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Vietnam vet to deliver Veterans Day keynote ► PAGE 4 O c t o b e r 2 9 , 2 0 2 6 | A p p e n M e d i a . c o m | A n A p p e n M e d i a G r o u p P u b l i c a t i o n | 5 0 ¢ | Vo l u m e 5 , N o . 4 4

Phoenix & Dragon Bookstore closing doors after 39 years

Continuing care throughout breast cancer survivorship By HANNAH YAHNE hannah@appenmedia.com

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — There are more than 4 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S., according to the American Cancer Society. “Every day of survivorship is harder than any day of active treatment,” breast cancer survivor Abbi Greer Campagno said. “And there’s no manual.” To Liz Loreti, executive director of Iris Breast Cancer

Rehabilitation, there are “… survivors that don’t have support.” That’s where Iris Breast Cancer Rehabilitation comes in – a nonprofit organization that provides physical rehabilitation for breast cancer survivors. The organization’s team of 20 physical therapists, oncology massage therapists, clinical support staff and social workers administered 6,500 appointments in 2025.

See IRIS, Page 9

By HANNAH YAHNE hannah@appenmedia.com

HANNAH YAHNE/APPEN MEDIA

From left, Michel Lee, Liz Loreti, executive director of Iris Breast Cancer Rehabilitation, and Abbi Greer Campagno smile at the nonprofit organization’s headquarters at 7820 Roswell Road.

Nov. 1. In November, the business will shift to reduced hours. SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Visit phoenixanddragonThe Phoenix & Dragon bookstore.com for updates. Bookstore announced its Phoenix & Dragon did upcoming closure after not respond to Appen Meoperating for 39 years in dia’s request for comment. Sandy Springs. October events, includ“We would like to thank ing the Harvest Soiree, our community for the will proceed as scheduled. many years of love, conSome November events will nection, and support we remain scheduled, with have received,” the business more information available wrote in a message posted in the coming days. online. “We are thankful Candace Apple originally to have been able to foster opened Phoenix & Dragon such a beautiful community Bookstore on Hammond full of diversity and joy for Drive in 1987. The busithe past 39 years.” ness relocated in 1995 to According to the busi5531 Roswell Road NE and ness, the closure will not be features a meditation garimmediate. The bookstore den and rooms for psychic will be open during normal readings and other healing business hours through sessions.

Developer picked for next phase of City Springs By HANNAH YAHNE hannah@appenmedia.com

Company through its residential subsidiary High Street Residential, which is currently developing SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — The Hillcrest, a mixed-use project Sandy Springs City Council voted at Mount Vernon Highway and Oct. 20 on a master developer Sandy Springs Circle. Also part for phase two of City Springs, a of the development team is Third 5.5-acre development that will and Urban LLC, DSM Real Estate accompany the first phase of Partners and Hedgewood Homes. the City Springs Master Plan The site fronts Hilderbrand completed in 2018. Drive and is adjacent to the The developer is Trammell Crow Heritage Green. Early concept

plans include a hotel, multifamily homes, green space and retail options. Hedgewood Homes plans to build 28 single-family homes where Heritage Hall is currently located. Rezoning of the site could begin in December, with site work estimated to begin as early as fall 2027.

See PHASE, Page 8

COURTESY OF PHOENIX & DRAGON BOOKSTORE

Phoenix & Dragon bookstore in Sandy Springs is closing after operating in the community for 39 years.

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RACHEL PROVOW

2 | October 29, 2026 | Sandy Springs Crier | AppenMedia.com/Sandy_Springs

POLICE BLOTTER These reports are compiled from information provided by local law enforcement agencies and are matters of public record. They do not imply guilt, and those described are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

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Canton teens charged in parking lot beating

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ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Two Canton teens were charged with aggravated battery after allegedly beating another teen at Ameris Bank Amphitheatre. Alpharetta police said officers were dispatched to the venue about 4:45 a.m. Oct. 3 for a reported assault that occurred about six hours prior. An 18-year-old Clemson, South Carolina, man told officers he and friends were visiting for a Treaty Oak Revival concert at the amphitheater. He said they were in their truck and preparing to leave when the Canton teens exited their own nearby truck and approached them. The Clemson teen said he could not remember anything after the Canton teens pushed him out of his truck. A video recorded by one of the victim’s friends showed one man pinning his wrist with a cowboy boot and punching his face with a closed fist six times. The video showed the other Canton teen walking over and punching the victim’s nose before both left in their truck. Officers identified the suspected assailants as two 17-year-olds from Canton by calling one’s father after running the truck’s registration. The Clemson teen was taken to a nearby hospital where physicians found he suffered broken bones in his face and nose as well as dental injuries. Officers said he was covered in blood. — Jon Wilcox

Stop leads to drug charges for Dunwoody man ALPHARETTA, Ga. — A 42-year-old Dunwoody man was arrested on drug charges after officers allegedly found ecstasy, psilocy-

PUBLIC SAFETY bin mushrooms and THC gummies during an Oct. 4 traffic stop. Alpharetta police said an officer stopped a vehicle at Old Milton and Westside parkways about 2 p.m. for speeding and improper lane change. While speaking to the man, who was driving, officers noticed signs of impairment and began an intoxicated driving investigation. The officer allegedly observed the man had droopy eyelids, slurred speech, watery eyes and an odor of alcohol coming from his face. The man allegedly told the officer he was “bashing drinks” at an upscale Alpharetta restaurant. A roadside breath test showed his BAC at 0.143 grams, police said. After the man was arrested on an intoxicated driving charge, police conducted a search. The search found 4 grams of MDMA, 3 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, two packages of THC gummies, marijuana, rolling papers and a marijuana grinder with residue, police said. The man was charged with possession of a Schedule I controlled substance with intent to distribute, possession of a Schedule I controlled substance, possession of drug-related objects, driving under the influence, speeding and failure to maintain a lane. — Jon Wilcox

Laundry detergent thefts lead to arrest ROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell police said they arrested a man Oct. 6 after he allegedly stole laundry detergent from two stores. Officers responded to a shoplifting call at a Publix grocery store on Market Boulevard after 9 p.m., but the man had already left the scene. The store manager showed police video footage of the man. Police said the video showed the man walking past a checkout area with two backpacks. The manager said the man had different types of liquid laundry detergent, along with containers of laundry pods, in those backpacks. While leaving the scene, the man dropped one backpack outside of the store, employees said. The value of the merchandise in that backpack was $166, officers said. Police said they recognized the man from prior shoplifting incidents. Publix employees

said they also recognized the man, saying he had shoplifted on previous occasions. Two hours later, officers were dispatched to a Walmart Supercenter on Mansell Road in response to another shoplifting call. After reviewing that store’s video, officers said the male was the same one who had allegedly shoplifted from the Publix store earlier that evening. Officers said the man tried to steal additional liquid laundry detergent and laundry pods. They said the video showed the man walking past a checkout area with two backpacks and a container of laundry pods. Walmart store employees said they confronted the man, who dropped one of the backpacks and the laundry pods. That backpack, according to police, contained two containers of laundry pods worth a total of $120. Officers later arrested the man after seeing him walking along Mansell Road. Officers said they returned stolen goods in his possession to the Walmart store. — Hannah Yahne

Pine straw workers raise price after job, woman says ROSWELL, Ga. — A woman told Roswell police Oct. 2 that she paid $1,500 for pine straw work at her home on Tyson Court after the workers charged more than the price they had first given her, according to a police report. According to the report, three men came to her home and one of them quoted her $5 per bale. When the work was done, the men said they had laid 468 bales and asked for $2,300. They did not show her any proof of how many bales they used. The woman and her daughter talked the men down to $1,500 and paid them because the men would not leave without being paid, the report said. The officer found similar complaints about the same men in nearby jurisdictions. In June, the Roswell Police Department posted on Facebook warning residents about scams by unsolicited workers, especially pine straw sellers. Solicitors in Roswell must have a permit and must show it when asked. Police recommend that residents hire only reputable workers and avoid unsolicited offers unless a final price is agreed on ahead of time. — Hannah Yahne

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COMMUNITY

4 | October 29, 2026 | Sandy Springs Crier | AppenMedia.com/Sandy_Springs

Vietnam veteran to speak at Veterans Day event By HANNAH YAHNE hannah@appenmedia.com

CLACK

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Vietnam veteran and nationally recognized veterans advocate Tommy Clack will deliver the keynote address at Sandy Springs’ 17th annual Veterans Day Tribute. The free event, open to the public, begins at 11:30 a.m. Nov. 11 in the

Byers Theatre of the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center, 1 Galambos Way. Clack graduated from Decatur High School in 1965. He volunteered for U.S. Army service in 1966 and served for more than three years, rising to the rank of captain. During the Vietnam War, he served as an artillery forward observer with the 25th Infantry Division’s “Wolfhounds.”

On May 29, 1969, while operating on the Cambodian border, Clack was injured in an explosion, losing three limbs and sustaining internal injuries and hearing loss. After 33 operations, he finished college at Georgia State University. In 2012, he retired after 47 years of military and government employment. He has traveled as a public speaker since 1970. Clack has received more than

200 honors for his service, including the Daily Point of Light Award from President George H.W. Bush. He is also a member of the Georgia Military Veterans Hall of Fame. In addition to Clack’s remarks, the event will feature tributes to each service branch, patriotic music and performances by the North Springs High School JROTC Color Guard and the Sandy Springs Middle School Choir.

Dunwoody approves Georgetown plan to guide redevelopment By HANNAH YAHNE hannah@appenmedia.com DUNWOODY, Ga. — The Dunwoody City Council on Oct. 13 approved the Georgetown Small Area Plan, the city’s initiative to redevelop that center of activity, enhance its housing and retail options, and boost its overall connectivity. The blueprint is based on the city’s comprehensive plan. Community Development Director Richard McLeod said the small area plan replaces any other plan for Georgetown and its included neighborhoods. Council members had few comments on the overall plan.

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Council Member Catherine Lautenbacher asked which of the new roads planned for the development will be private. McLeod said that has not been decided. As part of the Interstate 285 express lanes expansion, the Georgia Department of Transportation also plans to convert Cotillion Drive to one-way westbound traffic and Savoy Drive to one-way eastbound traffic. Mayor Lynn Deutsch said the state should select a developer for the projects on Cotillion and Savoy drives by the end of this year, and current plans could be modified. Lautenbacher asked whether Dunwoody would have any input on the redesign. Cotillion Drive, however, is owned by the state. “If it wasn’t a GDOT road, it’d be a whole

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High Street modifications Council members supported the altered zoning conditions requested by High Street Development to build three commercial buildings instead of a seven-story residential building. No public comments were made. Senior Planner Madalyn Smith said this

layout will provide “a different relationship … than the traditional mixed-use buildings that they’ve constructed so far.” The modified plans include two new green spaces, about 100 surface parking spaces and an underground garage. The change is specific to Block 6, which is expected to be built alongside Block 5 in the development’s second phase. The first phase, completed in 2024, includes 598 apartments, 42,600 square feet of office space and 164,361 square feet of retail. Deutsch said she wants the plan adjusted to better account for deliveries and temporary parking. Representatives from the developer said they will return Oct. 26 with those changes. ATTENTION - Double check ad for ALL content. Phone, web, address, coupons, etc. Assume nothing Reply back that ad is approved once ALL ITEMS HAVE BEEN CHECKED FOR ACCURACY.

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different conversation,” Deutsch said. Council Member Rob Price said the area is “ripe for redevelopment” and that updated guidance from residents on what they want it to look like is important. Deutsch said public input was “tremendous,” with more than 100 people attending a public meeting on the plan.

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Sandy Springs Crier............................October 29, 2026 | 5

Dunwoody Crier 5/22/25 Crossword

COMPUTERS 1. Oration station. It hosts other computers. Stick together. 2. Arm or leg. It gets you around the monitor. Art supporter. 3. Command to Fido. Stand-offish. They hold data. 4. It’s a computer bane. Like a tortoise. Fishing spot. 5. Boredom. They are clickable. Citrus fruit. 6. In-box contents. It’s active in Sicily. Pigeon’s perch. 7. Wine label designation. One of it’s jobs is data storage. Chowder morsel. PuzzleJunction.com

2 3 4 5 6

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Computers 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 1. Oration station. It hosts other computers. Stick together. 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 3 answers onIt the line. Butaround here’srow, thethe catch! Theand clues not in order - so the first clue in Line 1 may (or may not) actually To the solve theleg. Sudoku puzzle, each column 2. Arm or gets you monitor. Artare supporter. be the second or the thirdnumbers answer in1that line. Got it? Good luck! boxformust contain to 9. 3. Command to Fido. Stand-offish. They hold data.

4. It’s a computer bane. Like a tortoise. Fishing spot.

8 6 6. In-box contents. It’s active in Sicily. Pigeon’s perch. 2 7 5 7. Wine label designation. One of its jobs is data storage. Chowder morsel. 1 2 3 8 7 1 4 6 3 7 5 8 5 4 2 How to Solve: Kakuro, also known as Cross Sums, is a challenging number puzzle, solved in a crossword style grid. 7 9 6 The rules are easy: A number above the diagonal line in a 5. Boredom. They are clickable. Citrus fruit.

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2 3 9 8 4 6 5 1 7

5 8 1 3 7 9 6 4 2

1 7 2 6 8 3 4 5 9

8 5 4 2 9 7 3 6 1

3 9 6 4 5 1 7 2 8

1 Twinge 5 Soda fountain treats 10 Curly cabbage 14 Brainchild 15 Alaskan native 16 Pelvic bones 17 Computer virus isolation 19 At hand 20 Final (Abbr.) 21 Sign before Virgo 22 Thin ice, e.g. 24 Spirit of a people 26 Ticked off 27 City near LA 30 Russian favorite 34 Emcee 37 Dot follower 38 Pavement 39 Tokyo, once 40 Samurai, e.g. 42 Jeans brand 43 Deodorant type 45 Commotion 46 Secluded valley 47 Clean-up tool 48 Paradise 50 Discontinue 52 Polled 56 Rio ___ 58 Prescription checker (Abbr.) 60 Gardner of film 61 Joint problem 62 Stargazer 65 Ashtabula’s lake 66 Piece of cave art 67 Out of shape 68 Give temporarily 69 Gumption 70 Adherents (Suffix)

38 41

47 50 56

25 27

Down 1 Provoke 2 Grownup 3 Poet’s “below” 4 Needlefish 5 Lion’s pride 6 Singing voice 7 Muumuu accessory 8 Siberian feature 9 Hearty entree 10 Realm 11 Downwind 12 Make-up artist? 13 Corn serving 18 Likewise 23 At no time

25 Select 26 Thankless wretch 28 Gripe 29 Hockey great Bobby 31 Wooded hollow 32 Patella’s place 33 Egypt. solar deity 34 Basil, e.g. 35 Bouquet 36 Alone 38 Henhouse 40 Restroom sign 41 Chapel vow 44 Found 46 Fed. watchdogs (Abbr.)

48 Exhausts 49 Nobelist Pavlov 51 Monroe’s successor 53 Domesticates 54 Boxing card's main ___ 55 Pub game 56 Horror film staple 57 Destroy 58 Kukla, ___ and Ollie 59 Handout 61 Hair goop 63 Prefix with angle 64 Japanese sash

See puzzle solutions on Page 12

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Solution 4 6 7 5 1 2 8 9 3

black square is the sum of the white squares to the right of it. A number below the diagonal line is the sum of the white squares in the sequence below it. You may only use the digits 1 to 9, and a digit can only be used once in any sequence.

Across

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9 4 5 7 2 8 1 3 6

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NEWS

6 | October 29, 2026 | Sandy Springs Crier | AppenMedia.com/Sandy_Springs

City receives Fulton County environmental honor By HANNAH YAHNE hannah@appenmedia.com SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — The city of Sandy Springs was recognized by Fulton County for its contribution to environmental improvement at the Fulton County Citizens Commission on the Environment awards ceremony Oct. 21. County Commissioner Bob Ellis nominated the Morgan Falls Connector piece of the Springway Trail for its overall design and connection with existing trails in neighboring communities. “We are extremely proud to see the Morgan Falls Connector on the springway recognized,” Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul said. “Our vision is to improve connectivity, accessibility and enrich the recreational offerings across Sandy Springs. We’re beginning to see that vision become a reality, and I look forward to more segments throughout our city.” The 1.88-mile section of the Springway Trail was completed

in April 2025. The Morgan Falls Connector features an 8-12-inch wide, multi-use, paved trail providing access to the Chattahoochee River, connecting Roswell Road to Morgan Falls Overlook Park at Cimarron Parkway. The trail was constructed by Sandy Springs in partnership with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program, the PATH Foundation and the Sandy Springs Conservancy. The next segment of the springway – from Morgan Falls Overlook Park to Grogans Ferry Road – is currently in design. The FCCCE is a citizen environmental advisory group appointed by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners to investigate environmental concerns, recommend environmental policies, and increase public awareness and involvement in environmental issues. The annual awards recognize those who provide superlative environmental stewardship, assistance or education in Fulton County.

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From left, Derek Wood, Chairman of the Fulton County Citizens Commission Allison Keefer, Sandy Springs Recreation and Parks Director Brent Walker and Fulton County Commissioner Bob Ellis smile after Sandy Springs was recognized Oct 21 by the Fulton County CitizensMedia Commission on Ads\ T:\ADS_2025\Appen Group\Filler the Environment. Shop, Eat, Read Local

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Kosher barbecue festival brings Jewish Atlanta together By JAMIE GODIN jamie@appenmedia.com DUNWOODY, Ga. — The Atlanta Kosher Barbecue Festival returned Sunday with 15 teams competing in brisket, ribs, chicken and chili, while drawing attendees from across metro Atlanta to a new location near Perimeter Mall. Jacqueline Morris, executive director of the Atlanta Jewish Life Foundation, said the festival is designed to bring together Jewish residents across different levels of religious observance, while also welcoming non-Jewish attendees. “It’s one of the few events in Atlanta where any person, Jew or non-Jew, no matter how kosher, can attend,” Morris said. “Everyone from Orthodox to Reform is welcome in the same spot. Everyone can eat, which is always a rarity.” To maintain kosher standards, organizers provide the meat, grills, utensils and other cooking equipment used by competitors. Kansas City Barbecue Societycertified judges evaluate the entries. “All of our meat is kosher,” Morris said. “One of the things that we do to keep it that way is we actually supply all the meat, all the grills, all the utensils, everything.” Morris said 15 teams competed this year, fewer than usual. Last year’s festival drew about 4,000 people, she said. This year also marked a move to a larger site after the festival spent most of its previous years at the same location. For some teams, the competition began long before the festival opened. Will Tovey said members of his team had already been at the site for hours when they learned there was a problem with the refrigerated truck holding the competition meat. “The refrigerator truck that was supposed to keep it all refrigerated did not, in fact, keep it refrigerated,” Tovey said. “So we threw it all out.” Replacement briskets arrived in the early morning hours, but they were frozen. “We got frozen briskets here at 1 in the morning, and I don’t know if you’ve ever tried to grill a frozen brisket,” Tovey said. “We can’t do that.” The team improvised, using propane burners and large trays of water to thaw the meat before cooking. Tovey said the brisket finally went on the grill around 4 a.m. The team had been at the site since the previous night. Despite the overnight scramble, the team finished second in the chili

PHOTOS BY JAMIE GODIN/APPEN MEDIA

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

A decorative ram wearing mock tefillin is displayed during the Atlanta Kosher BBQ Festival Oct. 18 in Dunwoody. competition. By Sunday afternoon, much of the cooking had wrapped up as attendees moved between food vendors, activity areas and team tents across the festival grounds. Morris said the event’s broader purpose goes beyond the competition. “Our organization is about connecting Jewish Atlanta,” she said. “We do it through festivals.”

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

8 | October 29, 2026 | Sandy Springs Crier | AppenMedia.com/Sandy_Springs

Phase:

NEWS

Continued from Page 1 Construction is expected to take 24 months, and the entire project is projected to be completed by 2030. Mayor Rusty Paul emphasized that this is the first phase of the process and there will be time for more public input as the project progresses. Changing contractors The city council approved revoking a $1.5 million contract with JHC Construction and instead granted it to Ohmshiv Construction at a cost of just over $1 million. Ohmshiv initially sought to withdraw their bid after responses were opened. However, Sandy Springs has a bid bond to ensure that any bidder will comply with their offer. Instead of being penalized under the bid bond, the contractor decided to proceed with the project. “One of our jobs should be … to not allow an exit simply because you could have made more money if you’d had a higher bid, which is pretty much what this is,” City Attorney Dan Lee said. Lee said this vendor is required to have a performance bond to ensure the contractor completes the project. Council Member Melody Kelley asked if the city would be penalized for exiting its contract with JCH. Lee said no contract was signed, so there is nothing to back out of. Additional funds, budget alterations The city’s 2027 budget will be amended to reflect accepted and reallocated funds through the Community Development Block Grant program administered through the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Sandy Springs is set to receive $500,669 in CDBG funding that will go toward covering eligible project expenses for improvements already underway along Long Island Drive,

4.50

COURTESY CITY OF SANDY SPRINGS

A sample image of what the central courtyard and green space could look like amid phase two of City Springs, a 5.5-acre development front Hilderbrand Drive. Northwood Drive and Hope Road. The city council also voted to approve the reallocation of previously awarded CDBG to different projects. The second subphase of the Roswell Road sidewalk project completed construction with $268,000 remaining. Construction costs for Long Island Drive and Northwood Drive have been reduced by a combined $40,000. That amount will be reallocated to fund the Hope Road Sidewalk Project. Sandy Springs has been allocating funds toward the Hope Road project as they come available. As of now, the project should be funded through all phases except construction.

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Budget Manager Michael Hietter said the construction cost is estimated at $1.2 million, which should be funded through the Fiscal Year 2028 budget. Sandy Springs is also adjusting its budget to reflect an additional $91,179 of grant funding from the International Federation of Association Football World Cup for overtime police work during the World Cup. The city was awarded $111,790 in total. PATH inspection, materials testing The city council approved to contract AtkinsRéalis USA to provide additional inspection services for the three-year project before the second

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Iris: Continued from Page 1 Jill Binkley, a physical therapist and breast cancer survivor, founded the nonprofit in 2003. It was previously known as TurningPoint Breast Cancer Rehabilitation before it rebranded. Survivors are often still fighting battles after they ring the bell and leave the hospital, the organization said. They get into a car that they can’t drive. At home, they can’t walk their dog or pick up their kids. Iris offers a range of services to help survivors regain strength after treatment. “People don’t want the hard part,” Loreti said. “But those are the things that aren’t glamorized, and those are the daily realities of our survivors.” When patients walk in for physical therapy or lymphatic massage therapy, Loreti said, some “look broken.” “They’re hunched over, they’re in pain, and literally 55 minutes later, they come out a completely different person,” she said. Campagno said Iris provides a “very dignified” environment for an activity that is so personal. She has been taking exercise classes at Iris since exiting active treatment. But after another surgery in November, Campagno may need to seek physical therapy sessions. Michel Lee started visiting Iris six years after her active treatment ended in 2021. She started to experience fibrosis from radiation and has been working with a physical therapist to relieve tightness in her left pectoral area and upper left back. Lee said it’s easy to feel “part of the cattle herd” in other doctors’ offices, but that has never been the case at Iris. “You are recognized as a person who has an individual situation,” Lee said. “You never leave here with a depressed mindset. You leave with hope.” Campagno said doctors don’t often share physical rehabilitation as an option following cancer treatment. “I really had to push to get the referral,” Campagno said. According to breastcancer.org, exercise after cancer treatment can help mitigate side effects from treatment and even reduce the risk of cancer returning. Even when she did get a referral for physical therapy, her doctor questioned why she wanted it. Campagno wondered why rehabilitation was not an automatic part of her treatment plan after chemotherapy.

COMMUNITY Physical therapy appointments are individualized and private. Patients are often covered only by a thin paper sheet while therapists manipulate their bodies to relieve tension in their pectoral muscles. Campagno said it’s “as invasive as mental health therapy.” But “this is the first touch that’s welcome and warm, not painful or uncomfortable,” Campagno said. Coming out of trauma with a purpose Patients keep returning to Iris for the community it offers. Lee said the camaraderie and friendships she has found there are “priceless.” “That’s the beauty of this place,” Lee said. “You get access to other people.” In 2025, Iris nearly closed because of a lack of funding. The nonprofit had to stop offering free exercise classes, and Lee said learning about its financial trouble was an absolute shock. Loreti said her staff made it a priority not to let the strain affect their work. “Cancer treatment is scary enough, and you have enough uncertainties; the last thing you need is the probability that this place is going to close,” Loreti said. “… This one place that’s your safe space, where you can just be yourself.” Donations help cover the cost of care, even for insured patients, Loreti said. Average insurance reimbursements cover only 33.7% of the cost of care, and patients pay a $25 co-pay at each appointment. Philanthropy is supposed to cover the remaining cost. “If we don’t raise the money, it’s a loss on our bottom line,” Loreti said. In 2025, Iris administered 5,600 physical therapy appointments. If everyone self-paid, the rehabilitation center would have made $665,000. Instead, patient payments totaled $78,000, and insurance reimbursements totaled $347,000, leaving Iris to fundraise $240,000 to offset the cost of care. Iris also provides financial aid for patients without insurance and covers the cost of care and any transportation assistance. Loreti said smaller nonprofits are feeling the squeeze from federal grant cuts. Private philanthropy has covered some funding gaps, but leaves little for small nonprofits that rely on annual grants. “We saw a pretty significant decline in grants that we had gotten every year,” Loreti said. “All of these nonprofits are starting to feel the squeeze, and that’s where individuals have to step in.” The individuals helping Iris are

AppenMedia.com/Sandy_Springs | Sandy Springs Crier | October 29, 2026 | 9

mainly patients, she said. “They want to see us succeed, so they are willing to reach out to their networks to ensure that we can continue to operate,” Loreti said. Some patients offered to pay for exercise classes. Patients can now purchase a pack of five classes for $60 or 10 classes for $90 – well below the market rate for surrounding exercise studios, Loreti said. This year, Iris has already seen more than 800 patients across 4,500 appointments. They need to raise at least another $500,000 by year’s end to meet their budget. “It will be a stretch, but I have faith we can do it,” Loreti said. Campagno is one of the patients who has stepped in to help Iris. She is hosting Mahj in Full Bloom on Oct. 27 and has raised more than $7,000 for Iris through the event. Mahj in Full Bloom will be hosted at Iris, 7820 Roswell Road. There will be raffles, snacks and mahjong starting at 6 p.m. Click here to register or donate. Campagno said she constantly works to honor her friends who have died from breast cancer. “You can come out of trauma with a purpose,” Campagno said. “And I feel like that’s what’s changed in me.” To learn more about Iris Breast Cancer Rehabilitation, visit irisbcr.org.

FREE ADMISSIONS

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Founder Jill Binkley stands outside of the new clinic located at 7820 Roswell Rd., Atlanta, GA 30350.

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10 | October 29, 2026 | Sandy Springs Crier | AppenMedia.com/Sandy_Springs

OPINION

AIKENOMICS

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

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

PROVIDED

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

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

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

PAST TENSE

OPINION

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APPEN MEDIA FILE PHOTO

The different voting locations of the 1930s and ’40s People who lived in Dunwoody in the 1930s and 1940s voted at Nash’s Store. The store was on the west side of Nandina Lane from the beginning of the 20th century until VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF the 1920s, when it moved to the Columnist corner of Chamblee Dunwoody and Mount Vernon roads. The store was also the location of Shallowford District Court meetings. (“History of DeKalb County, GA 18221900,” by Vivian Price) Polling locations for DeKalb and Fulton counties were regularly listed in the Atlanta newspapers by militia districts, which were first established in 1784. Within the Cross Keys District, Brookhaven citizens voted at Harkey’s Pharmacy, located in the business district on Peachtree Road and next door to Brookhaven Hardware. City Hall was the location for voters in Chamblee, also part of the Cross Keys District. In Doraville, voting took place at the family-owned Munday’s Store. The Oak Grove District of Fulton County, today’s Sandy Springs, voted in the “vacant store next door to Sandy Springs

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

and the people of Decatur voted at their courthouse. The city of Atlanta began researching the feasibility of voting machines in 1941. After Roy LeCraw defeated Mayor William B. Hartsfield by a little over 100 votes in the 1940 election, the city aimed for accuracy and faster results. When LeCraw returned to military service in 1942, Hartsfield became Atlanta’s mayor again following a special election. (Atlanta Journal Magazine, Oct. 14, 1945, “Voting Machines for Atlanta?”) By 1950, all Fulton County precincts had voting machines, and voters were encouraged to review the proposed constitutional amendments before going to the polls. A sample voting machine was placed in the Fulton County Courthouse so voters could become familiar with the new voting method. (Atlanta Journal, Nov. 5, 1950, “Voter’s Aid Asked to Speed Balloting”)

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

DEATH NOTICES Martha Dorman, age 82, of Roswell, GA passed away on October 15, 2026. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Howard Smith, age 86, of Milton, GA passed away on October 13, 2026. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Jimmy Trobaugh, age 90, of Roswell, GA passed away on October 15, 2026. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

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THE FUTURE OF LOCAL NEWS

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

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

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

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Wills Park brims with area visitors on Fourth of July By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com

A girl waves an American flag as she dances to music by Davis and the Love at Roswell Area Park July 4.

PHOTOS BY: SARAH COYNE/APPEN MEDIA

Kendall, from left, John, Brooks and Reid Hill sit on a picnic blanket at Roswell Area Park to celebrate the Fourth of July.

Roswell crowd celebrates America’s 249th birthday By SARAH COYNE sarah@appenmedia.com ROSWELL, Ga. — Food trucks, live music and fireworks were on the menu for America’s birthday in Roswell. A crowd of over 1,000 piled into Roswell Area Park July 4 to celebrate America’s 249th birthday.

Kendall and John Hill travelled from East Cobb to bring their two little ones to the show. “The kids love it,” John Hill said. Baseball fields and multi-use fields were filled with families and friends awaiting the firework show at dusk.

See FOURTH, Page 23

OPINION

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JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — The heart of the holiday was shining through the music, food and fun of Creek’s Juneteenth celebration. As the sun set on a warm Saturday evening, Midway grandmother Matilda Riles sat in a lawnchair, watching her grandchildren play on the park lawn amid the sound of booming live music and mouthwatering aroma of food trucks. Before the fun started, Riles, who attended with three generations of family, educated the kids about the reason for Juneteenth. “It's a point in time when enslaved people no longer had to be enslaved, and certain places did not relay the message at the time that it should have been relayed,” Riles said. “And, therefore this is a celebration as to when the final group of people were told you no longer had to be enslaved.” Several thousand visitors descended on the city’s annual celebration at Newtown Park, 3150 Old Alabama Road, doubling last year’s attendance. The celebration resembled a giant block party with live music performances, chatting neighbors, plenty of food and rows of arts and craft vendors.

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — The perfect biscuit is like a warm hug, said Brandy White, owner of Sawnee Mountain Biscuit Company. “It kind of warms your soul,” White said. “It feels like home to me.” Since 2001, the Sawnee Mountain Biscuit has operated out of a renovated mobile home at 104 13th St., serving perfect pillowy biscuits wrapped around eggs, cheese, bacon and other breakfast staples. With dozens of items on the menu, the restaurant features other tasty offerings from French toast to a house-made pimento cheese. Tucked into a sleepy neighborhood on the edge of Cumming, Sawnee Mountain Biscuit might easily be taken as another house, but locals say the squat, blue-clapboard building is one of the town’s best breakfast spots. Over the decades, the restaurant has earned a cult following in Cumming and the north Atlanta area, serving as many as 400 orders some mornings.

JON WILCOX/APPEN MEDIA

Brandy White holds her 1-year-old daughter, Lennon, at the entrance to her Sawnee Mountain Biscuit Company on 13th Street just outside Cumming.

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FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office is working to complete converting an old elementary school into a law enforcement training center. Since October, the training center has hosted a public safety academy as part of a partnership between the sheriff’s office and University of North Georgia. The academy, funded by the

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sheriff’s office, provides training for law enforcement officers in Forsyth County and surrounding jurisdictions, Capt. Rob Heagerty said. At an April 22 work session, the County Board of Commissioners discussed a proposal to allocate $47,993 for design services with ar chitectural firm Wiley Wilson to create plans, conduct inspections and

make changes to water heaters. The sheriff’s office wants to install showers and locker rooms at the building at 4805 Atlanta Highway, Heagerty said. The improvements are important because exercise and physical conditioning are essential in maintaining capable deputies, he said. The building already houses classrooms, meeting rooms, a cafeteria,

gym, simulator room and an empty wing where deputies can conduct building-clearing and other training exercises. The work is part of a second phase to transform former Midway Elementary School into a law enforcement training center.

See SHERIFF, Page 12

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Greenhouse complex- Across from the Skate Park in Brookrun Park, Dunwoody

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County restores original funding to cultural arts

Children play in the lawn at Newtown Park during a Juneteenth celebration in Johns Creek June 21. JON WILCOX/APPEN MEDIA

ATLANTA — The Fulton County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to restore funding for a program within the Arts & Culture Department to $3 million a year Sept. 17. While the unanimous vote reflects unity and bipartisanship, some commissioners criticized colleagues for the delay. The item, sponsored by Democratic commissioners Khadijah AbdurRahman and Marvin Arrington Jr. and Republican commissioners Bob Ellis and Bridget Thorne, includes an increase of $1.7 million for a previously requested program and its full $3 million in funding set aside in the 2026 budget.

See JUNETEENTH, Page 10

sions last January and writing false reports about each of the incidents. “The (Justice Department’s) Civil Rights Division has zero tolerance for law enforcement officers who abuse public trust through excessive force and concealing their misconduct,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon. “We will vigorously safeguard the constitutional

Dunwoody opens doors to refine future land-use By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com

PHOTOS BY: HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA

Front center, Ann Hanlon, executive director of the Perimeter Community Improvement Districts, holds the ribbon for phase one of the Ashford Dunwoody Road path April 3 while City Councilman Tom Lambert, front right, gets ready to cut it. The Perimeter CIDs and Dunwoody split the project’s $1.5 million construction cost.

Commercial partners and city celebrate new path By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

See FULTON, Page 20

Fulton jail staff faces civil rights indictments By DAVE WILLIAMS Capitol Beat ATLANTA — Fulton County Jail employee has been indicted in federal court for allegedly using excessive force against prisoners. The 47-year-old sergeant is accused of repeatedly using tasers on compliant, nonresisting pre-trial detainees on three occa-

April 10, 2025 | AppenMedia.com | An Appen Media Group Publication | Ser ving the community since 1976

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County considers funding for sheriff’s training facility Two-year-old Cameron holds a beach ball at the City of Roswell Fourth of July celebration at Roswell Area Park.

► PAGE 5

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Residents celebrate, remember meaning behind Juneteenth

See BISCUIT, Page 6

County delays closing Alpharetta jail site

Pitts: Raising millage rate would be mistake

► PAGE 4

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Thousands filled Wills Park to celebrate July 4 with a bang. Hours before darkness fell, friends and families filled the park’s lawns, Equestrian Center, trails and athletic fields. Everywhere, children played, cartwheeling, running, tossing balls and waving glow sticks. Alpharettan Lindsey Landis, her husband, two children and two dogs were part the crowd, passing the golden hour on a blanket laid out on the grass.

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rights of all individuals, including those in custody.” “Abuses of power of this kind are unconstitutional, erode our community’s trust, and will be prosecuted,” added Theodore S. Hertzberg, U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Georgia. Solomon faces up to 10 years in prison for each federal civil rights violation and 20

► PAGE 4

Summer Veggies Annuals Pollinator Plants and So Much More! Friday April 11- Sunday April 13

years behind bars for each false report. The FBI’s Atlanta Field Office is investigating the case based on a referral from the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office. 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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A look down the completed phase one of the Ashford Dunwoody Road path April 3 shows the two-way cycle track parallel to the revamped sidewalk.

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody elected officials, city staff and Perimeter Community Improvement Districts Executive Director Ann Hanlon cut the ribbon April 3 on phase one of the Ashford Dunwoody Road path. “We’re super proud to partner with the city of Dunwoody on building this trail project,” Hanlon

said. “And we’ll look forward to many more phases to come.” A little over two years ago, the group gathered at the same spot near the corner of Ashford Dunwoody Road and Hammond Drive for phase one’s groundbreaking. Phase one of the corridor’s path includes a two-way raised cycle track separated from traffic by a wide landscape buffer

See PATH, Page 17

DUNWOODY, Ga. — The City of Dunwoody is streamlining development rules and updating its vision for the city’s future as part of a state-mandated overhaul. City officials and representatives from consulting firm TSW Design, which was tasked with creating a plan, gave a two-hour presentation about the changes April 1 during a special meeting at Vintage Pizzeria on Chamblee Dunwoody Road. Residents received and discussed the creation of a unified development ordinance and changes to the city’s comprehensive plan. Dunwoody is updating its comprehensive plan as part of a state mandate that requires an overhaul every five years, said Allison Stewart-Harris, an associate principal and planner at TSW. Stewart-Harris presented the changes to about 30 residents who attended the meeting.

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solicitation. All data believed to be accurate but not warranted. Equal housing opportunity. If you have an existing brokerage relationship, this is not intended as a solicitation. All data believed to be accurate but not warranted.

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Sandy Springs announced that the Billboard Music Award-winning band Lit is headlining Friday night Sept. 26 at the third annual Blue Stone Arts & Music Festival. The festival will take place in the heart of Sandy Springs Friday, Sept. 26, from 4-10 p.m., and Saturday, Sept. 27, from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Lit is an American rock band from Orange County,

California, formed in 1988. They are best known for their platinum-selling 1999 power-pop punk album “A Place in the Sun” and its massive hit single “My Own Worst Enemy.” The band is set to headline the main stage Friday night at 8 p.m. In addition to Lit, the family-friendly festival features music all day long across multiple stages, an artist market with more than 80 vendors and a Kids Zone.

See LIT, Page 9

HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA

Motorists line up at the Boylston Drive signal to turn left onto Hammond Drive Aug. 14. Sandy Springs will begin work in September to realign Boylston to the east and eliminate a nearby traffic light.

Realignment construction begins on Hammond-Boylston intersection

CITY OF SANDY SPRINGS/PROVIDED

Sandy Springs said Billboard Music Award-winning band, Lit, is headlining this year’s festival Sept. 26-27 at City Springs.

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Sandy Springs contractors are set to begin work in September on realigning the intersection of Boylston and Hammond drives and removing a redundant traffic light. The city says work will last around 15 months, and the intersection will remain open during construction, but there will be occasional lane closures so crews can get the work done safely. Initially, city officials expected the project

to begin in mid-August. No explanation was given. Currently, there are two separate sets of traffic lights less than 100 feet away from one another, one at the Hammond Glen Retirement Community’s driveway and another at the office building next door. The new configuration will shift Boylston Drive to the east, aligning it with the Hammond Glen driveway and eliminating the traffic light at the driveway to the office building at 325 Hammond Drive.

Indicted superintendent resigns

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Wild Nest Bird Rehab finds roost at Legacy Park

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October 23, 2025 | Decaturish.com | Locally Sourced News | An Appen Media Group Publication | Volume 1, No. 13

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About 30 residents fill a dining room at Vintage Pizzeria on Chamblee Dunwoody Road April 1 to hear a presentation by TSW Design planner Allison Stewart-Harris, who spoke on the city’s future land-use strategy.

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