Sandy Springs Crier - May 23, 2024

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Elected officials and city staff meet in a conference room at Sandy Springs City Hall May 14 for a second workshop on the 2025 budget. Councilmembers discussed what to do with an $800,000 windfall thanks to state funds for roadway maintenance.

City ranks 2025 capital projects

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Mayor Rusty Paul swatted down suggestions for city councilmembers to openly discuss recommendations for how to spend an extra $800,000 in the proposed 2025 Sandy Springs capital budget.

Paul’s instruction to the council at the May 15 budget workshop was to submit proposals in writing before specifics should be aired at the official budget presentation scheduled for May 21.

It was the second of two budget workshops elected leaders have held on the new spending plan.

The workshop included results of the capital budget ballot, in which councilmembers ranked a number of capital projects by their priority.

City Manager Eden Freeman said the state expanded its annual funding for road projects, freeing up more than $750,000 the city had earlier allocated for pavement management.

Another $50,000 became available from the $100,000 the city had planned to use for a scoping study of the proposed Sandy Springs Police shooting range and simulation house. City officials decided to split funding of the study between the general fund and the Sandy Springs Police Foundation.

With the $800,000 now available, councilwomen Melissa Mular and Melody Kelley suggested ideas of their own, including a housing study and a review of small businesses along the Ga. 9 or Roswell Road corridor.

See COUNCIL, Page 13

Sandy Springs selected for second Trader Joe’s

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Sandy Springs residents, especially those south of I-285, can expect a new Trader Joe’s at the Chastain Market sometime in the next year.

The Chastain Market, on the Sandy Springs border with the Buckhead community, is home to more than 90,000 square feet of retail and 28,000 square feet of office space near Chastain Park.

The new Trader Joe’s will be at 4600 Roswell Road.

During a May 9 Sandy Springs Development Authority meeting, members discussed an estoppel certificate, or a document establishing the status of lease terms for a third party.

Trader Joe’s will lease space from the property owner, SSP Chastain, LLC. Connolly and Coro Realty acquired the shopping center in 2022 for $40.5 million.

City Attorney Dan Lee said the certificate is new to him as an attorney with decades of experience. He said the agreement ensures that the sub-tenant, Trader Joe’s, receives the tax incentives in place for the next two years.

Lee also said the tenant has already invested in the site in preparation for Trader Joe’s.

A new Trader Joe’s will be housed at 4600

at the Chastain Market. More details about its opening will be released later, a spokeswoman said.

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Ga. 400
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Trader
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Perimeter
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Sandy Springs police arrest rape suspect

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Detectives with the Sandy Springs Police Department’s Street Crimes Unit located and arrested Le’Myrious Monaye Dawson May 6 for alleged theft by taking, burglary, battery and rape.

The Sandy Springs Police Department was notified of a possible burglary and sexual assault May 5, which occurred earlier around 2:30 a.m. Sunday morning within the city limits.

Patrol officers secured the scene while Criminal Investigation Division detectives took over the search for the

suspect, according to statements.

Detectives learned Dawson operated as an Uber ride-share driver, and allegedly provided the victim with a ride to her home and then burglarized her residence and sexually assaulted her.

Detectives obtained arrest warrants on Dawson for theft by taking, burglary, battery and rape.

Street Crime Unit detectives located Dawson at the West End MARTA station on Lee Street in Atlanta around 2:30 p.m. May 6.

Detectives executed search warrants

for Dawson’s vehicle and residence, locating several items belonging to the victim, police said.

“CID detectives are continuing their investigation into the incident,” the department’s statement said. “The men and women of the Sandy Springs Police Department worked diligently to identify, locate and bring Mr. Dawson to justice.”

If any other agencies are working similar cases, please, contact Det. J.T. Williams at 770-551-6937 or jtwilliams@ sandyspringsga.gov.

Dunwoody boosts pay for municipal workers

DUNWOODY, Ga. — The Dunwoody City Council’s approval of a 4.25 percent mid-year pay increase for city employees will take effect May 30.

Last year, the city approved a raise for police officers, detectives, sergeants and lieutenants, averaging 14 percent.

Since 2021, Dunwoody has adjusted pay seven separate times for police. As a result, officers and detectives have seen pay increases of just under 45 percent.

City Manager Eric Linton said the Dunwoody City Council made a commitment to support police with salary increases during planning for the 2024 budget.

“I worked closely with staff to crunch the numbers and fulfill the council’s commitment,” Linton said. “This increase continues a pattern of prioritizing public safety in Dunwoody.”

For comparison, the starting pay for a police officer with a high school degree and no public safety experience at the end of 2020 was $44,567. The city increased that starting pay to $59,391, effective May 30.

Also, the starting pay for a police

officer with a bachelor’s degree and five years of public safety experience at the end of 2020 was $49,794. The city increased that starting pay to $71,351, effective May 30.

Amid concerns from residents about public safety throughout Perimeter Center and questions about funding priorities, the actions from the City Council have vaulted the Dunwoody Police Department to a level of competitive pay.

City officials have said competitive pay helps fill vacancies in the Police Department.

The Dunwoody Police Department offers a competitive package of benefits that includes:

• A take-home vehicle program

• A $15,000 signing bonus

• An $800 per month housing stipend for living in the city limits

• A 100 percent city-paid employee medical plan, starting on the first day of work

• A 90 percent city-paid family medical plan, starting on the first day of work

• An employer retirement contribution up to 21.2 percent

• A 100 percent city-paid life insurance with short and long-term disability insurance

• An up to $4,000 annual tuition assistance program

• A total of 15 paid holidays

• A $2,500 payment for SWAT operators

• A $4,000 per year bonus for CID/K-9/Crime Response Team/Community Outreach

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Cities turn focus to Perimeter market

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Representatives with KDC Real Estate Development and Investments were all smiles May 13 after the Dunwoody City Council approved a rezoning at 245 Perimeter Center Parkway.

The property, the last undeveloped parcel on the Park Center campus, was already entitled to 729,613 square feet of office, 33,586 square feet of retail, and 2,833 parking spaces for a Building 4, under conditions set in the city’s 2015 Overall Development Plan

But, because the COVID-19 pandemic has reduced the appetite for new office development, KDC applied to change zoning conditions that would allow residential units and a hotel while reducing its office and retail allocation.

The new rezoning cuts the office allocation by more than half and allows for 175 hotel rooms, 22,000 square feet of retail space and 300 multi-family residential units.

Dunwoody’s 2023 Edge City 2.0 report, which focuses on Perimeter area planning, details a community-supported vision for Perimeter Center developments and roadmap for the next 20 years.

Dunwoody planners say the Edge City 2.0 report indicates the need for residential development and the proposed mix of uses would be a benefit to the Park Center campus and the surrounding area.

The shift from stand-alone office towers to mixed-use developments with housing, retail, office and recreational spaces is a hot trend.

Unlike the market for commercial office space, which is oversaturated from decades of overbuilding and low interest rates, the demand for a low supply of new live-workplay buildings is promising.

Michael Starling, Dunwoody Economic Development director, said public investments in place-making and private investments in redevelopment can revitalize the commercial market.

The Perimeter market is unique with a community improvement district split between two counties, DeKalb and Fulton, and three cities, Brookhaven, Dunwoody and Sandy Springs.

The Perimeter Community Improvement Districts undertook a rebranding initiative late last year, and with the wrapup of construction at Ga. 400 and I-285, the market is looking to be competitive in the region.

Fulton County side of Perimeter

During a May 7 Sandy Springs City Council work session, real estate consultant Ladson Haddow with Haddow & Company asked officials to focus on the city’s commercial properties in Perimeter.

Influencing factors on the value of of-

HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA

Michael Starling, economic development director for the City of Dunwoody, gives the first in a series of quarterly updates on the city’s commercial areas. Starling said public investments in place-making and private investments in redevelopment can revitalize the commercial market.

fices include appeals of property values, which can result in a three-year freeze.

An analysis of eight office properties, including the Concourse Office Park, revealed value changes ranging from 3.3 percent to 19 percent, with an average value decline of 14 percent.

While office properties account for roughly 18 percent of the city’s overall property tax revenue, they represent just under 7 percent of all the revenues Sandy Springs receives each year.

Essentially, Haddow said he thinks office building values will continue to fall, but it will not significantly impact the city’s overall revenue.

“You’re pretty much where you were in 2008, you experienced a pretty significant drop in 2013-15, and yet you managed just fine,” he told councilmembers. “What’s looming or to come has been endured by the city before.”

Unlike the Great Recession and its subsequent economic effect on property values, corporate developers are not scooping up office buildings. Interest rates at a 23-year high and changing work habits have reduced the demand for offices and the ability to acquire the capital to purchase them, Haddow said.

The redevelopment of older office buildings can be encouraged through zoning and other incentives. Removing potential blight, reducing office supply and increasing tax revenue through new developments are ways the city can reduce erosion of the office market and increase its revenue, according to the findings of the Haddow & Company report.

Haddow then discussed what is attracting commercial tenants to properties and what environments have shown the most promise in Metro Atlanta.

The Perimeter office submarket in Sandy Springs contains the highest amount of sublease space and the second highest vacancy rate in Metro Atlanta, behind

Live, work and play Haddow & Company identified a postCOVID trend in the market, which shows a potential path forward for the commercial real estate industry.

“Companies are looking for walkability, they’re looking for access to walkable amenities, the Beltline,” Haddow said. “When you look at Sandy Springs’ office stock, it’s older and it’s not nearly as walkable, that’s a negative moving forward and a reality.”

He mentioned Dunwoody’s Campus 244 and High Street as examples of promising redevelopments.

The price per square foot for a sublease space is often 33 percent less than rent on a direct lease, Haddow said.

Often when tenants come up for a renewal of their lease, they reduce their office footprint.

“It’s hard to say what the future holds,” Haddow said. “In our opinion, it’s not a trend that’s going to reverse itself anytime soon.”

The mixed-use developments mirror others in midtown Atlanta, the Old Fourth Ward and Ponce City Market, which Haddow said sport the lowest vacancy rates in Metro Atlanta. City officials can encourage redevelopments through changes to land use and rezoning regulations.

“If I had to guess in the next couple years, the movement is going to be redevelopment of some of these office buildings that are low density,” he said. “Some people refer to it as a fried egg, when you look at a building that’s in the middle of a site that has surface parking all around it… that’s not going to be an office property moving forward.”

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Journalists measure loss of UGA Law’s advocacy on open government

ATHENS, Ga. — Journalists across Georgia are mourning the loss of a crucial service in a new direction taken by the University of Georgia School of Law’s First Amendment Clinic.

Going forward, its staff will no longer provide direct advocacy for open records or open meetings, sources of information that journalists and citizens use to find out what’s going on behind the facades of government.

The First Amendment Clinic was formally launched in August 2020 to “defend and advance the rights of free speech, press, assembly, and petition via regional litigation and advocacy” and to provide law students with real-world experience on First Amendment issues, according to a UGA news release.

In early 2023, the Clinic began reaching out to news organizations around Georgia, ramping up direct advocacy work related to open records after receiving more funding.

The service was free.

“‘Okay, what’s the catch?’” Dan Whisenhunt, publisher and editor of Decaturish, recalled. “I was told, ‘No catch. There’s just money going around. People really care about this sort of thing. So, we’re doing the work.’”

The resource saved Whisenhunt thousands of dollars in legal fees, a big deal for a small business that saw its first full-time employee after seven years of serving residents in Decatur and surrounding areas in Metro Atlanta.

Since Appen Media filed its lawsuit last May against the City of Sandy Springs over access to information on police incident reports, the newspaper has spent more than $35,000 in legal fees.

That figure continues to increase, as

Appen Media seeks an appeal to a Fulton County Superior Court judge ruling in December that said it failed to prove it is unlawful for the Sandy Springs Police Department to withhold supplemental information about a crime that police file in a subsequent report, often on the same day and gleaned from the same initial visit to the scene.

The lawyer on the case charges $285 an hour.

Free counsel

Now, Decaturish has three full-time employees, and the business is profitable, punching above its weight, but Whisenhunt said money is sent toward general expenses and personnel.

“Every spare dollar I have I spend on news,” Whisenhunt said. “News costs money, and it ain’t cheap to produce, especially in this market where we’re in an arms race, where we’re trying to keep people paid well enough so that they can actually live near the communities where they're covering.”

Whisenhunt said the Clinic had its eyes on two to three Decaturish stories. The Clinic has and continues to offer prepublication review, giving legal guidance to journalists on stories before they go to press.

He also said the Clinic became involved in his request for open records regarding a fire that targeted a genderaffirming medical clinic in downtown Decatur.

“Decatur has been withholding those records for forever under an exemption in the [Georgia Open Records Act],” Whisenhunt said. “That exemption is pretty broad … that probably should be revisited.”

Ultimately, the City of Decatur did not provide the records to Whisenhunt. But, he said the Clinic continued to fight and advocate on his behalf.

He also said the group had been more accessible than other national organizations that provide the same service and went further than the Office of the Attorney General’s Open Government Mediation Program.

“I don’t know what having an attorney on staff is like, but that’s what it’s felt like to me,” Whisenhunt said.

UGA transfers lawsuit

Remaining an educational resource, University Spokesperson Greg Trevor said the Clinic will “refer open records/open meetings matters that need direct advocacy and representation to qualified legal professionals or agencies.”

The timing of the refocus coincides with UGA’s decision to transfer the lawsuit filed on behalf of nonprofit Atlanta Community Press Collective and Lucy Parsons Labs against the Atlanta Police Foundation.

The Atlanta Police Foundation, a nonprofit that supports the Atlanta Police Department and works closely with the City of Atlanta, is largely responsible for funding the $90 million Atlanta Public Safety Training Center set for 85 acres of the South River region in DeKalb County.

The suit, now under the wings of a new pro bono attorney, alleges that the foundation failed to respond to open records requests related to the project, dubbed “Cop City” by critics who say it will fuel police brutality and contribute to climate change by destroying a vital forest.

Sam Barnes, researcher with the Atlanta Community Press Collective, said plaintiffs were told about the transfer and that the Clinic would “refine its purview” in an early April meeting, and it was at the request of Bo Rutledge, dean of the UGA School of Law.

“I personally have some of my own suspicions on the matter,” Barnes said.

Barnes first requested assistance from the Clinic in fall 2022 after the collective received a “nonparty request” for documents from former Blackhall Studios CEO Ryan Millsap’s attorney, regarding a lawsuit filed by environmental groups that challenged DeKalb County’s swap of parkland with the developer.

With the Clinic’s legal representation, the collective prevailed in the free-press battle.

Necessary step

Barnes continued to seek support from the Clinic in 2023, with calls at least once a week for assistance on open records and open meetings.

It provided guidance to Barnes on entrance to the Capitol when SB63 was being weighed, which has since been signed into law by Gov. Brian Kemp to broaden the scope of offenses requiring cash bail and to prohibit individuals and organizations from posting cash bail more

than three times a year, with an exception for bail bondsmen.

Barnes, who uses they/them pronouns, said officials would not grant them a one-day media pass, though it was an open meeting.

“The clinic was very helpful in making sure that happened, and helping me understand what my rights were,” Barnes said.

While the collective is in a better financial position now, Barnes said there was no way for the news organization to afford the level of support the Clinic provided early on, which enabled its work to be what it is today.

Barnes said they have become a better reporter, learning how to negotiate, asserting new knowledge. They began to lean on the group less.

But, Barnes described the unfortunate and often necessary step of leveraging a lawyer’s letterhead on a document to government agencies that provides details of the law they already know.

“And, then it’s like, ‘Oh, shucks, I guess we have to comply with the law now,’” Barnes said.

The Clinic’s decision to move away from direct advocacy has affected Atlanta Community Press’ publishing schedule. Barnes is sitting on a story that has been ready to go for months, but an open records request dating to November has not been filled after back-and-forth with a government agency.

Now, Barnes is figuring out how much it will cost to get legal support, scheduling meetings with attorneys.

“I’m more than happy to pay an open records lawyer an equitable rate, the rate they deserve for the work,” Barnes said. “But, it’s basically going to come down to can we afford to publish this story that is a story that absolutely deserves to be told.”

Empowering citizens

Without the First Amendment Clinic, the McIntosh County Commission may have continued to hold open meetings in the county courthouse — a location that had become an issue because access is under the discretion of the sheriff.

The Current, a nonprofit news organization that covers counties in Coastal Georgia, sought legal assistance from the Clinic when the sheriff barred the public from taking purses and recording devices into McIntosh County Commission meetings. The meetings concerned rezoning Hogg Hummock on Sapelo Island, the final intact Gullah Geechee community on the Atlantic Coast.

The County Commission would go on to approve larger dwelling sizes up to 3,000 square feet, double previous sizes allowed, posing a threat toward generations-old families who could be taxed off their land.

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School Board members give tentative approval to 2025 spending plan

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NORTH FULTON COUNTY, Ga. – The Fulton County Board of Education May 15 ten-tatively adopted a proposed budget for fiscal year 2025, one that increases com-pensation for teachers and other staffers despite another projected drop in en-rollment.

The budget, set for final vote June 11, calls for a 4.5 percent raise in compensation for eligible employees in an effort to recruit and retain top talent, according to a detailed recommendation from Schools Superintendent Mike Looney. While the population of Fulton County has increased roughly 10 percent over the past dec-ade, total school enrollment has decreased by 7 percent, or 6,855 students.

The tentative budget passed by a 6-1 vote.

In total, the proposed 2025 spending plan includes an estimate of roughly $2.293 billion in spending from all funds, up from the projected $1.844 billion this year. However, the school allotment guidelines also proposed a property tax rate of 17.13 mills, down from 17.14 mills last year. Property taxes are expected to bring in some $839 million to help fund the 2025 budget.

The final adopted millage rate will depend on the county’s official tax digest – which charts the value of taxable residential and commercial property – due out soon, possibly before the June 11 School Board meeting.

The tentative adoption May 15 will enable staff to post budget figures on the dis-trict’s public website as well as allow staff to work with tax officials to ensure prop-erty tax bills are sent on time.

DOVE

More information

You can find the full FY ‘25 budget recommendation at ful-tonschools. org/budgetservices

Meanwhile, the anticipated highlight of the meeting never quite materialized. Board members were prepared to hear from the public for a second time following the rollout of the initial budget in March and April, but no one raised their hand on Wednesday.

School Board

President Kimberly Dove said the board takes comment from its con-stituents outside of public forums, including email.

One piece missing from the meeting was Superintendent Looney, who was –ironically – representing Fulton County at the White House to discuss the nation-wide issue of chronic absenteeism among students.

County honors its stars

With the end of school fast approaching, each of the seven board members touched on a few highlights from their district. Some of the most noteworthy in-cluded River Trail Middle School Chess Team winning the 2024 State of Georgia Chess Tournament for the second year in a row; Fulton County Schools College & Career Academy Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Pathway finishing first in the statewide High School Aviation Challenge; and John’s Creek High’s boy’s team win-ning the Class 6A tennis championship for an unparalleled sixth consecutive time.

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Alpharetta Brew Moon Fest to benefit new Wacky World

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Brew Moon Fest, a bi-annual event featuring beer, food and live music, is returning June 1.

In its 11th year, the Alpharetta Business Association’s “Dancing in the Street” party on Milton Avenue downtown will be from 6 to 10:30 p.m. with live music provided by Chuck Martin and the Line Up.

Proceeds from the fest will go toward the ABA’s multi-year donation to the Wacky World rebuild.

Wacky World was a 1-acre wood playground at Wills Park, built by more than 2,600 volunteers over six days in 1997. A farewell party was held April 28 with hundreds of residents in attendance, ushering in the new.

Scheduled for opening in October, the new Wacky World will be roughly 18,000 square feet. It will include features requested by Alpharetta students, who submitted dream designs on drawing forms.

The playground, to be built by volunteers, will feature a tower, ob -

Appen Media newsroom staff takes listening tour to Milton ASK

MILTON, Ga. — The newsroom at Appen Media Group stopped at Six Bridges Brewing in Milton May 16 to listen to residents about how to improve local coverage.

This was the fifth stop in the company’s “Listening Tour,” a seven-month series touching base in each of Appen Media’s coverage areas. So far, staff have made rounds in Dunwoody, Roswell, Johns Creek and Forsyth County in an effort to gain valuable insight from residents on how to strengthen reporting.

Publisher Hans Appen opened the forum with questions to staff about what brings them to work every day and how they view the future of journalism. Appen also asked about the kinds of myths and stereotypes they see about journalists.

The floor was turned over to the

crowd of about a dozen, who suggested topics they would like to see covered in the newspaper like health and traffic concerns.

One guest asked about the open records process, wondering how cities can charge for open records that are public information.

Director of Content and Development Carl Appen, who regularly files open records requests on behalf of the newsroom, said state law allows local governments to charge a reasonable fee for time and resources used to gather records, though most do not as a courtesy.

Two more stops are scheduled for the tour, at July Moon Bakery and Café in Alpharetta on June 20 and at Pontoon Brewing Company in Sandy Springs July 18.

rendering by Play by Design shows plans for the new Wacky World at Wills Park, set to open in October.

stacle course, racing slides and zipline. It will also be ADA compliant and feature adaptive equipment.

The Wacky World rebuild is partly funded through the city’s 2021 parks bond referendum, which allocated $4 million for work at Wills Park. It is also receiving help from sponsorships and donations.

Single tickets for Brew Moon Fest are $10. Including admission, a table for six costs $180, and a table for eight costs $240. To purchase tickets or tables, visit alpharettabusinessassociation.com.

AppenMedia.com/Sandy_Springs | Sandy Springs Crier | May 23, 2024 | 7 COMMUNITY
AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA Ray Appen, owner of Appen Media, answers a question posed by Publisher Hans Appen at the newspaper’s “Listening Tour” stop in Milton at Six Bridges Brewing May 16.
APPEN What do you want to know about the community? Submit questions at appenmedia.com/ask or scan QR code.
CITY OF ALPHARETTA/PROVIDED This

Two-star Maj. Gen. Julian “Dale” Alford, guest speaker for the Alpharetta Memorial Day Tribute this year, stands with his son Connor, daughter Alex and wife Jen at his retirement ceremony at Brooke Street Park in fall 2022 after 37 years of service in the U.S. Marines.

Retired major general in

Marines

to speak at Memorial Day Tribute

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Two-star Maj. Gen. Julian “Dale” Alford, an Alpharetta resident who retired after 37 years the U.S. Marines, is scheduled to speak at the city’s Memorial Day Tribute May 27.

In addition to sharing stories, Alford said he plans to remind guests the purpose of Memorial Day, honoring those who died in combat.

The program at City Hall will begin at 9 a.m. and feature an invocation, the national anthem, the Pledge of Allegiance and “Taps.” In its 10th year, the Memorial Day Tribute has seen up to 500 in attendance.

“Memorial Day is about those who gave the ultimate sacrifice,” Alford said. “... It ain’t to go to the lake, even though that’s a good thing that everybody does, but not enough Americans really understand what Memorial Day is for.”

Alford enlisted in the reserves in 1985, becoming skillful at leading men during tough times and accumulating a number of medals.

His first assignment was in Panama as a rifle platoon commander. Alford also led a mortar platoon during Desert Storm. In 1996, he served as a captain in Liberia, then went on three tours in Iraq and three tours in Afghanistan.

As a major, Alford led a battalion in the March to Baghdad, “a real fight.” Battalions typically consist of 900 members, he said, and leading them was a career highlight.

Alford eventually returned to Iraq and Afghanistan, increasing his rank to colonel. As colonel, he commanded the Basic

School at Quantico, one of three locations Marines are “made.” Alford said the other two locations are Parris Island and San Diego.

He was reminded of how tough it was for his family, a wife and two children — 22 moves in 37 years. Alford said it is a “family business,” though not a good one. His son was in the Marines for five years.

“Every senior officer I know has a kid that was in the Marine Corps,” Alford said. He endearingly called the Marines the “best brainwashers in the world,” acknowledging how often it is that he sees American flags and Marine Corps flags waving around in front yards.

“We build a culture like no other service does,” he said.

The inception of an annual Memorial Day Tribute in Alpharetta was the idea of City Councilman John Hipes. The inaugural ceremony was held in 2015.

William Perkins, longtime Rotary Club of Alpharetta member and Hipes’ No. 2 on the project, recalled the impact of stories he heard from a World War II veteran as a kid. Perkins, alongside Councilman Donald Mitchell, also came up with the idea in 2012 to install the Veterans Memorial at Brooke Street Park.

“He never talked about it as a sacrifice that he made, but the stories that he told about being in combat and that kind of thing — it just stuck with me my whole life,” Perkins said. “… He went out, and all these other people went out, and … took the risk. Every day, somebody’s out there on the firing line in a cold, dark place to make it where we can have our regular life.”

8 | May 23, 2024 | Sandy Springs Crier | AppenMedia.com/Sandy_Springs COMMUNITY Copyright ©2024 PuzzleJunction.com Dunwoody Crier 5/23/24 Crossword PuzzleJunction.com 40 Kitty starter 43 Beau 46 Listening device 47 Sound of frustration 49 Wail 51 Actress Fletcher 53 Lascivious looks 54 Military clique 55 Adage 56 At no time 58 Swarm 60 Indian dress 62 Mix up 63 Painting types 64 Memo 66 Paternity identifier 68 Maiden name 1234 5678 9101112 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 Across 1 Darlings 5 Struggle for air 9 Gumbo vegetable 13 Acid in proteins 15 Christmas season 16 “That was close!” 17 60’s protest 18 Entreaty 19 Identical 20 Miller’s ___ of Capricorn 22 Shelters 24 Young goat 25 Impoverished 27 Persian Gulf seaport 29 Gun muffler 33 Sunburn 34 Dill seed 35 Heavy load 37 Florida city 41 Bar stock 42 Mine passages 44 Writer Fleming 45 Tahoe and George, e.g. 48 Winter forecast 49 Military group 50 Be indisposed 52 Football aim 54 Lingo 57 Stead 58 Prom rental 59 Tones 61 Ozzie ___ 65 Novelist Bagnold 67 ___ the Terrible 69 Proportion 70 Collar type 71 Parched 72 Pink-legged bird 73 Doll’s cry 74 Great Lakes city 75 Gaelic Down 1 Bygone 2 Dubai dignitary 3 Former Yugoslav leader 4 Scrap 5 Swindle 6 “___ Lang Syne” 7 Polished 8 Goober 9 Saturn’s wife 10 Uniform shade 11 Send, as payment 12 Stunned 14 Burger topper 21 Hot chocolate 23 Kill a fly 26 Rips 28 Literary collection 29 Spinnaker, e.g. 30 Old Peruvian 31 Relative of 14 Down 32 Regretting 36 Bar seat 38 Subcompact 39 Ache
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AppenMedia.com/Sandy_Springs | Sandy Springs Crier | May 23, 2024 | 9 Sponsored Section May 23, 2024 | Sandy Springs Crier | 9

McGaughey 1940 home and Serviceman’s Shelter

The story of Effie and Carroll McGaughey and their “Servicemen’s Shelter” has previously been the subject of this column. I recently visited Atlanta History Center’s Kenan Research Center to view the Carroll McGaughey archives. The archives include photographs of their Dunwoody home. The house sat on a road first known as Spruill Road, then Meadow Lane Road, where it met Ridgeview Road. The postal address for the home was RD (Rural Delivery) 1, Dunwoody, Geor-gia.

The archive of photographs was donated to AHC in 1951 by Effie McGaughey. Notes that accom-pany the photographs describe the Carroll B. McGaughey farmhouse as partly built about 1940 from 100-year-old timbers, brought in from Perry and Marietta.

Carroll McGaughey and Effie Yeager married in 1914 in Knoxville, Tennessee. They met several years earlier and rekindled their relationship during Atlanta’s opera season in the spring of 1914. Carroll McGaughey was in the electric construction business.

The 1930 census shows the McGaugheys living on 15th Street in Atlanta, but by 1940 they lived in Dunwoody, listed as the Shallowford District of DeKalb County on the census. Their sons, 21-year-old Carroll B. McGaughey Jr. and 16-year-old Carrick McGaughey are also listed on the cen-sus record.

Effie McGaughey collected donations to construct a shelter at their Dunwoody property, where in-jured soldiers could relax and enjoy their estate. There was also a swimming pool, built from gran-ite and in the shape of the state of Georgia. (Atlanta Constitution, Aug. 20, 1947, Effie McGaugh-ey-has not forgotten”)

Following the end of World War II, the McGaughey family continued to host wounded soldiers from Lawson General Hospital, Veterans Hospital #48, and Fort McPherson. World War I veterans could also be found convalescing at the McGaughey home. An August 1947 gathering included neighbor Ethel Spruill along with Effie McGaughey and several injured veterans.

McGaughey said of her continued veteran support, “When the war

ended, people began to ask, do you still need to entertain servicemen? You only have to see one of these parties at the shelter to realize that the need is greater now than ever.” (Atlanta Constitution, Aug. 1, 1947, “McGaugheys Continue War-Born Shelter”)

Effie McGaughey donated a movable kitchen to the Red Cross in 1942. The kitchen was operated by the Atlanta Red Cross Canteen Corps and was able to serve 2,000 meals and 40,000 cups of hot coffee per day. (Atlanta Constitution, June 7, 1942, “Canteen Corps Given Mobile Kitchen Here”)

Inside the McGaughey home were wood plank floors and rooms decorated in a style typical for the 1940s. Many rooms had floral wallpaper and lace curtains on the windows. The living room and two of the bedrooms included built-in bookshelves. Other details include braided rugs, white Che-nille bedspreads and silver can -

delabras.

As you drive down Meadow Lane, in the area across the road from Target, picture the McGaughey home and the retreat the McGaughey family offered to help recovering soldiers and veterans.

Award-winning author Valerie Biggerstaff is a longtime columnist for Appen Media and the Dun-woody Crier. She lives in Atlanta. You can email Valerie at pasttensega@gmail.com or visit her website at pasttensega.com.

10 | May 23, 2024 | Sandy Springs Crier | AppenMedia.com/Sandy_Springs OPINION
PAST TENSE
CARROLL M. MCGAUGHEY ARCHIVE, KENAN RESEARCH CENTER/ATLANTA HISTORY CENTER The 1940 home of Effie and Carroll McGaughey sat along Meadow Lane, where it met Ridgeview Road.
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VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF Columnist

For sale: TikTok (to anyone other than China)

I try to stay current with my news. That is, I try to know at least a little about what is going on in the world. That being said, I can’t keep this idea about forcing TikTok’s U.S. operations to be sold out of my mind.

As most of you know, in the recent legislation for funding support for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, there is a provision included that requires TikTok – which is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance –to be sold or, if not sold, banned in the United States. The fear is that the Chinese government is using, or

could use, data generated by TikTok.

That is the point that I don’t get. How does a change in ownership safeguard any data that TikTok generates? Seriously?

At least five companies have expressed interest at one time or another in TikTok – Microsoft, Oracle, Meta (Facebook), Alphabet (Google) and Amazon – all big tech companies with significant interest in data management, data generation, and directly or indirectly, the sale of data/information.

“Data” today is the oil of yesterday. Data is money, pure and simple. It is where the money is and where the money will go.

“Data” is the backbone, foundation, primary component in AI, Artificial Intelligence. Without data, there is no AI. AI is the future.

It’s driving the stock market right now – the prospect of the massive profits that big tech expects to reap from the build-out of AI throughout our economic system. There can be talk about restricting and regulating the use of AI, but that just isn’t going to happen; that train left the station a long time ago. The “talk” is just that – talk.

So here is the rub. Data is a commodity, just like any other commodity. Since data is arguably the most valuable commodity in today’s world, it will, no matter what, be sold directly or indirectly to the highest bidder – just as oil is today. Just look at the U.S. embargo on Russian or Iranian oil that has now been in place for years. That oil is still getting to market despite the sanctions. It always will. Even

the idea of suggesting that the use of economic sanctions in todays interconnected globalized world has much impact at all seems ludicrous.

Changing who the owner of TikTok is and the data that TikTok generates will not change the availability of the data; it will be sold to the highest bidder even if the buyer is the Chinese government. Does anyone think, for another example, that Mr. Zuckerberg does not sell any/all the data that his social media platforms generate to anyone who is willing to write him the check? Don’t think so.

So, I just don’t get it. It just doesn’t make sense if one is looking for rational logic or a legitimate motive to force ByteDance to sell its U.S. operations of TikTok. Something else must be driving this dance.

Wishing for a little more time with Mom

A misguided cynic once opined that Mother’s Day was nothing but a “Hallmark holiday.”

Oh, what I wouldn’t give for one more Mother’s Day Sunday with my mom. She left us way too soon.

Oh, what I wouldn’t give to wake up to the aroma of a bacon and egg breakfast, my sleep ending with her cooking and serenading me with some nonsensical song. It was beautiful, always sung off-key. Fractured lyrics completed the early-morning concert.

Oh, what I wouldn’t give for one more conversation about anything. Trust me, if your mom is alive, quit reading this and get in touch with her.

Oh, what I wouldn’t give to hear her say “Michael, make Mom proud.” Often, those words seemed like a

bother, a nuisance. I didn’t latch on to that nearly enough. I hope and pray she and her angel friends are okay with what I’ve done and written.

Mom was seemingly forever pleading with me to be a good big brother and watch out for Matt and Marty. I took that to heart. I was a good big brother until they both grew up and became less in need of me.

It was cancer that ultimately took her. A lifelong cigarette habit was the catalyst for her demise. She didn’t go without a fight. I have memories of that wicked left hand. No matter the infraction, she couldn’t stay mad for very long. Somehow, I had a gift for always making her laugh.

Punishment at our house involved pulling weeds. It was because of Mom that I detest yardwork. It seemed that we boys could never finish clearing a miniscule patch without there being an epic dirt clod battle, that despite her warnings, never resulted in anyone losing an eye.

She endured the pain of having an alcoholic husband (my father) who was terribly abusive. In a time when divorce was a scourge, she freed herself of that pain and went to work at Thrifty Drug. She worked her way free of having no money, bought her own car and paid for our simple house. She beamed when she saved enough to take her boys to Disneyland.

She remarried in 1970 and I think there were some good times that weren’t so good later on. Bill, my stepdad, had just lost his wife to cancer and he had three kids, who needed a mom. I learned reallife sharing as Mom never became a stepmom. My stepbrother and stepsisters couldn’t have had a better mom for all those years.

She’s been gone for 15 years, and somewhere I have the eulogy I delivered on a cold November morning to a packed house in that Oklahoma church. Mom was a simple woman, never having graduated from high school. Staying

with that theme, I eulogized her by drawing a parallel with her and Winnie The Pooh quotes. She loved that bear, and those Oklahoma folks loved her.

Oh, what I wouldn’t give for a Saturday morning phone conversation after I’d played golf. A recent conversation with a longtime friend turned to his mom and how Alzheimer’s has robbed her of her wit and vitality. He said she has an attention span of about two minutes.

Oh, what I wouldn’t give for two minutes with Mom. Even if she didn’t know who I was, I’d use that two minutes for making sure to say “I love you” as many times as I could. I’d squeeze her hand, hug her neck and make sure to say “Thank you” for all you did.

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.

AppenMedia.com/Sandy_Springs | Sandy Springs Crier | May 23, 2024 | 11 OPINION
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MIKE TASOS Columnist

The distinguished Mansell family (Part 1)

The Mansell family has been well known in North Fulton for more than a century. They have been successful farmers employing the latest farming techniques. They have been astute and creative businessmen and were committed to their churches, and in some cases, became quite wealthy yet were always frugal. This column is a tribute to this remarkable family.

I am indebted to several people who have documented various aspects of Mansell history. First, Linda Mansell Martin who wrote “The Great Generation of Mansell’s of N. Georgia,” the definitive history of the Mansell family. Her brother Jody Mansell, deceased, wrote stories about his experiences with his grandfather. Maude Dorris Mansell, (1883-1977) had her granddaughter compile some facts of her life for her descendants. Finally, I appreciate the help of Barry Mansell a retired BellSouth executive, Kathy Beck of the Milton Historical Society and many articles in local newspapers about various members of the family.

The Mansell story begins like that of many local families. The first Mansell’s in America came from England, Ireland and some from Germany in the 18th century. They settled in Virginia and the Carolinas. The first Mansell to settle in Georgia emigrated from South Carolina. Robert Henry Mansell Sr. (1820-1862) and his wife Hanna Maude McCollum (1815-1903) settled in Fields Crossroads in Milton County, at one time a thriving community.

Robert Sr.’s grandson, also named Robert Henry Mansell (1873-1950), was born in Crabapple and was married to Maude Dorris Mansell (1883-1977). People called him Bob. He is noted for the farmhouse he built in 1911 on what is now Mansell Road in Roswell from trees grown on his property. He gradually amassed some 700 acres and lived in the house until 1949 when he retired. In addition to farming, Bob was a successful businessman with an interest in two cotton gins and a sawmill. He also sold his produce from the back of a truck with his grandson Jody every Saturday in Atlanta.

Bob gave each of his five children approximately 60 acres depending on its location and built for each child a house with the understanding that they could never sell their property or take out a mortgage on it. The exception was James

The Mansell House was built in 1911 by Bob Mansell from trees from his property on today’s Mansell Road. In 1990 the house was donated to the Alpharetta Historical Society. It was moved to its present location on Old Milton Parkway where it was updated and modernized and today serves as a special event facility and headquarters of the Alpharetta and Old Milton County Historical Society.

Earl Mansell (1910-2002) who received a larger plot because he was the only one of the children interested in farming.

Earl Mansell and his wife Lillian Shirley Mansell [1911-2002] moved into the home. Over the years the Mansells added to the property and raised four sons on the farm: Bob, a retired professor at Florida State University; Marcus, owner of the Mansell Home and Garden Center at Mansell Road and Highway 9 and an extended stay motel in Woodstock (1940-2019); Denny (1948-2013); and Barry. Barry recalls getting up very early every morning to milk the cows before going to school. Before she was married, Lillian Mansell

was a teacher in Crabapple and rented a room in the historic Reese House in the Crabapple crossroads.

Earl sold his 135-acre property to the Herman Miller Company, a manufacturer of office furniture, in 1980 after farming the property for 33 years. The company donated the 10-room Mansell farmhouse to the Alpharetta Historical Society in 1990. The society moved it to its current location on Old Milton Parkway where it serves as a special event facility and headquarters of the Alpharetta and Old Milton County Historical Society. Earl and Lillian retired to a house on Upper Hembree Road. In addition to Earl, Bob had three other sons, Joe, Walter and

Earl Mansell, one of four sons of Bob and Maude Dorris Mansell lived in the house built in 1911 by his father. For 33 years Earl was a respected and highly successful farmer, land investor and businessman. Here he is shown in 1938 at age 28 in his cornfield.

C.B., and a daughter, Pauline. Bob Mansell’s grandson Jody wrote some short stories about his grandfather who was very close to Jody as he grew up. The stories are included in Linda Mansell Martin’s fascinating book. One story written in 1910 was about Mitch & Madeline, a black tenant farmer and his wife who lived on Bob’s farm. Mitch helped Bob with all his farm work: plowing, planting, harvesting, hog killing – whatever needed to be done. Madeline helped Maude with cooking, cleaning, canning, etcetera. The two couples were good friends.

One day, Jody reported, Bob said to the couple “The two of you deserve a place of your own…lets go see if we can find one.”

Jody recalled that they found a house and that the Martins lived in the house until they passed away years later. After their deaths, their son lived in the house until his death. When Bob died, the Atlanta Journal referred to him as “one of North Fulton county’s most wellknown citizens.”

In the next column I will discuss Bob’s four sons and daughter and some other interesting members of one of the most fascinating families in this area.

Bob is director emeritus of the Milton Historical Society and a Member of the City of Alpharetta Historic Preservation Commission. You can email him at bobmey@bellsouth.net. Bob welcomes suggestions for future columns about local history.

12 | May 23, 2024 | Sandy Springs Crier | AppenMedia.com/Sandy_Springs OPINION
PRESERVING THE PAST
Columnist PHOTOS BY MANSELL FAMILY/PROVIDED Portrait of Robert (Bob) and Maude Dorris Mansell, parents of five children who played an important role in the history of North Fulton. When Bob died in 1950, the Atlanta Journal referred to him as “one of North Fulton county’s most wellknown citizens.”

Council:

Continued from Page 1

Mayor Rusty Paul said memos describing the proposed budget changes will need to be circulated in advance of the May 21 special meeting for the budget presentation. He said he did not think the $750,000 could be used for the councilwomen’s suggested projects.

Councilman Andy Bauman advocated for discussing the alternatives right then.

Paul said his antipathy for legislating on the fly is well-known.

“I will rule any motions that are not circulated ahead of time out of order,” Paul said. “Put your suggestions in writing, circulate them and then we will consider them; We’re not going to be making changes on the fly.”

Bauman asked the mayor how to properly motion for a budget amendment or recommended change during upcoming public meetings about the 2025 budget.

“Whether the motion is out of order or not, I would be interested to know,” Bauman said. “I hear your intent, and I think it’s great advice … I agree.”

Bauman also asked Freeman for an overview of the plans for the proposed shooting range and training complex before the scoping study’s requests for proposals are sent out.

“Being all for police training, I mean hands down a top priority,” Bauman said. “I’m concerned in this case that we’ve gotten a little bit ahead; we’re sort of out over our skis just a little bit.”

City officials reiterated the general fund will not pay for the future additions to the Police Headquarters and Municipal Court on Morgan Falls Road.

“This was floated at the retreat as sort of a done deal, in the sense we’re going to do the scoping.” Bauman said. “We’ve never had a briefing on sort of where we’re going.”

Capital ballot results

After councilmembers returned their capital ballots May 10, City Manager Freeman presented the results, which allocate just under $1.85 million to projects requiring $3.6 million.

Improvements to Morgan Falls Dog Park received the most first place votes from councilmembers, teeing up $750,000 for new surfacing and fencing, shade

Records:

“You have, you know, about 150 people there representing Sapelo Island, basically saying, ‘We don’t want this to happen,’ … and there was no way to record it except with a pen and paper, and

Trader:

Continued from Page 1

Members of the Development Authority described the addition of a new tenant at the development’s former Sprouts Farmers Market as the “worst kept secret in Sandy Springs.”

A look at proposed improvements to the Morgan Falls Dog Park shows a 3.4-acre facility, including two

areas adjacent to the Chattahoochee River. After submitting their capital budget ballots, Sandy Springs councilmembers allocated $750,000 for improvements to the dog park.

structures, a drinking fountain, dog wash and other site furnishings.

Councilmembers cited community demand for improvements during discussions at the April 30 budget workshop.

The additional results fund $300,000 for an illuminated street sign program, $200,000 for a Perimeter Small Area Plan, $400,000 for a bathroom facility at Ridgeview Park and $200,000 for a study of Roswell Road north of I-285.

A band shell at Heritage Lawn, with an estimated price tag of $1.75 million, received the lowest score and is not a recommended project in the 2025 capital budget.

Updates to budget

City Manager Freeman addressed questions from

that’s against the law,” said Susan Catron, managing editor for The Current.

Prohibition on recording devices continued through two meetings, lifted on the third, after the Clinic wrote a letter to the county attorney, the County Commission and the Attorney General’s Office.

Commission meetings have been permanently moved to Darien City Hall

The new neighborhood grocery store will be the second Trader Joe’s in the city.

As a neighborhood grocery store, every Trader Joe’s donates 100 percent of viable, unsold products to a wide range of food banks and food recovery agencies, seven days a week.

In 2023, the company donated more than $469 million worth of food and beverages to its nonprofit partners across

councilmembers after the first budget workshop and provided timelines for improvements to the Abernathy South Greenway and Old Riverside Park.

The 2025 budget sets aside $3 million for capital requests from the Recreation and Parks Department for the buildout of the properties, with estimated completion of both in summer 2026.

Other items discussed during the recap include a breakdown of technical services provided by the Police Department, an initiative to inventory the city’s stormwater system and the addition of a director of data strategy and analytics.

Freeman suggested elected officials consider capital budget alternatives for an extra $750,000, including expansion of the City Springs district, a capital account for park infrastructure and funding for Fire Station 4.

because of the combined effort of The Current and the Clinic, though the public must be a paid subscriber to the local cable provider to watch meeting recordings.

“We’re working on that part,” Catron said.

Catron said the Clinic had to step into a number of open records situations for the three-and-half-year-old startup, pre-

the country.

Founded in 1967 in the Los Angeles area, Trader Joe’s sports more than 545 stores in 42 states.

A public relations manager with the chain’s corporate office told Appen Media that specific information about the new store is not yet available.

“We are excited to be opening a new store in Sandy Springs,” the spokes-

ceding the Sapelo Island zoning case.

“It’s not good for the citizens,” Catron said of the Clinic’s decision to quit direct advocacy. “It’s not good for the journalists, but it’s mostly not good for the citizens.”

The issue is bigger than journalism, she said.

“It’s ensuring everyone’s rights to transparency and documents and the work that their government is doing.”

woman said. “As details emerge, we will post updates on our website.”

On the Trader Joe’s website, the company states its proud to be joining the neighborhood and hopes to open its doors in 2024.

For up-to-date details about the Chastain Market location, visit https://locations.traderjoes.com/ga/ sandy-springs/799/.

AppenMedia.com/Sandy_Springs | Sandy Springs Crier | May 23, 2024 | 13
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CITY OF SANDY SPRINGS/PROVIDED fenced
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Tuscany Fine Furnishings

“We are retiring after 20 years of serving our Customers. It is with our grateful appreciation that we are offering outstanding values and pricing as we liquidate our inventory through July 31, 2024.”

“We are retiring after 20 years of serving our Customers. It is with our grateful appreciation that we are offering outstanding values and pricing as we liquidate our inventory through July 31, 2024.”

Their Going out of Business Sale! VISIT OUR SHOWROOM EVERYTHING MUST GO!

Tuscany Fine Furnishings

Mon-Sat 10:00-6:00 Sun 1:00-5:00 tuscanyfinefurnishings.com Tuscany Fine Furnishings Announces Their Going out of Business Sale!

10:00-6:00

1:00-5:00 tuscanyfinefurnishings.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Tuscanyfinefurnishings/ : https://www.instagram.com/Tuscanyfinefurnishings/

Phone: 770-993-0640 ext. 2 Showroom Hours

1570 Holcomb Bridge Rd Ste 315 Roswell, GA 30076

Phone: 770-993-0640 ext. 2

Mon-Sat 10:00-6:00 Sun 1:00-5:00 tuscanyfinefurnishings.com Tuscany Fine Furnishings Announces Their Going out of Business Sale! VISIT OUR SHOWROOM EVERYTHING MUST GO!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Tuscanyfinefurnishings/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Tuscanyfinefurnishings/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Tuscanyfinefurnishings/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Tuscanyfinefurnishings/

Mon-Sat 10:00-6:00 Sun 1:00-5:00

16 | May 23, 2024 | Sandy Springs Crier | AppenMedia.com/Sandy_Springs
Showroom Hours
Furnishings Announces of Business EVERYTHING MUST GO! of serving our Customers. appreciation that we are offering we liquidate our inventory 31, 2024.”
VISIT OUR SHOWROOM EVERYTHING MUST GO!
Holcomb Bridge
Roswell,
30076
1570
Rd Ste 315
GA
Phone: 770-993-0640 ext. 2 Showroom Hours Mon-Sat
Sun
Showroom Hours
Furnishings
Their
are retiring after 20 years of serving our Customers. It is with our grateful appreciation that we are offering outstanding values and pricing as we liquidate our inventory through July 31, 2024.” Please Join Us For Tuscany Fine
Final Curtain Call! Tuscany Fine Furnishings Announces
Going out of Business Sale!
is with our grateful appreciation that we are offering outstanding values and pricing as we liquidate our inventory
VISIT OUR SHOWROOM EVERYTHING MUST GO! Tuscany Fine Furnishings 1570 Holcomb Bridge Rd Ste 315 Roswell, GA 30076 Phone: 770-993-0640 ext. 2 Tuscany Fine Furnishings 1570 Holcomb Bridge Rd Ste 315 Roswell, GA 30076 Phone: 770-993-0640 ext. 2 Showroom Hours Mon-Sat
tuscanyfinefurnishings.com Tuscany Fine Furnishings Announces Their Going out of Business Sale! VISIT OUR SHOWROOM EVERYTHING MUST GO! Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Tuscanyfinefurnishings/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Tuscanyfinefurnishings/ “We are retiring after 20 years of serving our Customers. It is with our grateful appreciation that we are offering outstanding values and pricing as we liquidate our inventory through July 31, 2024.”
tuscanyfinefurnishings.com Facebook: facebook.com/Tuscanyfinefurnishings/ Instagram: instagram.com/Tuscanyfinefurnishings/
“We are retiring after 20 years of serving our customers. It
through JULY 31, 2024.”
10:00-6:00 Sun 1:00-5:00
Showroom Hours Mon-Sat 10:00-6:00 Sun 1:00-5:00

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