Sandy Springs Crier - February 9, 2023

OPINION: THE INK PENN

Do you prefer to read a standalone novel or a

Georgia senate committee to focus on public school funding

QBE formula continues to fall short after four decades

By CANDY WAYLOCK candy@appenmedia.com

ATLANTA — The formula for funding public schools in Georgia dates back to 1985 when the Legislature passed Quality Based Education. It was considered landmark legislation at a time when schools were funded primarily by local taxes.

QBE determines the cost to educate a full-time, public school student. It uses that figure to calculate how much a district “earns” each year in state funding.

Leaders ‘optimistic’ after annual retreat

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. —The Sandy Springs City Council and key staff met for more than eight hours Jan. 28 for the council’s annual planning retreat, drilling

down on priorities, goals and initiatives to be completed in 2023.

In presentations and break-out sessions held at the City Springs Terrace Conference Room overlooking downtown Sandy Springs, officials heard from nearly every city department on topics ranging from the

city’s finances and road improvements to current MARTA initiatives and the state of the local cultural arts scene.

At the end of the day, city leaders said that despite the massive amount of work

See RETREAT, Page 4

With nearly $11 billion of state revenue budgeted for public schools this year through QBE, getting the formula fully funded and fair is important.

“It’s a plurality of the state budget,” said Stephen Owens, education director at the Georgia Policy and Budget Institute. “But it’s in the [Georgia] constitution as a primary obligation to provide an adequate public education free of charge.”

In developing the “per pupil” cost each year, QBE considers a variety

See SCHOOLS, Page 10

ALEX POPP/APPEN MEDIA

Councilmembers discuss possible changes to the Sandy Springs Development Code at the City Council’s 2023 planning retreat, held at City Hall Jan. 30.

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SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Each week Appen Media requests police incident reports to inform residents about the safety of their community. Sandy Springs continues to withhold what it calls the “narrative reports” of open cases. It is the only city Appen Media covers that does this. Without that information, The Crier is unable to report on crime in the city.

The city’s position is in conflict with guidance from the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Georgia Department of Law, Georgia Press Association and other organizations. Here are a few public safety items gleaned from reports that include limited details:

– On Jan. 29 , a Sandy Springs police officer conducted a welfare check on Peachtree Dunwoody Road and Registry Lane. The report lists the crime as a “person dead,” but does not give any details about the victim. The report lists three other individuals associated with the case but does not explain how they are connected to the case. An unspecified type of firearm is also listed as being involved.

– On Jan. 30 , a Sandy Springs police officer responded to a hitand-run wreck on I-285. The report said the wreck occurred at about 8 a.m. at I-285’s exit onto Roswell Road, but the report does not provide any other details about what occurred. A crash report, also obtained by Appen Media said the

wreck occurred as two vehicles were exiting onto Roswell Road. The victim driver was struck from behind while waiting for traffic on Roswell Road and the suspect driver fled away down Northwood Drive.

– On Jan. 30 , A Sandy Springs police officer responded to an entering automobile theft that occurred on Glenridge Stratford Drive. The report said the theft occurred sometime overnight on Jan. 29 and property worth $260 was stolen. The report provides no details about what occurred during the incident.

Appen Media will continue to pursue the release of full incident reports, which it believes are subject to release under the Open Records Act.

Teens charged with 23 felonies in Dunwoody car burglary spree

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Five teenagers arrested by Dunwoody police in connection with a spree of local vehicle burglaries have each been charged with more than two dozen felony counts.

Authorities announced Jan. 31 that four 17-year-old suspects from Conyers, Norcross, Stockbridge, and an unidentified 15-year-old, have been charged with multiple felony counts for allegedly burglarizing 23 vehicles at Peachford Hospital and a Dunwoody apartment complex.

Police were called to 2300 Peachford Road at about 12:30 a.m. Jan.

26 after receiving reports a vehicle burglary was in process at the Sterling Apartments. Police located several suspects “actively” breaking into cars, Sgt. Michael Cheek of the Dunwoody Police Department said.

All five suspects were taken into custody after a brief police chase, Cheek said.

In total, police located 23 burglarized vehicles at the Sterling Apartments and Peachford Hospital and identified three other vehicles the suspects attempted to burglarize. Cheek said officers recovered a stolen vehicle, two stolen handguns and other stolen items during the incident.

Each of the 17-year-old suspects have been charged with 23 counts of theft entering auto, theft by receiving, possession of tools for the commission of a crime, possession of a firearm during a felony, criminal trespass, obstruction of police and possession of marijuana.

They are being held at the DeKalb County Jail without bond, jail records show.

The 15-year-old suspect arrested in the incident has also been charged with 23 counts of theft entering auto, theft by receiving and obstruction. Cheek said the juvenile suspect was transported to a regional youth detention center.

People crowd the halls of DeKalb County Animal Services to adopt and foster dogs on Jan. 27 after the shelter announced it would have to euthanize some dogs if it could not adopt or foster 150 of them by Jan. 31.

Community responds to DeKalb Co.

animal shelter call for adoptions

By DELANEY TARR delaney@appenmedia.com

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Hundreds of dogs found homes when people turned out in droves at DeKalb County Animal Services a week after the shelter announced the animals faced euthanizing if space could not be freed up by Jan. 31.

LifeLine Animal Project, the organization that manages DeKalb County Animal Services and Fulton County Animal Services said it needed to remove 150 dogs from the shelter by the end of January. On Jan. 31, the nonprofit said 345 canines had found new or temporary homes. At the Fulton County shelter, 89 dogs found new homes.

LifeLine runs no-kill shelters, but the cramped situation prompted drastic action.

“We’re no-kill shelters, we euthanize less than 10 percent of the animals,” said Timyka Artist, LifeLine Animal Project public relations manager. “This is the first time we’ve had to euthanize for space.”

The DeKalb County shelter, located on Chamblee Dunwoody Road in Chamblee, can hold about 450 dogs. Over the past year, it has housed around 600.

In Fulton County, the situation is worse. The shelter on Marietta Boulevard in Atlanta can hold 85 dogs but has more than 300 in its care. The hallways are lined with crates for the overflow.

Sandy Springs #1 Kitchen

A dog jumps up against the window at people who pass through the halls of DeKalb County Animal Services on Jan. 27. The shelter announced they would have to euthanize some of their dogs if they could not adopt or foster 150 of them by Jan. 31.

“We’ve been at critical capacity for over a year,” Artist said.

LifeLine tried other solutions to help with overcrowding, like opening a pop-up dog adoption center on Howell Mill Road

See SHELTER, Page 6

PHOTOS BY DELANEY TARR / APPEN MEDIA

Retreat:

Continued from Page 1

that lies ahead, the city is on a good path forward.

“This was probably one of the more optimistic retreats in quite a long time,” District 6 City Councilman Andy Bauman said.

Here are some of the priorities identified by Sandy Springs officials at the retreat.

Public safety support

Sandy Springs Fire Chief Keith Sanders and Police Chief Ken DeSimone gave presentations about the big wins their departments had with staffing in 2022 and the steps they will take to retain those employees.

Sanders said the Fire Department, as of the new year, is fully staffed with 99 employees spread equally across three shifts.

Similarly, DeSimone said the Sandy Springs Police Department is on the verge of being fully staffed and has only two vacant positions in a department budgeted for 147 officers.

In recent years, public safety agencies across the state and nation have had difficulty filling ranks with qualified candidates due to intense competition in the marketplace. But DeSimone said the city’s emphasis on supporting public safety employees has overcome these obstacles.

Construction of the Sandy Springs Police Headquarters and Municipal Court will be “huge” for the city and will show future police department candidates, the community cares about their safety, training and wellbeing, he said.

“But I think the biggest thing is culture and leadership, not leadership from my office on down, but leadership from the mayor and council,” he said. “Nobody in today’s world, in law enforcement, is going to work somewhere where they’re not supported.”

Along with the police headquarters, Sanders said construction will also begin on a new fire station in District 1 in 2023. Groundbreaking for that facility is set for March.

Sanders said the Fire Department also will begin examining how it can better support employees with more time off, without burdening others.

“My generation, we live to work,” he said. “The generation today, they work to live, and they want their time off.”

He said this factor is important, considering the department’s daily staffing requirements and cases where employees are injured or have family emergencies and have no option but to be away from work.

“We want to look at ways that we can ensure that we’re staying on top of that, our employees are able to take their time off and plan that accordingly,” he said. “We still use a number of overtime hours each

year in order to address that, especially when we’re impacted by work-related injuries or [family or medical leave] cases.”

City water reliability

In 2023, Sandy Springs officials hope to settle a multi-decade-long issue of making the city’s water system more reliable, by forging a new agreement with the City of Atlanta and Fulton County.

City Attorney Dan Lee said that since the city’s inception in 2005, it has purchased its water from the City of Atlanta, using various systems built by different developers over the years, including some installed when Sandy Springs was part of unincorporated Fulton County.

“When developers wanted to leave Atlanta and go to unincorporated Fulton County, Fulton County would not provide water, so Atlanta was the only source,” Lee said. “To their credit, they allowed developers to build out their system and turn it over to the city.”

This mish-mash infrastructure of the city’s water system has caused countless headaches, Lee said. Without intervention, the city could face massive problems.

But until now, Lee said officials in Atlanta and Fulton County have been unwilling to take up the city’s concerns about water delivery, leading to multiple lawsuits, arbitration and appeals to the Georgia Supreme Court.

“We’ve prevailed on all five actions to get to the point of letting our experts go examine the system of Atlanta,” he said.

That examination produced a 1,100page report on the water system, showing Sandy Spring’s water actually comes from the City of Johns Creek and the system needs roughly $50 million in immediate repairs.

“There has been no real improvement to the water system in 50 years,” he said.

But with the election of Mayor Andre Dickens, Lee said Atlanta officials have been open to new negotiations over the city’s water contract, and Sandy Springs leaders believe a positive resolution is on the horizon in the next year.

As part of the new agreement with Atlanta, Sandy Springs renegotiated for cheaper water service rates that include funding for system upgrades, a greater ability to fix their water system problems as they arise, and a possible “redundant source” of city water in case of emergencies.

Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul called the process of working with Mayor Dickens and his team a, “breath of fresh air” and said they have a real chance of making a lasting improvement on the city water system.

“Mayor Dickens and his team understood and understand the significance of our concerns and the impact on our community if we have a catastrophic water failure and don’t want to be responsible for that in any shape or form,” Paul said. “The question is, ‘how does that get paid for?’ That’s going to be a key issue that we will have to talk about.”

Combatting “older” image

Following a presentation by Sandy Springs Economic Development Manager Caroline Davis, Paul said he would like to see an effort made to combat the notion that Sandy Springs is an “aging” community.

The mayor said that in talks with potential developers, restaurateurs and business owners, they learned that it’s commonly believed Sandy Springs is a community of mostly older people, with an aging stock of real estate, which damages the city’s economic opportunities.

“The perception is that Sandy Springs is an older community. We’re not hip,” he said.

However, Davis and City Manager Eden Freeman said that perception couldn’t be more wrong.

“We are actually the youngest of all of the North Fulton cities,” Freeman said. “The median age in Sandy Springs is 36.7. Closest to us is Alpharetta at 39.9, then Roswell at 40.2, Milton at 40.5 and Johns Creek is the eldest at 41.6.”

Paul tasked city staff with finding new ways to communicate the message.

“We’ve got to develop some materials and a campaign of some sort … that begins to deal with that very erroneous perception,” he said.

City Springs expansion

Davis, the city’s economic development manager, said a top priority this year will be the continued development of City Springs and downtown Sandy Springs.

Some of their biggest accomplishments in 2022, she said, were the updates to the City Springs Master Plan and locating five potential master developers for Phase II of the City Springs development.

She said request for proposals have been issued to the qualified development teams, and a master developer could be selected by April.

The City Council voted Jan. 23 to solicit proposals on the development plans for Phase 2 of the project which includes the City Springs campus and surrounding area.

Davis said with the new development, Sandy Springs will unlock vital space for the types of businesses that are needed and would be successful in the area.

“I think as soon as we have a new built environment in our City Springs District, the retailers will come,” she said. “They’re all beating down the door, they all want to be here. There is not occupancy of sufficient size in this area for some of the retailers that I think you all would be excited by, that really want to be here.”

City events

Sandy Springs has always placed an emphasis on hosting city-sponsored events, concerts, performances and showcases. That is obvious to anyone who visits the City Springs campus, with its outdoor greenspace concert venue and two theatre performance spaces.

Michael Pauken, interim executive director for the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center, said the city plans to turn the dial up to 11 in the coming year.

Speaking at the retreat, Pauken said that 2022 was a banner year for the city’s stable of events, despite the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Between the Performing Arts Center and the Conference Center, we close out 2022 with 541 (event) bookings,” he said. But other college and club bookings brought the total events closer to 800.

Those bookings meant the city exceeded 2021 totals by $40,000 and 1,100 tickets sold, across all performances.

“Our goal is to have at least 15 shows presented directly by the Performing Arts Center, with attendance of about 12,000 people, in this next fiscal year,” he said.

To make that goal happen, they have contracted with Professional Facilities Management (PFM) to bring new artists to Sandy Springs and help market the City Springs Performing Arts Center.

“Director of Concerts for PFM was in town; she was in an Uber and the Uber driver was all familiar with the outdoor concerts but didn’t know there was a theater inside the building,” Pauken said. “So that kind of thing is the perfect example of what we want to work on.”

Councilman Bauman said he thinks the best way to improve visibility would be to complete the Performing Arts Center’s marquee boards, which will better promote acts coming to City Springs.

“I certainly was glad to see about the Christopher Cross and Kansas (concerts), but we had some duds as well,” he said. “It breaks my heart to hear that somebody doesn’t know about our indoor theater.”

In addition to new artists and partnerships, Pauken said they plan to roll out a series of 24 new Thursday night concerts on the City Springs Green.

“Thursday’s on the Green will be at least initially, and perhaps substantially, music events,” he said. “It won’t be as massive as City Green Live Concerts, but its consistency brings value so that every Thursday there’s going to be something happening out there.”

“This was probably one of the more optimistic retreats in quite a long time.”

ANDY BAUMAN District 6 City Councilman

ACT3 PRODUCTIONS/PROVIDED

Act3 veteran actor Lauren Tully plays Aunt March in a musical production of “Little Women” while Kayla Perry plays Jo March for her Act3 debut. Act3 Productions will kick off 2023 with several productions of the musical, starting Feb. 17.

“Little Women” coming to Sandy Springs Act3 Playhouse

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Act3 Productions in Sandy Springs will kick off a new year of performances Friday, Feb. 17, with the musical, “Little Women.”

The beloved coming-of-age story by Louisa May Alcott will be presented over three weekends through Sunday, March 5, showcasing a cast of veteran and new actors with Act3 Productions.

The musical tells the story of four sisters and their mother, as they navigate, “life and love” during the Civil War.

“After what we’ve all been through the past few years, I think audiences will strongly relate to the story of how the March family draws strength from each other as they face the anxiety and uncertainty of wartime and the absence of Mr. March,” Act3 Artistic Director Zach-

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ary Stutts said. “Their situation parallels many of the challenges we all faced as the pandemic disrupted our lives. I believe the play’s message of maintaining hope and finding joy in family and the small, everyday moments is ideal for our time.”

Music for this production will feature lyrics by Mindi Dickstein and music by Jason Howland.

Showings of the play will be presented at the Act3 Playhouse, 6285-R Roswell Road in Sandy Springs, and will feature several different showing times throughout its run.

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Readers respond to Dunwoody police stings article

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Reader response was robust after Appen Media broke news last week detailing how the Dunwoody Police Department has obscured arrest locations for prostitution stings over the past 10 years.

The article, “Dunwoody Police Department obscures documents in prostitution arrests” and “Police obscure arrest locations,” drew a cascade of response.

Appen Media reported that for more than a decade, the Dunwoody Police Department has held an informal policy to obscure the location of where undercover sex trafficking operations occur in published public documents, instead using the address of Dunwoody City Hall.

This practice, according to Dunwoody Police Chief Billy Grogan, is meant to preserve his department’s ability to conduct sting operations at local hotels by treating them as confidential informants. Georgia law allows police departments to redact the names of confidential sources from initial incident reports.

Authorities on the First Amendment have decried this “informal policy” as a

breach of the public’s trust, but Dunwoody city officials have universally backed the practice as justified by its results.

In letters to Appen Media, readers provided a variety of opinions on the article, some writing they think the department’s practice is correct. Others wrote they believe it is justified only in limited capacities.

“I’m in complete agreement for the police to continue to not expose the hotels,” one reader, who requested to remain anonymous wrote. “Right now, it would only hurt the reputations of the hotels and possibly, they would stop cooperating with the police.”

“I think transparency should ALWAYS be the starting point, unless, as in this case it needs to be limited,” another Dunwoody resident, Michael Pond, said.

“To me, public welfare and safety override any potential concerns about a theoretical right to know in this situation,” Dunwoody resident Rich Lapin said.

However, other readers said they do not agree with the practice and questioned its legality and motivations.

“This is real local reporting, and I applaud Appen Media for it,” a reader who asked to remain anonymous said. “This story presents some thought-provoking dilemmas that deserve public discourse.”

Another reader, Bill Berg, commented: “The Attorney General is extremely visible

Shelter:

Continued from Page 3

in Atlanta to relocate some of the Fulton County dogs. It also cut adoption costs to $23 for all of January, which covered vaccination, spay/neuter and microchip fees valued at $250.

A Place for ALL Jews

The measures helped, but not enough to offset low adoption numbers and an overwhelmed staff. DeKalb County Animal Shelter Director Kerry Moyers-Horton said the facility typically has one staff member doing animal care and feeding for 75 dogs, and that still leaves many animals without adequate care.

“It’s not good for the dogs, they’re not benefitting from it,” Moyers-Horton said.

Public relations manager Artist said adoptions are down 31 percent from last year.

“We’re not taking in any more, but people aren’t adopting,” Artist said.

The organization said the reason for the dropoff could be economic hardship, with people’s budgets tightening and little extra cash left for high pet care costs. LifeLine officials also point to housing as a limitation because many apartment complexes have

What do you think?

Appen Media and the Dunwoody Crier want to hear from residents — how do you feel about this story? What questions do you have? Let us know by emailing newsroom@appenmedia.com.

and vocal on trafficking and prostitution issues, and I find it hard to believe he would support the informal policy.”

Readers also submitted a series of questions raised by the article.

They asked whether the Dunwoody City Attorney, municipal court or Georgia Attorney General’s Office had been consulted about the policy, why so many of the cases originating by these investigations are cleared in municipal court, and whether the department would agree to some type of oversight when using the policy.

When posed these questions by email, City of Dunwoody representatives declined to comment but did provide a statement.

“We appreciate your interest in the city’s efforts to proactively fight human trafficking,” Dunwoody Communications Director Jennifer Boettcher said. “The de-

strict restrictions on pets and breed types. The shelters are left with primarily large dogs, unable to be adopted or fostered by people living under strict housing regulations.

Earlier this year, a strain of canine flu ripped through the shelters, further complicating the situation. There was no space to properly quarantine the infected dogs, and they could not be sent out to foster homes with existing pets for fear of spreading the illness.

DeKalb resident Melissa Laboy said she tried to foster from the shelter months ago, but she was turned away because of the risk of canine flu to her dog at home.

When she saw the shelter’s call for fosters before the Jan. 31 deadline, she decided to remind the shelter she was available.

“I was like, ‘Hey, I still want to do this!’” Laboy said.

The shelter let Laboy foster a dog, and she took home Gigi on Jan. 27.

Meanwhile, a pair of young boys peered through the glass to look at one dog, declaring they wanted a girl. They liked the one named Majorette, a large white and brown spotted dog the shelter described as athletic and affectionate.

Moyer-Horton said the community “really rallied around” the shelter once it

partment’s means and methods are legal. If you have further questions, we’d refer you to the Georgia Attorney General’s Office.

Readers also questioned Appen Media’s motives for publishing it’s article.

“If the goal is to let human traffickers flourish in Dunwoody, publish the cooperating hotel locations where stings occur,” a reader who asked to remain anonymous said. “If the goal is to stop the scourge of human trafficking, continue the sensible informal policy of publishing the City Hall address as opposed to the cooperating hotel address.”

Appen Media Publisher Hans Appen responded to the comments, saying the media company is dedicated to investigating how and why public authorities make decisions, so readers can make informed decisions about their community.

“We report facts and leave it to the readers to make their own judgement on the practice and its implied tradeoffs,” Appen said. “However, they would not have known they were making those tradeoffs without our reporting. So, at the end of the day, if the public decides that it is OK with the risks associated with the practice in exchange for the perceived benefit, I will be glad that we gave them the information they needed to make that informed choice. An engaged and informed public fosters good governance and accountability.”

announced the deadline. On Jan. 26, 300 people came in looking to foster or adopt. The next day, two hours before closing, 181 people dropped in.

In seven days, the DeKalb County shelter’s canine population dropped from 593 to 312. Support for the shelter expanded beyond its doors and into the community, with other organizations signal-boosting the calls for adoption. Atlanta Lab Rescue, a nonprofit dedicated to finding homes for large breed Labrador Retrievers offered to pay for a group training class for dogs adopted from the shelter before the deadline.

Cortland, a company that manages apartment complexes in Sandy Springs, Dunwoody, Johns Creek, Alpharetta and Roswell offered to waive pet fees for residents who adopt from LifeLine Animal Project.

The outpouring of support keeps Moyers-Horton positive, but she doesn’t want people to ease up.

“We are making progress, but we’ll fill up again in weeks if we don’t keep these numbers going,” Moyers-Horton said.

DeKalb County Animal Services can be contacted at 404-294-2996 or at 3280 Chamblee Dunwoody Road in Chamblee. Fulton County Animal Services can be contacted at 404-613-0358 or at 860 Marietta Blvd NW in Atlanta.

Spruill Center reports interest in the arts is growing

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Nearly three years after shuttering its doors and halting activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic, officials say Dunwoody’s Spruill Center for the Arts is coming into the new year better than ever.

Presenting a yearly update to the Dunwoody City Council Jan. 23, Spruill Center CEO Alan Mothner said 2022 was the center’s “best year ever” thanks to a three-year strategic plan initiated in 2020 to address the pandemic and plan for the future.

Mothner said over the past year, the center held more than 700 classes for nearly 6,000 students and hosted thousands of visitors and participants to the center’s gallery, open studio and summer camp programs.

With those numbers, the center has exceeded pre-pandemic participation levels, he said.

“We had a huge reach throughout our community, throughout some of the surrounding communities and as the face of the arts within the perimeter area,” he said. “We’re doing great things in that building and out in the community with the arts.”

Funding for the Spruill Center in

2022 included more than $530,000 in donations from various community sources and nearly $1.7 million in earned revenues from classes, camps and the center’s gallery. Of that funding, Mothner said the center provided $1.17 million in “direct economic support” to artists in the community last year.

City Councilman Tom Lambert said the Spruill Center for the Arts was doing a tremendous job engaging with the community, especially after the difficulties it faced due to the pandemic.

Lambert said Spruill Center visitors never have anything but good things to say about their experiences, owed in large part to the dedication and hard work of Mothner’s staff.

“You guys do great things,” Lambert said. “I don’t think that’s an accident. I think that’s attributable to the organization and the hard work that you guys have done.”

To foster social connections in the community and increase their relevance in the community, Mothner said in 2022 they embarked on a host of new initiatives, including a partnership with Dunwoody’s Stage Door Theatre for their annual summer camp program and a free “coffee

studio” event.

In addition to those programs, the Spruill Center participated in a series of community events like the Dogwood Festival in Piedmont Park, Lemonade Days in Dunwoody and countless other events, popups and classes.

“If you reflect on our mission, we foster creativity, but we also foster social connections,” he said. “That’s what a true community arts center should do.”

City Councilman Joe Seconder said anytime he looks at the art programs in other cities, it drives home the benefits of having a public/private partnership art program, like Dunwoody has in the Spruill Center.

“I think it’s a great model,” Seconder said. “And we need to really communicate that to the citizens.”

But the Spruill Center’s wins aren’t over, because big things are coming in 2023, Mothner said.

Over the next year, work will start on the Spruill Center’s expansion project to add seven new studio spaces and a community room at the cityowned facility on Chamblee Dunwoody Road. The building also houses the Stage Door Theatre, the North DeKalb Cultural Arts Center and a branch of the DeKalb County Public Library.

For the expansion project, Dunwoody has pledged $1 million from its general fund to match a $1.3 million investment from the Spruill Center.

Mothner said they expect to break ground for the project in April.

In addition to the expansion project and the center’s nearly completed new kiln building, Mothner said 2023 also marks the start new social service initiatives, like their Arts for Alzheimer’s program and a digital arts program for teens. They also plan to host more visiting artist series events than ever before, he said.

“All that is through your support,” he said. “We honestly cannot thank you enough for the opportunity to do this for our community. It’s something that we have been striving for years.”

Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch said that the work done by Spruill Center employees over the last three years shows the city was right to entrust them with $100,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding, meant to help the most vulnerable in the community during the pandemic.

“I appreciate you providing the services that allows us to spend the funds as they were meant to be spent,” Deutsch said. “I’m grateful for that.”

Tara Tucker

Paras

Wellstar North Fulton certified as stroke center

ROSWELL, Ga. — Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center in Roswell received comprehensive stroke center certification from national health nonprofit the Joint Commission on Jan. 31.

As a comprehensive stroke center, Wellstar North Fulton offers advanced diagnostic and therapy tools to treat highly complex stroke cases. The tools include neuro intensive care units, minimally invasive treatments, high-tech imaging and

around-the-clock care done with artificial intelligence.

Georgia is part of the “stroke belt,” a group of 11 states in the Southeast where the mortality rate is 10 percent above the national average.

“When you have a stroke, every second counts,” said Jon-Paul Croom, president of Wellstar North Fulton. “Getting fast, expert stroke care can mean the difference between life, death or lasting brain

damage.”

Croom said the certification informs the community that they “don’t have to go far to receive the best treatment possible.”

North Fulton is the second Wellstar medical center to receive a comprehensive stroke center certification in Georgia. There are eight comprehensive stroke centers across the state. Wellstar Kennestone Regional medical Center in Marietta is also certified by the Joint Commission.

Alpharetta Symphony Orchestra sets ‘Symphonic Tapas’ concert

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The Alpharetta Symphony Orchestra, led by Music Director Grant Gilman, will present “Symphonic Tapas” Feb. 24.

Held at Alpharetta First United Methodist Church, the concert offers a wide selection of musical tapas, all with a Hispanic flair.

Music from Georges Bizet’s “Carmen,” one of the most beloved operas in history, will envelope listeners in the classic, yet tragic, love story between a gypsy and a corporal.

“Capriccio Espagnol” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov, a work inspired by Spanish folk songs and dances, takes the

Schools:

Continued from Page 1

of factors including grade level, teacher staffing and experience, class size, special services, like special education or gifted classes, student-teacher ratio and other direct and indirect costs of education.

While QBE determines how much a school earns in state funding each year, the state’s economy and budget determine how much the school systems actually receive. Since 1985, the QBE has rarely been fully funded, or appropriately adjusted to the current education environment.

Four decades ago when QBE was implemented, technology in classrooms was limited. Students used typewriters to submit papers, phones were still wired to walls, and there were fewer options available for students with unique learning needs.

Georgia’s last three governors have made fully funding QBE a priority, but it will take the will of the General Assembly to see it through.

“I look forward to working with the Georgia General Assembly and other partners to strengthen supports and opportunities for students [and] support for public education,” said State School Superintendent Richard Woods, who has made funding the QBE a 2023 priority for the Georgia Department of Education.

“We have an enormous opportunity as

listener on a journey through the fields and mountains of Spain and brings to life ancient dances that celebrate the rising of the sun, the deep thrumming of Spanish guitarras and the freedom of the gypsy life exploring the open road.

Popularly used in films and television shows like “Mozart in the Jungle”, “Danzon No. 2” by Mexican composer Arturo Márquez takes rhythms and tempos from the dance style danzón, which is Cuban in origin but is popular in Mexico. Making use of a wide range of percussion instruments to keep the smooth and flowing theme of the music, “Danzon No. 2” ignites the senses

we move beyond the pandemic to build a public education system that is truly centered on the needs of Georgia students."

In an amended 2023 budget, Gov. Brian Kemp has requested an additional $745 million for schools and proposed more than $1.1 billion to fully fund the QBE formula.

Committee to review QBE

Last year, the Georgia Senate approved a resolution to form the “Senate Study Committee to Review Educational Funding Mechanisms.” Meetings were held across the state last fall to gather input from the public as it looks to address shortfalls in QBE this session.

The five-member committee is tasked with reviewing the “efficacy and sufficiency” of school funding, primarily the QBE, to determine if it is meeting the needs of Georgia’s 1.7 million public school students and 2,300 public schools.

Owens said the QBE formula is working for the most part, but in serious need of review and updates.

“Georgia has one of the fairer funding systems in the nation,” Owens said during a recent media symposium hosted by the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education. “But it is getting less fair year after year.”

He noted in the recent past Georgia was among the top 10 states in the country for how much money was directed to public schools with high numbers of economically disadvantaged students. Georgia has now dropped to 16, and is one of only six states

— you can almost smell the citrus in the air, feel the warm breeze floating through the trees and hear dancing shoes clapping against the floor. Adding a grandiose element is Bedrich Smetana’s epic “Die Moldau,” which evokes aspects of the composer’s home country, the Czech Republic, by using folk music and dances to his advantage.

Beginning with the small trickle of the Vlatava River, embodied by two solo flutes whose playing intertwines to create what seems like a single musical flow, this piece works its way to a grand pinnacle.

that does not have targeted funding for students in poverty.

Owens also pointed to the state’s $6.6 billion in surplus revenue above the “rainy day” fund that sits at the discretion of the governor and Legislature.

“So we will all be watching with bated breath on how that money is spent this year [to see if it is used] to increase services for the people of Georgia,” Owens said.

Local districts pay ‘fair share’

QBE is considered a funding partnership between state and local school boards. Local school districts are expected to contribute revenues equal to five mills on the property tax digest to the school system – whether they actually assess it or not. This is referred to as the Local Five Mill Share.

This local share is calculated for each county, then subtracted from the QBE formula before state dollars are allocated. According to the Georgia Department of Education, the Local Five Mill Share in FY2021 equaled $2 billion of funds deducted from QBE. This is the equivalent of $1,176 per student earned but not provided by state funds.

For less wealthy districts with low property values and limited tax revenues, the state provides most of the school funding, and offers “equalization grants” to cover some of the gaps. For wealthier counties with high property values, local taxes still fund the majority of public education.

While February brings thoughts of those we love and Valentine’s Day cards, the best gift of all is to remember it’s also American Heart Month. Heart disease is the leading cause of hospitalization for those over age 65 and is still the leading cause of death in this country. Over 800,000 deaths a year are due to cardiovascular disease. The good news is it’s largely preventable, so let’s review how to improve and maintain your heart health.

Monitoring your blood pressure is a key indicator of where you stand with your heart health. Yet only 48 per cent of people aged 50 to 80 who take medication or have a health condition affected by high blood pressure (or hypertension) monitor it on a regular basis. Preventing hypertension lowers your risk of heart disease and stroke. So setting a regular schedule and getting a blood pressure monitor you can learn to use at home is the start of knowing the numbers for your heart health journey.

Eating a healthy diet with a variety of food with potassium, fiber, protein, and importantly is lower in salt is critical. Flavor your food using more spices, eat salads and steamed vegetables. Select grilled poultry or fish and avoid heavy sauces, salad dressings and fats. This will help you get to or keep a healthy weight.

Staying physically active and reducing stress comes next. Moderate walking or other forms of physical exercise can do wonders. While 150 minutes of moderate activity a week is recommended, be sure to check with your doctor about forming

health

a personalized plan of action and regular visits that are right for your current health status. Social isolation can also impact your stress levels, so staying in touch with friends, community groups and family is an important part of the picture.

Sleep is emerging as an ever increasing factor in heart health. It keeps your blood vessels healthy, and not getting enough sleep on a regular basis correlate to increased rates of stroke, high blood pressure and heart disease. Aim for a regular schedule and seven to eight hours of sleep.

Stop smoking and be careful about alcohol consumption for a healthy heart. So, if this is an issue, monitor your use and start a plan to cut back.

At Home Helpers, we know how important a skilled and well-matched Caregiver is to helping an older loved one maintain their heart health. Whether it’s making sure a moderate walk can be done without fear of a fall risk, regularly monitoring blood pressure and vital signs, following a nutritious diet, keeping a regular sleep schedule, or creating social bonds to battle loneliness, we strive to make each day the best it can be.

Our heart centered Caregivers can assist with all personal care, help around the house, safely speed up recovery from surgery, or provide specialized care for Alzheimer’s, Dementia, Parkinson’s, etc.

We’re here to help - from six hours a day, several days a week to 24/7 and livein care. For a free consultation contact Home Helpers of Alpharetta and North Atlanta Suburbs today at (770) 6810323.

Brought to You by Home Helpers of Alpharetta and North Atlanta Suburbs

It’s time to focus on heart

ISTOCK

Fly fishing shop recasts image under new ownership

By DELANEY TARR delaney@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Jeff Wright worked at Alpharetta Outfitters for more than 10 years before he bought the business in December. He began work there in 2010 as a new college graduate and worked his way up until he decided to purchase the shop from its founder.

The ownership has changed, but Wright wants customers to know “the spirit of the shop remains.”

Today, Alpharetta Outfitters on Main Street is a full-service fly fishing destination. The retail store offers a variety of gear from Yeti cups to fishing rods. It also hosts fly fishing excursions, guided trips and community events.

Wright has been with the business from nearly the start. The store opened in 2009, and he hired on a year later. He majored in biology in college, but originally planned to pursue a career in dentistry or nursing. At Alpharetta Outfitters, Wright realized a desk job wasn’t for him.

“I needed to kind of be able to move around and talk with people,” Wright said.

He loved fly fishing, a hobby he practiced with his father. Wright also cared deeply about water health and natural resources. Together, his interests created a “perfect storm,” and Wright knew he would be at Alpharetta Outfitters for the long haul.

The business looked different when it began. Chuck Palmer, the founder and original owner, sold all kinds of outdoor equipment, like backpacking gear, hammocks and fly fishing supplies.

As similar businesses popped up around Alpharetta, the store shifted focus.

“We decided to go ahead and specialize with larger businesses coming in town, like REI,” Wright said. “We needed to branch away from that kind of (shop).”

The store doubled down on fly fishing, becoming a one-stop shop offering trips, equipment and events like “Bugs and Suds,” a fly-tying night when the store serves pizza and beer. Wright said the decision made sense, because Alpharetta had an interested and affluent customer base.

LOCAL NEWS

“People that are going fly fishing typically have some disposable income,” Wright said. “Its not a cheap hobby.”

In Alpharetta, where the store has most of its customers, the average household income is about $119,000, according to U.S. census data.

Wright said a beginner can buy the necessary equipment for a few hundred dollars, but the higher-end pieces and additional gear can add up to the thou-

sands. A single fishing rod can range from $200-$1,000.

“A lot of guys get into it and love getting gear, and they’re fine spending money on higher-end stuff,” Wright said. The costs increase with things like guided trips and excursions. Alpharetta Outfitters offers trips to Idaho, Alaska, Patagonia, Argentina and Belize. Wright said the trips can cost anywhere from $4,500 to $9,000, depending on the destination.

Alpharetta Outfitters spent 12 years in business operating on a different business model than most shops of its kind. Palmer founded the store as a “not-forprofit” business.

After expenses were covered, any additional income the store brought in was donated to organizations and individuals. One year, the store gave $1,000 to an organization or person in need every day of December.

When Wright bought the store, he knew the model would change.

“I don’t have pockets as deep as Chuck,” Wright joked.

The store moved to a for-profit model at the start of 2023, but Wright said he will continue to donate to charitable organizations at a smaller level.

A key focus for Wright is the preservation of the “natural treasures” in the environment around Alpharetta Outfitters. The store sponsors organizations in the area, including Upper Chattahoochee Trout Unlimited.

Wright said the store also donates

to specific environmental projects the organization does, like its work on Crayfish Creek, the first feeder stream on the Chattahoochee River.

Alpharetta Outfitters donated $5,000 help reduce silt that comes into the streams from nearby development. The silt coats the rocks on the creek floor, which trout need to spawn.

The contributions are about protecting natural resources, but water health also helps the business. The better shape the streams and rivers are in, the easier it is to catch a prize trout.

“Trout don’t survive well in warm, stagnant water and polluted water, so they’re a pretty good indicator of general water health,” Wright said.

The store owner hopes his work on natural resources will raise awareness, especially for his customer base. Wright said when people get out in the field, they notice their environment more, and ask questions about its condition.

“They start to kind of understand their resources, what’s at stake and how to get involved,” Wright said.

In the future, Wright hopes to expand the store to create a dedicated community space for events, where people can hang out and share their love for fishing.

“Those bonds that are created at those events and on those trips, they’re so fun,” Wright said. “You see these guards drop, and you see these men and women really ultimately having fun and enjoying each other.”

DELANEY TARR / APPEN MEDIA

From left, Ross Tew, e-commerce specialist; Jeff Wright, shop owner; and Brent Goodman, marketing magician, stand at the counter of Alpharetta Outfitters on Feb 1. The store is a fly fishing retail and guided trip destination on Main Street.

Observing the Sabbath on the road to Bad Gastein 1945

Howard and Hilbert Margol served in the 42nd Infantry Rainbow Division during World War II.

The twin brothers were born in 1924 in Jacksonville, Florida.

In 1942, they began attending the University of Florida and joined the ROTC.

They joined an Army Reserve unit in October 1942 and were called to active duty on April 3, 1943, reporting to Camp Blanding, Florida. After basic training at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, they were offered the opportunity to attend officer training, but turned it down anticipating it would mean separation.

Then, the brothers were sent to The Citadel in South Carolina to take engineering courses as part of the Army Specialized Training Program. After a few months at Syracuse University, followed by a few at the University of Illinois, the Army decided to cancel the program. This meant thousands of young soldiers could be sent to various Infantry divisions for combat training.

The brothers were separated when Hilbert was sent to Camp Gruber in Oklahoma and Howard went to the Mojave Desert in California. Their mother wrote to President Roosevelt requesting her sons be reunited and serve together.

The brothers were reunited and in January of 1945 boarded a ship for Marseilles, France. The 42nd Infantry were liberators of Dachau Concentration Camp in April 1945. Hilbert shared this history with me in February of 2021, which can be found at appenmedia.com. It was an emotional experience for the Jewish brothers; however, Howard said the following incident was more emotional for him.

Following the liberation of Dachau and after the European war ended May 8, 1945, both brothers were in Munich, Germany, close to the Austrian border. Once again, they were separated although both performing duties as part of the occupation.

Howard was part of a group that moved former Jewish prisoners of the Ebensee Concentration Camp to a Displaced Persons Camp at Bad Gastein. Some 150 vehicles were used to make the trip to the Austrian spa and ski town in the High Tauern mountains of Salzburg, Austria.

On the trip to Bad Gastein, sundown approached on a Friday evening and the former prisoners came to a stop and refused to go further. They said it was the start of the Sabbath. Although their destination was a fancy hotel where hot food, hot baths, and clean clothes awaited, they wanted to stop along the road. After having

been deprived of the ability to practice their religion for so long, they finally had freedom and wanted to observe the Sabbath.

From sunset Friday until sunset Saturday, the procession came to a stop. A camp was set up along the road, and food and supplies were brought to the location.

In the July-August 2013 issue of The Jewish Georgian, Howard Margol said, “For years, the Jews in that group of survivors were not allowed to practice their Judaism.” Their faith “gave them something to hold on to, to look forward to and a way to survive against all odds. I think it was also their way of showing that they won, and Hitler lost.”

There was a period of adjustment when they arrived at Bad Gastein. It had been a

long time since they had freedom, food and a bed.

During the war, Bad Gastein was used for convalescing German soldiers. In addition to housing Jews who had been imprisoned at Ebensee, the former spa was also used for soldiers of the 42nd Infantry to rest and recover as well as for the football squad to train.

In early August, 1945, the U.S. Army decided that every division remaining in Europe would form a football team to promote morale. Hilbert Margol applied to be on the team and was accepted. He was transported to Bad Gastein to begin training.

Another detail the 42nd Infantry was assigned to guard SS prisoners in a former Austrian Army stockade. The prisoners were taken to nearby forests almost every day to chop down trees for use by civilian and military facilities.

After the last football game, Hilbert Margol returned to his gun battery near Salzburg, Austria, and reunited with Howard. They enjoyed a nice Christmas dinner at an old monastery that would be their home for a while.

The brothers returned to the U.S. on the same ship in March 1946.

Hilbert Margol will present the story of his brother Howard’s experiences following the end of World War II in Europe, as well as some of his own memories at the next Atlanta WWII Round Table meeting. The meeting takes place Feb. 18 at Dunwoody United Methodist Church. Visit atlantawwiiroundtable.org for more information, including how to reserve a place at this event.

Hilbert Margol has fittingly named his presentation “Riding To Freedom” and will share the story of his brother, Howard, who died Feb. 9, 2017.

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF Columnist

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF

From left, Howard Margol and his brother Hilbert, stand in front of a monastery where they lived in early 1946.

A view of the spa resort town and waterfall of Bad Gastein. Courtesy of the Reveille newsletter, 42nd Infantry.

APPEN MEDIA’S FIRST EVER

Shopping Spree Giveaway

Start the year off right with a chance to win a $1,000 Shopping Spree courtesy of Appen Media and the Crier Newspapers.

Each week, our newsroom will hide this shopping cart image in the newspaper. Once you find it, visit appenmedia.com/shoppingspree and enter

1) Your name

2) Your email

3) The page number you found the image That’s it!

The contest will run for 13 consecutive weeks, so submit an entry each week to maximize your chances of winning.

The winner will be randomly drawn, notified on Monday, April 3rd and announced in the April 13th Crier publications. HAPPY SHOPPING …and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

When the Alpharetta Women’s Club and Sears Roebuck came together

Sears Roebuck was founded in 1886 as a seller of watches by mail order. It has undergone many changes over the ensuing decades, but one of its most ambitious undertakings was the sale of house kits by mail order catalog.

Sears claims to have sold more than 100,000 mail order homes in North America between 1908 and 1940 via their Modern Homes program. During that period. Sears designed 447 different home styles, each of which could be modified by a purchaser, thus creating an infinite number of unique homes. Depression era mortgage loan defaults and pre-World War II shortages of lumber and other building materials forced closure of the business. Some estimates are that up to 70 percent of the Sears houses are still standing, but no one knows for sure where the houses are because Sears destroyed the sales records during a corporate housekeeping. There are ways to determine if a given house is from a Sears kit, such as identifying stamps on the lumber.

Seven companies provided kit houses, but Sears Roebuck was by far the largest. As an alternative to the purchase of a complete kit, customers could buy house plans and use local lumber to build the homes.

One of the best-known homes in Alpharetta from that era is found at 112 Cumming Street. The most common and accepted version of its origin is that

B.F. (Benjamin Franklin) Shirley (1879-1963) built the Queen Anne style home from a plan purchased in 1908 from a Sears Roebuck catalog. Shipping a complete kit from the factory to Marietta by train and then hauling the lumber over dirt roads to Alpharetta posed many challenges and B.F. Shirley would have used local lumber for the project.

However, according to a July 1999 article in the Atlanta Constitution, “Right out of the Sears catalog,” the cost of the home was less than $1,000 including shipping and construction of a complete Sears house. In 1911 two other possible Sears houses were built nearby.

B.F. Shirley’s brother Obadiah built a house next door, and Sherman Gardner built a house across the street.

According to another version based on research and a book by Fred Shirley of Alpharetta, now deceased, the house was built by his great-great grandfather John Franklin Shirley (1841-1906), a Civil War veteran who became a successful farmer after the war, accumulating 1,000 acres. He built several family homes on his property plus three tenant houses, a cotton gin and two sawmills. To build the house he used lumber cut from his property and processed in his sawmills. He moved his family and mother into the Cumming Street house prior to 1905, according to Fred who noted that it later became the headquarters of the Alpharetta Women’s Club.

It is interesting to note that John Franklin Shirley’s father was named Benjamin Shirley and that John had a son named Benjamin Franklin Shirley which may be the cause of some confusion.

The Alpharetta Women’s Club, founded during World War II, purchased the Shirley home in 1962 and used it as its headquarters. It held fundraisers to pay off a bank loan signed for by three of the ladies’ husbands, Troy Carroll of Carroll Realty, Louie Jones, owner of a funeral home, and Q.A. Wills, mayor of Alpharetta and business owner. The club paid off the loan in 1969. Fulton County Bank President, William Barrett presented the club with a silver tea service from the bank. The club had about 30

members at its peak. The women had a favorite charity, Tallulah Falls School, founded in 1909 with 29 mountain children. Located in the town of Tallulah Falls, Georgia, the school serves 500 students today.

The club took an active role in 1965 to establish a permanent library in Alpharetta. Up to that time, the city was serviced by a bookmobile which came to town every other Wednesday afternoon.

The club was a social and community services organization, but over the years membership dwindled and it eventually closed. Former club Vice President

Vespa B. Smith says “the Alpharetta Women’s Club was an integral part of the community for decades.”

Postscript: The house was sold in 2017 and is being restored and renovated.

Special thanks to two outstanding local historians, Ed Malowney and Connie Mashburn for their help with this column.

Bob is director emeritus of the Milton Historical Society and a Member of the City of Alpharetta Historic Preservation Commission. You can email him at bobmey@bellsouth.net.

BOB MEYERS Columnist

ATLANTA CONSTITUTION

The B.F. Shirley home is one of the iconic historic structures in Alpharetta. The Shirley family gathers on the porch in the early 1900s.

ALPHARETTA AND OLD MILTON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

The Alpharetta Women’s Club purchased the B.F. Shirley home in 1962 and used it as their headquarters. The club sold the house in 2017.

THE ALPHARETTA REVIEW

Past presidents of the Alpharetta Women’s Club are honored at a ceremony in June, 1986. Lonnie Young, Catherine Phillips, Edith Humphrey, Ollie Wills and Marjean Birt reviewed activities and accomplishments during their terms in office. Each was presented with a corsage.

H R NG ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

VALENTINE’S PRINCESS PARTY

What: Princesses and the prince of their choice will learn step-by-step dance moves, then enjoy free pictures and Valentine's treats. Princesses must be accompanied by a prince 18 years of age or older.

When: Thursday, Feb. 9, 5-7 p.m.

Where: North Shallowford Annex, 4470 N. Shallowford Road, Dunwoody

Cost: $35 per couple

More info: dunwoodyga.gov

AUTHOR TALK WITH BIRDEL JACKSON

What: Author and storyteller Birdel Jackson will discuss his autobiography, “Growing Up Donnie & Kaki: the First 18 years,” which follows the journey of Birdel and his sister, Carol Ann, through their first 18 years growing up in segregated Memphis, Tennessee, through the 1940s and ’50s. The event is free, but registration is encouraged.

When: Thursday, Feb. 9, 6:30 p.m.

Where: Mimosa Hall, 127 Bulloch Avenue, Roswell

More info: roswellgov.com

OPEN-HEARTH COOKING WITH CLARISSA CLIFTON

What: Living history interpreter and cook Clarissa Clifton demonstrates open-hearth cooking using recipes from both African traditions and known Black female cooks, including Abigail Fisher, Flora Mae Hunter and Mashama Bailey. Clarissa explains the methods of cooking over an open fire using traditional cast iron cookware. Please note that this is for educational demonstration purposes only. Visitors may not participate or taste food due to safety concerns. Demonstrations are offered free to the public and will be in the Cookhouse behind the historic house museum.

When: Saturday, Feb. 11, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Where: Smith Plantation, 935 Alpharetta Street, Roswell

More info: roswellgov.com

BLACK HISTORY BRAIN BOWL

What: Middle school students are invited to engage in a lively and challenging head-to-head trivia of Black History. Bowl questions will be Black History related and cover topics such as science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM). The event is free, but registration is required.

When: Saturday, Feb. 11, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Where: Virtual

More info: roswellgov.com

DJOLI KELEN’S REVOLUTIONS IN RHYTHMS AND MOVEMENTS

What: There will be two "revolving" consecutive classes happening. Dance/ History and Music/Song. In each of the sessions, students will learn various components centered around Continental African, Diasporic, and Contemporary/ Black dance, music, song and history. Registrants will be broken up between the two rooms and revolve to the next as each session ends. There will be essay reading

ATLANTA JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL

What: Sixty world-class films, narrative and documentary features alongside two handpicked shorts programs, the 23rd annual festival brings Atlanta Jewish Film Festival’s mission to life, inspiring diverse communities with cross-cultural understanding.

When: Feb. 8-21, times vary

Where: City Springs, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs

Cost: Prices vary by date and film

More info: ajff.org

and guided discussions. Bring a bag lunch.

When: Sunday, Feb. 12, 12-4 p.m.

Where: East Roswell Recreation Center, 9000 Fouts Road, Roswell More info: roswellgov.com

‘COMPLETENESS’ AT STAGE DOOR THEATRE

What: How does a computer scientist hook up with a molecular biologist? He blinds her with science, of course. When Elliot builds a computer program to help Molly with her research project, the variables in their evolving relationship shift as rapidly as the terms of their experiment. This deft and imaginative new ROM-comedy shows that even the most sophisticated algorithm may freeze in the face of love’s infinite possibilities.

When: Up to Feb. 12, 7:30-9:30 p.m.

Where: Stage Door Theatre, 5339 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody

Cost: $35 for adults, $20 for students, $15 for children

More info: stagedoortheatrega.org

ATLANTA JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL

What: Sixty world-class films, narrative and documentary features alongside two handpicked shorts programs, the 23rd annual festival brings Atlanta Jewish Film Festival's mission to life, inspiring diverse communities with cross-cultural understanding.

When: Feb. 8-21, times vary

Where: City Springs, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs

Cost: Prices vary by date and film

More info: ajff.org

WOMEN IN JEOPARDY

What: Liz, Mary and Jo are three mutually supportive, single-again-after-40 friends who have a lot of thoughts about Liz's new boyfriend. Is he a dentist with an odd hobby, a celebrity look-alike, or a serial killer…or maybe all three? It’s “Sex and the City” meets “Murder, She Wrote” in a modern comedy.

When: Feb. 16-March 5, times vary

Where: Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forrest Street, Roswell

Cost: $34-37

More info: get.org

FEATURE YOUR EVENT ONLINE AND IN PRINT!

It’s even easier now than ever to promote your event to hundreds of thousands of people, whether online, through our newsletters or in the Crier and Herald newspapers.

To promote your event, follow these easy steps:

1. Visit AppenMedia.com/Calendar;

2. Provide the details for your event including title, description, location and date;

3. Click the red button that reads “Create event”

4. That’s it! Submissions are free, though there are paid opportunities to promote your event in print and online.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH MURALS EXHIBIT

What: Large scale murals have been commissioned by local artists and displayed along the Brook Run Park Skate Park perimeter fence.

When: Through February

Where: Brook Run Skate Park, 4770 North Peachtree Road, Dunwoody More info: dunwoodyga.gov

ENCHANTED WOODLAND TRAIL

What: The fairies and gnomes have been busy building whimsical houses along Chattahoochee Nature Center’s forested trails. Slow down as you search for houses made from tiny natural objects. Take notice of the beautiful and enchanting features of the winter woods.

When: Up to Feb. 28, open daily

Where: Chattahoochee Nature Center, 9135 Willeo Road, Roswell

Cost: $15 for adults

More info: chattnaturecenter.org

Progress in the form of traffic woes

Oftentimes, standing too close to a painting is detrimental to appreciating the true beauty of the piece of art.

Having recently traveled via Ga. 400 to Sandy Springs’ Hammond Drive as a designated driver for an early-morning appointment, I needed a concoction that would assuage a headache-excess stomach acid parlay.

Simply put, traveling toward Atlanta at 7:30 a.m. is a ball-peen hammer to the thumb combined with smacking a dresser with your toe in a darkened, middle-of-thenight trip to the bathroom.

How do you hearty daily commuters do it?

Obviously, some handle this better than others. On the Tuesday trip, I saw a guy talking on the phone, grooming nose hairs and brushing his teeth, all at the same time.

Apparently, he didn’t get the memo that hands-free is the law. Not that it would have mattered.

The skill of deftly using a trimmer is a skill that is impossible to use without using hands. I’m pretty sure of this. Except this

guy seemed to have mastered the skill.

I only hope he’s not the guy “Crash” Clark highlights during the incessant traffic reports on local radio.

By the way, will someone please explain to me the value of having traffic reports broadcasts every 10 minutes?

After all, you’re already in traffic. Does it really matter if “400 is backed up all the way to Dahlonega?”

You’re in the soup and best find a good commercial-free blast of music to get you through the tribulations. Just ease up on the daydreaming or you’ll be a poster child for Morgan, Montlick, Foy or another lawyer salivating for personal injury paradise.

Of course, having roads torn up to look like a third-world country thoroughfare doesn’t help. In fact, no matter the road you find yourself on, it takes the skill of a Formula 1 driver to avoid the cones, barrels, and caverns, formerly known as potholes.

And don’t get me started on those steel plates that feel like, instead of being flush with the roadway, seem to stick up a few feet. You’d better slow down or it’ll be time to fork out some cash for a front-end alignment.

Road construction is a constant, providing wonderment at the time needed to complete a project, any project. It seems like months stretch into years, no matter

what is promised by whoever won the right to improve the road.

Remember the road that got burnt to a crisp in Atlanta. In a perfect example of “money talks,” repairs were made in record time. The contractor confirmed his fire was lit under someone’s backside in the form of a bonus paid.

Nothing wrong with paying for performance. That concept would probably be a blessing for John Wills, the proprietor of Ferguson’s Meat Market, located on Matt Highway in north Forsyth.

The store has been open since 1992 and is a community fixture. That sense of community was never more apparent than what happened after a call went out on social media.

Getting access to the store, compliments of the highway improvements that have seemingly lasted for generations, is tougher than picking three correct numbers in a Powerball drawing. Heck, once you’re in the parking lot, getting out requires some courtesy from drivers, whose nerves are certainly frazzled from dodging steel plates and flagmen.

Having grown up in the grocery business, I can appreciate that the plight of a grocer is tough, especially for someone not named Kroger or Piggly Wiggly. John has always been a “go-to guy.”

Need a donation for a charity, go to

John. Raffle prizes? Go to John. Want to give away a Green Egg? Go to John.

But with a torn-up road that fronted the business, it was difficult to buy steaks for Sunday grilling.

That’s when loyal customers got busy on social media, relaying that John’s loyal friends needed to stay loyal.

And that’s what has happened.

On a Saturday visit, it was like a NASCAR track: three deep at the counter.

Wills has gotten back to his roots and is sharpening up his meat-cutting chops while cutting chops.

The community has turned out in droves to let John know they care. Sitting in his office with baseball and John Wayne photos on the wall (you just gotta love this guy!), Wills, in an emotional voice, promised: “Someday I’ll do something to let all these people know how much I appreciate them.”

As a “go-to guy” his customers keep coming back. Being appreciated is a given. That’s why they just keep coming back.

Mike Tasos has lived in Forsyth County for more than 30 years. He’s an American by birth and considers himself a Southerner by the grace of God. He can be reached at miketasos55@gmail.com.

Do you prefer to read a standalone novel or a series?

I’m an avid reader and can’t say that I have a preference, but I hear that many folks do. When I was a new cozy mystery author, I was advised that cozy fans were series addicts and wouldn’t pick up Book I unless they knew several more books were available in the series. Me? I’ll happily grab any book whose description appeals to me.

As for reading a series, when I find one I like, I don’t binge-read it. Instead, I space out the books and return to the series time and time again. Perhaps I find that easy to do because years ago, many authors only put out one book a year, so I’m accustomed to waiting. Whatever the reason, there are several series that I follow, and I’ll be hugely disappointed when they run out.

Clare Ferguson/Russ Van Alstyne series by Julia Spencer-Fleming

I discovered this series last year and

Book I, “In the Bleak Midwinter,” in the library. A reading friend lent me several more, and they sat on my bookshelf for me to pick up whenever the mood struck. I’m not sure what happened, but when I picked up Book VI a few weeks ago, I couldn’t stop there. I turned the last page and moved on to Book VII, the last on my bookshelf. Before I knew it, I’d ordered Book VIII from the library, and I’m now eagerly awaiting the arrival of the email that says, “Come by to get Book IX,” the last one in the series. I’ve got my fingers crossed that there are more coming.

Clare Ferguson is an Episcopal priest and Russ Van Alstyne is the sheriff in Millers Kill, NY, where the books take place. The mysteries are well-plotted and intriguing, but I read the novels more for the evolving relationships in small-town America than for anything else.

Though I’ll tell you that you can pick up anywhere in the series I write, this is one series I strongly recommend you start from the beginning. You just don't want to miss any of the twists and turns and witty conversations among the cast of charac-

ters. Warning: If you start somewhere in the middle, you will find yourself searching for Book One soon after!

“The Woman in the Library” by Sulari Gentill

This mystery is a standalone novel. What a fascinating story within a story. Four people are sitting at a library table in Boston when they hear a scream. What transpires from there is one story, a mystery as to who screamed and why. Is someone hurt? Was someone killed? If someone was killed, whodunit?

And then there's the other story--that of an author sharing bits of her book with a beta reader, perhaps a fan, who gives her feedback. That concerns the relationship that develops between them--long distance.

I was intrigued by both and was especially hooked on the tale of the library foursome because one of them is an aspiring writer who uses her new-found friends as characters in her book. She has a neighbor who is also a writer, and I was struck by his opinion that all stories are romances at heart--though I disagree with that premise.

To me, all stories are mysteries at heart-perhaps not about murders or crimes but instead the mystery of relationships-friends, family, and co-workers. It's always a mystery as to how those relationships will turn out.

The author built interesting backstories for the characters, and I couldn't put the book down until I knew whodunit and why. As the story unwound, I suspected all four from the library as well as the neighbor. I predict you'll be as surprised as I was.

If you’re looking for a mystery to while away the winter hours, either a series or a singleton, I suggest you try one of these.

PS. Are you in a book club? If so, I’d be happy to visit and talk about my series.

Award-winning author Kathy Manos Penn is a Sandy Springs resident. Find her cozy mysteries locally at The Enchanted Forest in Dunwoody and Bookmiser in East Cobb or on Amazon. Contact her at inkpenn119@gmail.com, and follow her on Facebook, www.facebook.com/KathyManosPennAuthor/.

MIKE TASOS

Columnist

KATHY MANOS PENN

Columnist

NFCC is looking for a full-time executive assistant to support the Executive Director and leadership team.  This person will play a vital role in help keep the NFCC leadership team organized and productive and will interact with the board of directors and other important stakeholder groups. Sensitivity, discretion and attention to detail are a must. Candidate must have a two-year degree, bachelor’s degree preferred and should have at least 2-3 years of relevant experience. For a complete job description visit https://nfcchelp.org/work-at-nfcc/

Client Services Specialist

The full-time Client Services Specialist greets visitors to NFCC and assists them with obtaining services. In addition, this person conducts followup interviews, enters data and may participate in additional follow-up activities.  A high school degree or equivalent is required along with at least one year in customer service or other relevant experience. Discretion and strong written and verbal communication skills in English and Spanish are also required. For a complete job description, please visit https://nfcchelp.org/work-at-nfcc/

Truck Driver

NFCC needs a reliable driver to work part-time picking up scheduled donations. The person in this role may also assist with facility maintenance and must maintain accurate vehicle maintenance records. It is crucial that they represent NFCC with a professional and friendly demeanor. 1-2 years of box truck delivery experience is preferred. Candidate must maintain a valid Georgia driver’s license and be free of any traffic violations for the past three years.  Work on Saturdays or Sundays may be required occasionally. For a complete job description, please visit https://nfcchelp.org/work-at-nfcc/

Part-Time

FRONT DESK RECEPTIONIST for Dunwoody chiropractic office. 3PM-6PM, 4 days/week. Computer skills necessary. seidart@aol.com

POOL TECHNICIANS WANTED

Part-time & Full-time positions available. Pay is $12-$14 per hour. Hours starting at 6:30AM, Monday-Friday. Pick-up truck not required but must have your own reliable transportation. Gas allowance provided. Looking for people who enjoy working outside and are enthusiastic, dependable & punctual. Able to contribute independently or on a crew with consistently friendly attitude.

Well-established commercial pool maintenance company providing service in the North Atlanta Metro area.

Call Bill: 404-245-9396