despite the excellent care, Ruby’s condition did not improve. She died about 24 hours later.
The tragedy hit hard but spurred Virdi into action.
In April, he opened Ruby Veterinary Urgent Care with the help of Chief
Medical Officer Dr. Melissa Ehrlich.
“I wanted to memorialize Ruby in a way that was more meaningful,” Virdi said.
Ruby Veterinary Urgent Care, 10710 State Bridge Road, specializes in a kind of care that is in short supply, treating cats and dogs suffering from many of the most common ailments.
As an urgent care hospital, the clinic offers top tier expertise and equipment to give owners peace of mind and animals same-day relief for acute
issues. It also helps alleviate the burden on veterinary emergency centers, which prioritize life saving care.
Owners should think of Ruby Veterinary Urgent Care as they do traditional human urgent care, Ehrlich said.
The hospital can provide life-saving treatment, but its specialty lies in illnesses and injuries that require prompt attention but do not pose an immediate threat to an animal’s life.
Commonly seen ailments include ear, eye and skin infections; gastrointestinal issues, such as diarrhea or vomiting; ingestion of foreign objects; neurological issues including trouble walking and seizures; broken bones; urinary problems; endof-life care; and more.
A host of capabilities is available on premises, including an X-ray, ultrasound, anesthesia, blood work lab, endoscope, full in-house pharmacy, point-of-care technology and oxygen.
A team of about 10 nurses assist four veterinary doctors, seeing patients the same day they call.
Together, they prioritize investigating health issues and treating their root causes.
For example, dogs that sometimes present with diarrhea or vomiting may be suffering from an endocrine disorder that prevents their adrenal glands from manufacturing sufficient amounts of the hormone cortisol. By running blood work, the team can successfully identify the issue and get the pet the help it needs.
“You provide them a shot, and they start to feel so much better,” Ehrlich said.
Virdi said he decided to offer every employee of the hospital part ownership.
Sadly, Ehrlich said those working in veterinary medicine have suffered
significantly higher rates of mental health issues. That’s in part because they often care so much about their work, she said.
“The way we think about it is, if the hospital does well, we want the entire team to do well,” Virdi said.
Before Ehrlich decided to help found the clinic, she worked on the front lines of animal emergency care.
Ehrlich said she loves a calm home life, but at work, she thrives on “organized chaos.”
Since obtaining her doctorate in veterinary medicine in 2008 from UGA, she has realized her passion lies in serving as a kind of medical detective, doing work that requires constant problem solving and quick thinking.
When she worked in the emergency setting, she recalls being inundated with less severe cases that made saving pets’ lives all the more difficult. That’s because until now urgent care centers for animals have been relatively rare.
Urgent care veterinary practices are on the rise as of late, said the American Veterinary Medical Association in 2023.
Modeled after human walk-in clinics, they provide quick relief for less serious problems, often far sooner than general practitioners.
They are not a fill in for regular vet visits, but they do fill a much needed gap in care, the association said.
Providing excellent treatment is just one piece of the puzzle, Ehrlich said. Making their animal patients and human owners feel at ease is just as important.
That starts with professionals who have a deep and real appreciation for every animal who walks through their doors.
By TY TAGAMI Capitol Beat
ATLANTA —Thousands of Georgians will soon be spending money from the state’s new subsidy for private K-12 education, as the first quarterly payouts appear in “promise scholarship” accounts.
More than 15,000 students applied for one of the $6,500 annual subsidies, and about 8,500 were approved. That means the state is on track to give about $55 million in taxpayer dollars — far less than budgeted — to families that have chosen private schooling over attendance at their nearby low-performing public school.
To qualify for the payments, most students had to spend a year attending one of the nearly 500 public schools performing in the bottom quarter of state academic measures. But the youngest students have a way around that requirement. Under last year’s law establishing the payments, often referred to as a “voucher,” rising kindergartners need not have attended public school to qualify.
According to new figures from the Georgia Student Finance Commission, which oversees the program, a third of the recipients will be attending kindergarten. Nearly half will be in elementary school, with the rest in seventh through 12th
grades.
The money will be paid out quarterly, starting this month. Families can use it for a variety of education-related expenses. Two-thirds said they plan to spend it on tuition, according to the commission. The rest will use it to cover home schooling costs and other allowable expenses, such as tutoring, therapy and curriculum.
Opponents of these vouchers argued they would mostly be used by the wealthy, who are more able to afford the difference between the amount of the subsidy and the cost of private school tuition, which can exceed $10,000 a year.
As state Republican lawmakers were pushing Senate Bill 233 to final passage last year, Sen. Nabilah Islam Parkes, D-Duluth, summarized the opposition, mostly from fellow Democrats.
The vouchers are “a mirage for families like mine and for countless others across our state,” she said on the Senate floor, adding that they would undermine education for kids who don’t choose private school, since public schools would lose state funding for each student who took a voucher.
“It is a battle for the soul of our education system,” Parkes said.
“I’ve got news for you,” responded Sen. Greg Dolezal, R-Cumming, the chief co-
sponsor of the bill. “The wealthy already have school choice, including some wealthy members in this room who have been able to exercise school choice for their own children.”
Supporters of the bill, which Gov. Brian Kemp signed into law a month after passage, said the loss of state funding for public schools would not hurt them because they would no longer have to cover the cost of educating the voucher recipients.
The commission reports that three quarters of recipients are “lower-income,” meaning the students are coming from households with incomes at or below four times the federal poverty level. ($106,600 a year for a family of three and $128,600 for a family of four.)
Half of the recipients are Black and a third are white.
Two metro Atlanta districts will lose the most students — DeKalb County, with nearly 900 scholarship recipients, and Henry County, with nearly 800. Others rounding out the top five districts losing students to vouchers are Bibb County, at nearly 600 students; Richmond County at nearly 500, and Savannah-Chatham County with more than 400.
The commission cautioned that the numbers are a moving target because some students may yet opt out. But the
participation numbers are well below the $141 million that lawmakers budgeted for this school year.
Tony West, Georgia director of Americans for Prosperity, a group that lobbied for this program, attributed the low participation to several potential reasons: parents haven’t heard of the program yet, they know about it but are skeptical or they did not apply because they do not live in the attendance zone of an eligible public school.
Only 56% of applicants were approved, which suggests that many who applied do not live near an underperforming school. Address and state residency were the two main qualifying criteria.
“I think that strongly suggests that the eligibility requirements are too restrictive,” said West, who noted that 16 states with similar scholarship programs have not based eligibility on address. He can see his group lobbying state lawmakers to convert Georgia’s program to universal access.
“We’ll see what the political appetite is moving forward,” he said.
This story is available through a news partnership with Capitol Beat News Service, a project of the Georgia Press Educational Foundation.
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Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr speaks to the
his work to combat human trafficking, organized crime and opioid
By SARAH COYNE sarah@appenmedia.com
ROSWELL, Ga. — Georgia Attorney
General Chris Carr paid the Rotary Club of Roswell a visit July 24.
More than 150 Rotary members and guests attended the meeting at Roswell Area Park to hear about Carr’s work. The club chose to bring Carr out to talk about his campaigns to address human trafficking, organized crime and opioid addiction.
Roswell Rotary President Trummie Lee Patrick III said that the main reason they chose to bring Carr out to speak was because of Carr’s work to end human trafficking. Dave McCleary, Roswell Rotarian and past president, founded End Human Trafficking Now, which became an international movement.
“It was a great pairing of both what Dave's trying to accomplish and obviously what Attorney General Carr has tried to accomplish here in Georgia,” Patrick said.
Carr said that his favorite part about meeting local communities such as Roswell is being able to hear the good stories.
“It is so uplifting when you hear people helping other people,” he said.
Carr has served as Georgia’s Attorney General for nearly a decade and is setting his sights on the
governor’s office. Although Carr did not speak about his campaign at the club meeting, he did speak about his future goals for the state.
During his talk, Carr highlighted his initiatives, which include the Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, which has led to more than 60 convictions and rescued more than 200 children. He also highlighted his work through the Gang Prosecution Unit, which has collected more than 100 convictions.
“Georgia is a leader in the fight against human trafficking, and that is in part because of the people in this room,” Carr said.
Carr also mentioned the state’s fight to combat the opioid crisis.
“This is the thing that keeps me up at night with a 20-year-old daughter,” he said.
On July 11, Carr announced that the State of Georgia is expected to receive up to $20 million from several recently proposed national settlements with eight drug makers accused of contributing to the opioid crisis. Funds from the settlements will be put toward addiction treatment, prevention and recovery services.
“I think this is going to make a big difference,” Carr said at the Rotary meeting.
To learn more about the club, visit roswellrotary.club.
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Since the completion of City Springs in 2018, the city has maintained a parking usage agreement with the church for 105 surface parking spaces on the site. Because the redevelopment and sale of the property jeopardizes needed spots, Sandy Springs is pursuing an investment in the future parking garage.
Hillcrest’s developer is High Street Residential, a subsidiary of Trammell Crow, and Third & Urban, one of the Southeast’s leaders in modern infills and mixed-use destinations.
Plans for the mixed-use development include 362 apartments, 30 for-rent townhomes and around 18,000 square feet of retail space with a central plaza and green space. For parking, developers are planning to construct a 643-space garage.
Highlights of the residential portion include a rooftop pool and clubroom, state-of-the-art fitness amenities and a dog park. The project is expected to be completed in 2027, according to information from Trammell Crow.
With approvals from all three bodies, Sandy Springs’ contribution to the project is capped at $4.87 million for the construction of 111 parking spaces for city use.
Economic Development Director Chris Burnett said the city will acquire the parking spaces through a 50-year easement agreement with 6150 Sandy Springs Circle LLC. There is a buy-out option after the term ends.
“The city will own 17.2 percent of the total parking spaces in the garage,” Burnett said. “We will finance that through a tax abatement, which was approved this morning by the Development Authority, so that over the course of 10 years, $4,877,333 ... would be repaid to us through the tax abatement and property that would be granted to Trammell Crow.”
The 10-year tax abatement kicks in after construction is completed with 50 percent off the first year with a 5 percent reduction each subsequent year. The city says realized tax savings are then paid back for its parking costs.
The city is essentially trading a tax break with Trammell Crow in exchange for partial ownership of the parking garage. The tax abatement reduces the developer’s
Continued from Page 6
As a child, Ehrlich always wanted a pet.
“I had an emotional connection with animals, and I felt like they understood me, and I understood them,” she said.
After saying no again and again, her parents finally gave in and allowed her to keep a goldfish and then two red-eared slider turtles named Woody and K’tan Tan. When she got older, she adopted her first dog, a golden retriever named Dinah, who was a breeder surrender because of a neurological condition.
“She's a special little girl,” Ehrlich said. “She loves life, and so I took her home with me because I knew that I could provide her with a home that could care for her.”
That caring mentality extends to the clinic’s design and decor.
TRAMMELL CROW/PROVIDED
An artist’s rendering of Hillcrest shows plans for an 8.1acre mixed-use development along Sandy Springs Circle at Mount Vernon Highway just a block from City Springs.
costs, making the project viable.
Burnett said closing is anticipated before the end of July and requires the Public Facilities Authority to fund around $220,000 in legal fees and closing costs, as well as $165,615 in Development Authority transaction fees.
Because macroeconomic trends and high interest rates have slowed the city’s planned expansion of its City Springs downtown district south across Mount Vernon Highway, the city says its partnership with a private developer gets needed parking spaces at a discount.
Elected officials voted unanimously to approve the agreement and subsequent resolutions to set its funding mechanism.
Bond documents, required by state law, are expected to be executed by mid-July and total $150 million. In the bond resolution, the city and its Development Authority have no financial obligations.
Sandy Springs is set to deposit $3.59 million into an escrow account with Truist Bank within 30 days of the closing. Sandy Springs is setting aside a majority of it for hard construction costs and less than $300,000 split between developer fees and a contingency.
The Public Facilities Authority approved the reallocation of $4.4 million from the Georgia Commission on the Holocaust project to go toward the overflow City Springs parking at Hillcrest.
Burnett said city staff believes that initiative has now gone away and recommends the money to be the primary funding source for the project.
“Now at almost $4.9 million, the $4.4 million in real-
Cute wallpapers of happy cats and dogs cover numerous walls. Wide windows allow in ample outdoor light. A special cat-screening room contains comfy beds recessed into nooks for felines to feel safe. Treats of all kinds abound on shelves throughout the clinic.
The team gave special attention to an end of life room where pets can enjoy their last moments with their humans. It features a private exit so grieving owners can leave discreetly. For dogs who are ready to depart, staff have on hand a jar of Hershey’s Kisses.
“Because they can't have them when they are healthy, we let them enjoy a goodbye kiss,” Ehrlich said.
The clinic may be a veterinary facility, but staff recognize the importance of making owners feel comfortable, nurse Keri Wheeler said.
“I like to take care of the clients just as much as I like to take care of their pets,” Wheeler said. “Everybody deserves to have an understanding of what's going
location of funds is not sufficient for all of it,” Burnett said. “At some point ... we’ll come back with a request to raise that final funding gap that will probably come from the general fund.”
Burnett said filling the funding gap would cover the $900,000 set aside for streetscape and infrastructure improvements.
In early June, City Councilman Andy Bauman said the good news about the agreement is that the city is getting needed overflow parking at a discounted rate. During the July 29 meetings, Bauman confirmed that the city’s investment will be repaid to the city’s general fund for day-to-day operations.
“We’re going to receive the vast majority of the repayment of our costs, including the 900,000 by the way ... very front loaded,” Bauman said, recapping the complex parking agreement and tax abatement. “We are taking money that has been allocated and not spent, which was for the Georgia Commission on the Holocaust. But in time, that money is going to actually come back to the city in the form of repayment.”
City Manager Eden Freeman, who serves as the Public Facilities Authority’s general manager, recommended the reallocation of funding, according to a staff memo.
When you add up the total cost of the project, the price per parking space comes out to nearly $44,000, which does not represent much of a discount for the city or its taxpayers. Technically, the price per parking spot from strictly construction costs is just under $30,000, representing more of a deal.
Council members John Paulson and Tibby DeJulio asked about the monitoring of the escrow account and the city’s 17 percent share of operational costs.
City staff told them they are looking for an independent construction evaluation firm to manage the escrow account and the Finance Department is prepared to handle cost sharing.
Mayor Rusty Paul said one of his priorities is ensuring there is consistency with parking systems in and around City Springs, which has been confusing for some residents.
“We’re moving to a lot of paid parking here in the City Springs area,” Paul said. “How do we harmonize the various systems, even though they may choose a different vendor? ... because you want to make sure that parking is seamless across the whole area.”
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on.”
Information can go a long way in alleviating owners’ anxiety, so Wheeler and staff try to explain what they are doing in simple, everyday terms.
“When I'm talking to an owner, I speak with transparency, and I'm very honest with them,” she said. “We do a lot of education and hand holding.”
Just months after opening, Ruby Veterinary Urgent Care has already gar -
nered significant attention from local pet owners.
The clinic has won the hearts of many clients, amassing an impressive collection of 40 Google reviews, all of which are five stars.
“The most caring and compassionate vet we’ve ever been to,” said one client who took their senior dog to the clinic. “We genuinely thought it might be the end, and we were heartbroken and afraid. From the moment we walked in, the entire team … treated Sam like he was part of their own family.”
Virdi said he has found immense satisfaction in the hospital’s achievements, and he is now looking forward to the future.
Since Ruby’s death, he has adopted a second bernedoodle, Rosie, and has had one daughter with his wife. But Ruby’s memory will live on and perhaps be carried forward as he hopes to open future urgent care clinics under her name.
“Our aspirations are big,” he said.
Continued from Page 1
Leyla-Marie said her teacher Ms. Lemcoe helped out and made the program a lot of fun with treats for the Safety Patrol. After graduating fifth grade, she’s headed to Holy Redeemer Catholic School in Johns Creek.
Fulton County students are heading back Aug. 4 for the start of the 2025-26 school year. The new calendar includes 177 instructional days and a new weeklong break in October along with the Thanksgiving, winter and spring breaks.
The school district encourages parents to check their child’s emergency contact information on Infinite Campus and its updated student code of conduct, banning tobacco and vape products, inappropriate physical contact and the misuse of AI or altered images.
The district’s electronics policy bans personal devices like phones and tablets for students in grades K-8 and restricts their usage during instructional time for highs schoolers.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 63 percent of child pedestrians killed in traffic crashes in 2023 were struck during weekdays. Afternoon hours following the school day are particularly dangerous because children are vulnerable as they walk through residential areas and near school grounds.
Garrett Townsend, public affairs director for AAA, said it’s important to realize that children getting on and off buses are unpredictable.
“Believe it or not, in just a few days, kids are going to be heading back to school,” Townsend said. “We have a responsibility as motorists on the road, and that’s to keep them safe.”
The AAA School’s Open Drive Carefully awareness campaign launched in 1946 to prevent school-related child pedestrian traffic crashes, helping kids to live fulfilling, injury-free lives. According to the AAA Consumer Pulse Survey, around 70 percent of Georgia will commute daily or regularly drive routes that take them through school zones and/or bus stops this fall.
“We’re urging all motorists to focus on the task of driving, focus on getting to your destination safely and be aware of when you’re in a school zone,” Townsend said. “Make sure that you pay extra attention to those school zones and children that may be going back and forth to school.”
The AAA survey showed 41 percent of Georgians admitted to driving over the speed limit and 28 percent admitted to using a cell phone while in an active school zone.
Vickie Cross, transportation director at Fulton County Schools, said her mission is simple, deliver students to their destinations on time and in a frame of mind ready to learn. Cross said it requires “the extraordinary efforts” of qualified bus
Governor’s Office of Highway Safety
Director Allen Poole explains state laws governing when drivers must stop for school buses and how motorists can limit danger around schools. Poole said school buses in Georgia are illegally passed more than 9,000 times a day.
drivers, monitors, mechanics and school district staff.
Governor’s Office of Highway Safety Director Allen Poole said school buses are illegally passed more than 9,000 times a day in Georgia.
“Georgia law is very simple ... when the stop equipment [on a school bus] is activated, you must stop [if it’s in front of your vehicle],” Poole said. “If the road is divided by a physical barrier, not a turn lane ... you don’t have to stop if it’s headed in the opposite direction.”
Along Roswell Road (Ga. 9) in Sandy Springs, the four-lane corridor is not median divided and vehicles must stop for a bus dropping off children in either direction.
Lt. Chris Carlisle with the state Public Safety Department’s Commercial Vehicle Enforcement said his unit has inspected more than 20,000 school buses in Georgia.
“We found defects that needed to be corrected, worked with the bus shops and made sure that these busses are safe to be able to transport students to and from schools,” Carlisle said. “We’ve done our part. Now we’re asking you to do yours.”
AAA offers essential traffic safety tips for keeping kids safe:
• Slow Down: Stick to school zone speed limits. Even 10 mph faster can mean the difference between life and death for a pedestrian.
• Eliminate Distractions: Avoid texting and distractions. A glance away doubles your chances of a crash.
• Reverse Carefully: Check for children before reversing. Teach kids to stay clear of vehicles.
• Talk to Teens: Stress safe driving habits with your teen, especially during afterschool hours (3-7 p.m.).
• Stop Fully: Always come to a complete stop at stop signs and crosswalks to check for kids.
• Watch for Bikes: Give kids on bicycles at least three feet of space and ensure they wear helmets.
Heards Ferry Elementary School off Powers Ferry Road is preparing to welcome students Aug. 4 for the first day of the 2025-26 academic year at Fulton County Schools. Officials from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, AAA Auto Club Group and the Georgia Department of Public Safety are encouraging drivers to stay alert in and around school zones and buses.
BOB MEYERS Columnist
According to the annual Giving USA report on philanthropy by the Giving USA Foundation and Indiana University, the total in 2023 was $557 billion. DealAid, a fundraiser for non-profits, reports that 56 percent of Americans donated to charity in 2024 and that the average age of a U.S. donor was 65. Twenty-four percent of the total went to religious organizations. Education and human services were tied at 14 percent each, with health-related causes at 9 percent.
In the early days of our nation’s history, religion or moral obligation played a dominant role in giving. As more people gained wealth and status, giving back to society became a key motivating factor. Famous philanthropists such as John D. Rockefeller (1839-1937), Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919), Edsel Ford who established the Ford Foundation in 1936, and more recently Bill Gates and Warren Buffett have had an enormous impact on society.
Many people donate to organizations where they have personal ties, or work for corporations with ties to particular charitable organizations. A person with a relative with cancer, for example, might give to the American Cancer Society. An employee might feel satisfaction by taking part in a company fundraiser for its chosen charity. Some give to the United , which like the charity described below distributes money to a range of charities. Someone blessed with wealth may be motivated to leave a lasting legacy through charitable giving to fill a need that is not being met in their community.
ProPublica, a non-profit news service, reports that there are more than 55,000 charities designated as 501(c) (3)s in Georgia. Donations to those entities are tax deductible. They range from small local organizations to large multi-million-dollar hospitals, churches and other large charities. A quick note: there is a big difference between a non-profit organization and a 501(c) (3). This can cause confusion. Not all non-profits qualify for 501(c)(3) status which is granted by the Internal Revenue Service following a lengthy application process. A non-profit corporation is formed under state law. It operates like a regular corporation, but its profits must serve the public good not its owners or shareholders. A 501(c)(3) is exempt from federal income tax and often state taxes as well. Importantly, donations to 501(c) (3)s are tax deductible for the donor.
Portrait of John D Rockefeller taken in 1922. After founding Standard Oil Company in 1870, he spent In retirement much of his retirement directed toward modernizing the South through the General Education Board which he established in 1902 with an initial gift of $1 million. The GEB eventually grew to more than $180 million. The GEB funded thousands of schools in rural areas of the South, teacher training, agricultural modernization, public health and medicine.
Philanthropy in the United States dates back to a generous gift by a Puritan clergyman, John Harvard. When he died in 1638, he donated half his estate and his collection of 400 books to a young school, which named itself Harvard College after the donor the following year. The Puritans in Massachusetts and the Quakers of Pennsylvania were the first to establish philanthropic institutions in their areas in the 1600s, such as the Scots Charitable Society of Boston. Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) was a pioneer of philanthropy. He advocated the notion that everyone should donate for the common good consistent with his or her means. In 1729, he founded a weekly newspaper, the Philadelphia Gazette, which for the next 30 years promoted various civic projects. His efforts led to a volunteer fire department, the paving of public streets
and a scientific academy that eventually became the University of Pennsylvania.
In 1835, Alexis de Tocqueville, the famous French historian who profiled the United States in his book Democracy in America wrote about the strange practice by the Americans of supporting private initiatives for the public good. He said that voluntary giving was a special characteristic of the Americans.
North Georgia example
It would be impossible to highlight multiple charities in a single column, but one that merits special mention is Southern Magnolia Charities, established in 2018 under President Marty Spear, who was succeed by Donna Savas, and is now led by Cynthia Knudson. Other board members since the inception include Lara Dolan and Judy Burds. All have played active roles with the Milton Tour of Homes committee which is the
This portrait of Andrew Carnegie, Scottish-American financier, was taken in 1865 and is part of the Brady-Handy Civil War photo collection in the Library of Congress. Carnegie built 1,800 libraries in the United States between 1898 and 1929, including more than 30 in Georgia. Worldwide, he built some 2,500 libraries.
major fundraiser for the organization. Southern Magnolia Charities donates money to other local charities each year and is known as “A Charity for Charities!” Other fundraisers have included a Comedy on the Green and a cookbook offered during a threeyear disruption during COVID when homeowners did not want people touring their homes. The charity has raised $361,000 and has benefited 15 local charities.
The tour has become popular, and once tickets go on sale, they are sold out at lightning speed. This year’s tour is Sept. 20. Tickets go on sale Aug. 1. The website for the tour is https:// southernmagnoliacharities.org/2025milton-tour-of-homes.
You don’t have to be a Rockefeller or Carnegie to take part in giving. It is open to everyone.
Thanks to Judy Burds for her help with the column and to Marty Spear for suggesting the topic.
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.
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