04-27-18 Dunwoody

APRIL 27 - MAY 10, 2018 • VOL. 9 — NO. 9

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► Staying on track with a new regional transit plan PAGE 8 ► After Atlanta cyber attack, other cities prepare defenses PAGE 20

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Feds decline to swear in new citizens at July 4 parade

Lemonade Days, another sweet success

BY DYANA BAGBY dyanabagby@reporternewspapers.net

Dunwoody Preservation Trust President Jim Williams, left, and Vice President of Development Jack Lane take in the scene at the 19th annual Lemonade Days festival at Brook Run Park on April 21. They said they enjoy bringing the community together at the festival which raises funds to help the nonprofit preserve the city’s history. Read story page 11.►

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OUT & ABOUT Dunwoody Art Festival is back for 8th year Page 18

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Baseball league strikes out on pitch to speed up field construction

BY DYANA BAGBY dyanabagby@reporternewspapers.net

You knock yourself out for 20 years, staging multiple birthday parties at recurring intervals ... and all they will remember is that Barney didn’t come to their fourth birthday party.

See page 6

The swearing in of new American citizens has become a popular event at the annual Fourth of July Parade sponsored by the Dunwoody Homeowners Association. But this year, the federal government has backed out, saying it will hold a smaller event at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library instead.

A Dunwoody immigration attorney speculated the decision could be due to an anti-immigrant sentiment rising within the current administration under President Donald Trump. U.S. Rep. Karen Handel (R-Ga.) said it was her understanding the government is trying to use resources more efficiently.

DHA President Adrienne Duncan said she hopes the ceremony will come back to Dunwoody in the future.

“We’re disappointed, but the show will go on,” Duncan said. “Hopefully they

See ROBIN’S NEST, page 9

Rain, rain, go away. There’s some baseball that needs to be played.

Recent heavy rainfalls have slowed construction significantly on the new Dunwoody Senior Baseball fields adjacent to Brook Run Park and Peachtree Charter Middle School and the league was willing to pony up $100,000 over five years to speed up construction so the second field could be completed by May 20.

But the approximate $100,000 needSee BASEBALL on page 12

2 | Community

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Developer promises new site plans for Dunwoody Village townhomes

BY DYANA BAGBY dyanabagby@reporternewspapers.net

LENNAR

The Dunwoody Village townhomes plan includes 14 buildings and 79 units currently priced in the high $400,000 range, according to marketing materials. The developer has promised to include master bedrooms on the main floor as required by city ordinance after failing to include the options in previous site plans.

Developers for the new Dunwoody Village townhomes say they will submit updated drawings and plans to the city to ensure zoning requirements are being met as plans move forward to begin building the 79-unit project.

Community Development Director Richard McLeod and others met with Lennar after residents raised concerns earlier this month that marketing materials for the development did not include master bedrooms on the main floor or elevator options during a recent open house.

No permits are being issued until the new site plans are approved, according to city officials.

A request for comment from Lennar was not returned.

“Richard McLeod and Community Development did meet last week with Lennar to discuss the specific parameters of the zoning conditions,” Communications Director Bob Mullen said in an April 23 email.

“Within the discussion, McLeod informed them they would need to submit updated drawings/plans as well as clarify the specific zoning conditions on

their website and brief their real estate agents on what’s being offered in order to properly convey that to prospective buyers,” Mullen added. “The updated plans will be reviewed by Community Development staff and, if approved, they will be turned over to the builder.”

The builders submitted their plans in mid-March and those did not include elevators nor master on main floors, Mullen explained, and those elements were not in either the plans submitted nor in the marketing materials.

Two years ago, the mayor and City Council approved rezoning 8.38 acres of property on the eastern side of Dunwoody Village Parkway, just north of its intersection with Mount Vernon Road, from business to residential so a developer can build 14 multi-unit buildings for a 79-unit townhome development.

As part of the rezoning, the city mandated that 10 percent of the units have master bedrooms on the main floor, also known as “master on main.” The City Council argued at the time more housing was needed for senior residents and therefore master bedrooms on the main floor were an important component of approving the rezoning.

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Community Briefs PER I METER C EN TER PA RK WAY TO SEE F I V E-MON TH C LOSURE F OR B R ID G E The City Council voted April 23 to allow State Farm to partially close a portion of Perimeter Center Parkway from mid-June to early November to allow for the construction and placement of a pedestrian bridge.

Holder Construction, the general contractor for the massive State CITY OF DUNWOODY Farm construction A rendering showing one of the steps that will go into constructing site at Perimeter a State Farm pedestrian bridge on Perimeter Center Parkway.

Center Parkway and Hammond Drive across from the Dunwoody MARTA station, will build the bridge in the roadway and then lift it into its final position.

Doing so requires closing two southbound lanes of Perimeter Center Parkway between Hammond Drive and Goldkist Drive and funneling traffic into one lane in each direction on the northbound side, said Public Works Director Michael Smith.

During construction, the entire road would need to be closed on two weekends to set the bridge in place, Smith said.

According to Holder, the bridge cannot be constructed off site and brought in on trucks due to vertical clearance limitations and there is not enough available area on the State Farm site to construct the bridge, Smith said in a memo to the mayor and City Council.

Public Works also asked Holder to consider Goldkist Drive as a possible fabrication site, but the roadway is not wide enough for the bridge, a crane and vehicular access, he said.

The proposed lane closures are similar to the 2015 closures that occurred to construct the tunnels under Perimeter Center Parkway in this area, which did not have a significant impact on traffic, Smith said. Tunnels were built beneath Perimeter Center Parkway to create access to the first State Farm building and parking deck.

“Since that time, the first State Farm building has opened and traffic has increased.

However, the overall traffic impacts of the proposed closure are still expected to be minor,” Smith said in the memo.

C IT Y C O UN C IL A P P ROVES $ 37K FO R M O R E LA N D S C A PING AT TI LLY MI LL / N ORTH PEACHTR EE The city approved a $37,000 contract with Trees Atlanta to add more trees and landscaping at the intersection of Tilly Mill Road and North Peachtree Road following the major intersection improvements.

In November, the City Council approved an original contract with Trees Atlanta for up to $95,000 for landscape restoration at the intersection and 253 trees have been planted to replace 119 trees that were cut down in the right of way as part of the construction project.

Property owners in the area are requesting more trees and landscaping, explained Public Works Director Michael Smith at the April 23 City Council meeting.

Mayor Denis Shortal said he wanted to ensure the city was doing what it promised to people living near the intersection, but also wanted to make sure the city was spending its money wisely.

“We got 48,000 folks in the city and they need some things, too,” he said.

Councilmember Jim Riticher said he supported spending the additional money because of the vast number of trees and landscaping that had to be removed for the intersection improvements.

“My point is, someone over there told me that [people are saying] to keep complaining and they’ll [the city] will give it to you,” Shortal said.

DUN

Community | 3

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4 | Education

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Cross Keys High to move to former Briarcliff High site

BY EVELYN ANDREWS evelyn@reporternewspapers.net

The new Cross Keys High School is slated to be built at the former Briarcliff High, despite objections from the three board members closest to the area who said traffic will make access a challenge. The district appraised and considered purchasing several apartment complexes and houses for the new school site.

The school board voted April 16 to build the new Cross Keys High at the former Briarcliff High site, located at 2415 North Druid Hills Road in DeKalb County. The site is about two miles south of the current Cross Keys High, which is located at 1626 North Druid Hills Road and is set to become a middle school.

Several Buford Highway apartment complexes and the single-family houses along Brookhaven’s Bramblewood Drive were among the sites considered by the DeKalb County School District for the new Cross Keys High School, according to an appraisal document obtained through an open records request. The district said buying a new property would have been too expensive and would displace hundreds of students from their homes.

The vote was 4-3. Board members Marshall Orson, Stan Jester and James McMahan, who represent the area, voted no.

“Thousands live on the north and west side of I-85. We’d be pushing them through what has historically been ranked one of the 10 worst transportation corridors in metro Atlanta,” Orson said.

Brookhaven Mayor John Ernst said he was disappointed that the school will now be outside of the community it serves.

“All indications were that [the new school] would be along Buford Highway and then all of a sudden it wasn’t,” Ernst said.

The city has had a good relationship with the school system, but the school board “pulled the rug out” from under the city, Ernst said.

The Brookhaven City Council urged the school district in an April 24 resolution to build the school in the city.

“The city of Brookhaven has made improving the life of Buford Highway residents a top priority,” the resolution said.

“The mayor and city council believe there are strategies and tools to collaborate with the [Board of Education] to construct a new Brookhaven High School along the Buford Highway corridor.”

Rebekah Morris, a former Cross Keys High teacher who founded the Los Vecinos de Buford Highway, an organization seeking to empower apartment residents living along the corridor, supported the decision to move to Briarcliff.

In a recent blog, Morris wrote, “It can-

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DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT

A site plans shows a possible configuration of the former Briarcliff High site.

not be a best practice to tear down student homes in order to build schools.”

The apartment complexes appraised by the district were Esquire, Brookstone Crossing, Regency Woods, Epic Gardens, Northeast Plaza Apartments and Terraces at Brookhaven.

The former Briarcliff High site, which would be sold by the district if it had decided to buy a different property, was appraised at $21 million. The Adams Stadium and parking are not included in that appraisal.

Purchasing a new site would have been more expensive, costing $19 million to $38 million more than using the Briarcliff site, according to the DeKalb Schools document. Purchase costs for the candidate sites ranged from $36 million to $53.5 million.

The school district has allocated nearly $85 million in ESPLOST funding for the new 2,500-seat school. It is needed to alleviate overcrowding at the current Cross Keys High.

The sites were grouped into several different plans that included combinations of apartment complexes and the 32 single-family residences on Bramblewood Drive, a street that is adjacent to the current Cross Keys school and intersects with Buford Highway.

Variations of the “Marquis Crossing” plan included different combinations of Brookstone Crossing, Esquire, Regency Woods and the Bramblewood Drive houses. The Marquis Crossing name is an apparent reference to a former name of Brookstone Crossing.

The plan that grouped Esquire, Brookstone Crossing and Regency Woods apartments, which included about 400 units and would have displaced 523 students, was appraised for $45 million, including relocation costs.

The two plans that included Bramblewood Drive properties would have displaced 265 or 400 students. They were appraised for $45 or $53.5 million, including relocation costs.

The Bramblewood houses are already proposed for a townhome redevelopment and considered by the city of Brookhaven for a new police headquarters.

All three “Marquis Crossing” plans noted that, due to an unwilling seller, the district could have needed to take the property by eminent domain.

Another plan, called “Epic Gardens,” included Epic Gardens, Northeast Plaza Apartments and Terraces at Brookhaven, which includes 456 units and would have displaced 391 students. The properties were appraised at $50 million.

A variation of the plan that excluded Epic Gardens would have included 321 units and displaced 344 students. That plan was appraised at $36 million.

Orson, who represents Cross Keys High, said he is concerned the school district is only thinking of the budget and not what would be best for the students that attend the school. The location is too far for many students and is outside of Cross Keys’ current attendance zone, Orson said.

The community has concerns that there were not enough opportunities for public input, and those concerns are valid, Orson said in an interview.

The decision can still change, Orson said. The board could vote again to instead purchase a new property if that is what the community says that it wants, he said.

The school is in area with a historically high Hispanic and immigrant population, which often has more difficulties with transportation, sometimes due to not having the legal status necessary to acquire a driver’s license, he said at the meeting.

The board members expressed concern about the increased traffic that upcoming developments, including the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta hospital at the I-85 and North Druid Hills Road interchange, could bring.

In addition to the traffic and access issues, Orson said he is concerned that the school district would be again underserving a historically underserved community.

“We know that we’ve had a historic inequity in this community,” Orson said.

“I’m concerned that as we work to address some of that inequity, that we’re not going to do a job that is complete and fair.”

– Dyana Bagby contributed

Education | 5

APRIL 27 - MAY 10, 2018 ■ www.ReporterNewspapers.net

North Springs Charter High School recommendations come in over budget

BY EVELYN ANDREWS

port, and Klein said, in an interview, they wish the district would have been more transparent throughout the process. She would like for the community and teachers at the school to also be able to see the report.

“For them to be the final judge and jury on it makes no sense. If we could see, at least we would be able to put our comments in,” she said.

Although CFANNS will push for improvements it feels are vital, getting a completely new school is still the main goal, said Sandy Springs City Council member Jody Reichel, who is also a member of CFANNS, in an interview.

“Any investment that isn’t a new school is a deal breaker,” Reichel said.

The district has said that an expansion and renovation is what was approved by voters in the E-SPLOST referendum and that is what the district is legally bound to do.

CFANNS argues that not building a new school is a waste of taxpayer money because all the improvements cannot be made with the current budget, leading to building a new school or making more renovations in the near future.

“We’re not asking them to build a Taj Mahal,” Klein said. “We have been a team player. We’re not asking for anything glorious.”

evelyn@reporternewspapers.net

FULTON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT

The entrance of North Springs Charter High School, located at 7447 Roswell Road.

After they got past the initial confusion, Klein said CFANNS supported the engagement process and thought it was useful.

“Once we understood the process, we were all on board,” Klein said.

CFANNS now doesn’t understand why the district would not keep all the consultants’ recommendations that they determined are needed through the engagement process, Klein said.

CFANNS has also not seen the re-

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meetings and interviews with students and school faculty.

The engagement process got off to a rocky start due to miscommunication about what the first meeting would discuss. Residents attending the meeting believed the meeting would discuss the possibility of building a new school, but instead it was meant to be a “visioning” meeting about what type of school the community wants to have.

OR

After recommendations for North Springs Charter High School renovations came in millions over budget, the district said it will cut them back to reduce costs.

The announcement prompted advocates to ask why the district is not heeding all the consultants’ recommendations.

Consultants with architecture firm CDH Partners recommended in a draft report that North Springs High receive $32 million in renovations, exceeding the district’s budget of $19 million, according to a statement made by Superintendent Jeff Rose at the April 12 school board meeting, as seen in a video of the meeting. The district will make changes to reduce the cost, Rose said at the meeting.

“This design is a work in progress. As always, to be fiscally responsible to all taxpayers in Fulton County, we are exploring ways to manage costs through additional design solutions. Once the concepts are final, and cost estimates are complete, our staff will be able to evaluate options and present a recommendation to the Board of Education in June,” Rose said in a later statement.

The district’s Capital Plan 2022, funded by the E-SPLOST, includes a major renovation and addition at North Springs.

The project addresses deficiencies at the school in areas like fine arts, labs, performing arts, music, physical education and parking, according to the statement.

The draft report was not presented at the meeting and has not been released. An open records request for the document was estimated to take two weeks to fulfill.

The original plan was to present preliminary designs in June, but at the request of the school board, the architects accelerated their work and completed a draft report and initial concept in April, according to a press release about the draft report.

Betty Klein, a member of Citizens for a New North Springs, said in a public statement at the meeting that she doesn’t understand why the district wouldn’t try to use all the recommendations, according to the video. CFANNS has been advocating for a new school because they don’t believe renovations will solve all of the schools’ problems.

“I cannot tell you how disappointed I am to hear that statement from you,” Klein said. “Why would you reduce what they tell you we need?”

Julia Abes, the co-president of Spartan Nation, the school’s PTO, said she is disappointed the recommendations will be cut back.

“Nineteen million dollars barely cuts the surface of what needs to be done,” Abes said.

Julia Bernath, the school board member for the area, directed questions to the board president and press office.

The community engagement process for the school improvements was completed in March after months of public

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6 | Education

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Liz Walsh The Howard School

Exceptional

Educator

Liz Walsh is a creative teacher of math at The Howard School, which serves children with language-based learning differences and disabilities.

“Liz’s approach to teaching math concepts is amazing, compassionate and instills in our students an interest in numbers. She’s a real treasure,” said Nancy Davis, the school’s director of advancement.

Liz Walsh has been a teacher at The Howard School for 19 years, and an educator for over 25, formerly serving in the Peace Corps stationed in Tunisia.

The school is located in Atlanta’s Blandtown neighborhood, but over half of its students come from Buckhead, Sandy Springs, Dunwoody and Brookhaven.

erything I teach. They push me to understand even the simplest mathematics in new ways as I consider what manipulatives might represent a concept, what images might best recall it, and what words most clearly describe it.

I am enriched by the collaborative, team-based approach to teaching students with learning differences. I work with speech-language pathologists, literacy specialists and psychologists, as well as gifted teachers, and I benefit constantly from their expertise as we share observations and discuss priorities.

Q:

cause we had relatively intact language, memory, and attentional systems. What we didn’t understand, we memorized; we followed steps in order and plugged numbers into formulas. For students with learning disabilities, that might not be an option. As I teach math, I try to ensure the math is meaningful, the language is clear, and that students have tools for retrieving what they know.

What drew you to teach at a school geared toward children with languagebased learning differences and disabilities?

A: I have the privilege of working in a

school where I never stop learning. I work with bright students who face challenges in language processing, memory, or executive functioning and they require me to be thoughtful about ev-

Q: How does that change your approach to how you teach math?

A: Many of us got by in math classes be-

Students who have difficulty sequencing the steps of a procedure must develop internal “self-talk” that they use to guide themselves through complex problems. I help students create consistent scripts they can use to remind themselves of how to start and what to do next.

Q:

What keeps you going year after

year?

A: What other field is brand new ev-

ery day? Every child, every brain is different. I teach elementary mathematics, and each student I encounter pushes me to recognize that even a simple a problem like “12-4” demands a cascade of cognitive responses. For most of us, this processing happens automatically. For students with learning differences and disabilities, one or more of these understandings requires targeted instruction. Ascertaining the right approach for each child is both challenging and — when you find it — incredibly rewarding. Sharing that “ah-ha!” moment with a student brings me great joy.

Liz Walsh, a math teacher at The Howard School.

SPECIAL

Q:

What do you hope students learn from you?

A: I want my young, neuro-diverse math-

ematicians to know that being “good” at math is not the same as being “fast” at math. I want them to learn that the correct answer, while important, is rarely the most interesting part of a math problem.

More generally, I want all my students to know that their own thinking is interesting, and that there is great satisfaction to be found in learning about how others think as well. I hope I can help students develop awareness of the ways they learn best and skills to create environments — including, when appropriate, enlisting the support of friends or adults — in which they are most successful.

Q:

Do you have any special programs you use?

A:

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At The Howard School, we draw from many sources as we attempt to support diverse learners. Research in effective interventions for students with learning differences in mathematics lags far behind that for reading interventions, and we are constantly looking for better ways to reach students.

Q: What is your favorite memory at The Howard School?

A:

Every day there are new favorite memories. Today’s came after a 9-year-old struggled through a two-step word problem, and finally, looking at his paper covered with erased numbers and sketches, smiled and said, “I am so good at math.”

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Education | 7

APRIL 27 - MAY 10, 2018 ■ www.ReporterNewspapers.net

Education Briefs DEKALB SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS PROTEST FOR RAISES, BENEFITS

Hundreds of DeKalb County school bus drivers staged a three-day sick-out that began April 19 in an effort to get raises and better benefits. The district is working to make an agreement with the drivers.

The district was able to pull together enough bus drivers from other systems to fill some of the absences from bus drivers calling in sick, but students still experienced delays getting to and from school, the district said.

Seven bus drivers were fired for encouraging the protest, the district said in a release.

“We have been clear from the beginning. We will keep an open dialogue with employees provided they work collaboratively and keep our children safe by reporting to work. Unfortunately, some employees chose another route, and that carries serious consequences,” said Superintendent R. Stephen Green.

Sheila Bennett, one of the bus drivers leading the effort, said at the March 16 school board meeting, which is archived in video online, that the drivers deserve better raises and to be included in school district appreciation events that celebrate teachers and other staff.

“Why is it that drivers are eligible for food stamps when we carry the most precious cargo of all?” Bennett said at the meeting.

Green said that the district is working with the drivers to make an agreement, including by bringing in experts to review the drivers’ retirement plan. He also proposed bringing back awards for “bus driver of the year” and perfect attendance, he said.

He said the drivers’ pay is comparable or better than most other neighborhood school districts, except for Cobb County.

“The numbers don’t lie. The retirement plan may be another scenario, however,” he said.

LO C A L S C H O OLS PA RTI C IPATE I N L ATEST WALKO U T

The Galloway School, Atlanta Girls’ School, The Westminster Schools and North Atlanta High School were among the schools that participated in the latest walkout to call for gun control measures.

The National School Walkout was held at schools across the country at 10 a.m. on April 20, the 19th anniversary of the mass shooting at Columbine High School.

It is the latest in a series of protests held in the wake of a school shooting in Parkland, Fla. that killed 17 people, including a nationwide school walkout and march. Several local schools participated in the previous walkout, which were student-led.

About 200 Westminster students participated in the walkout, said Justin Abraham, a spokesperson for the West Paces Ferry private school. A 17-minute moment of silence was held, followed by four student speakers, Abraham said.

About 300 students at North Atlanta High participated, said Seth Coleman, an Atlanta Public Schools spokesperson. The students held a 30-minute protest on the football field, Coleman said.

S TUD EN T S C H A RGED I N RI VERWO O D FIG HT

Two Riverwood International Charter School students were charged with simple battery after a fight on March 7.

Two students attacked one victim in an unauthorized area during lunch, said Principal Charles Gardner in a letter to parents. Steps have been taken to ensure students can no longer access that area, Gardner said.

announced April 19.

The church’s volunteer service arm, the Red Dot ministry, chose Lake Forest as their focus school for tutoring in reading and math, teacher assistance, event volunteering and mentoring. The Red Dot initiative aims to link the congregants to communities across metro Atlanta.

Volunteers are matched with a teacher and class for the entire school year.

“We have a great partnership with Lake Forest and our goal for our PPC Red Dots is to support the school — staff, students and community. Our Room Friend program does more than just your typical room parent duties; we build relationships with the students and teachers.” said Raechel Moorhead, an elder at the church, in the release.

NO R TH SPR ING S W INS PR O M SAFETY CO MP ETI TI O N

North Springs Charter High School students won a prom safety campaign competition sponsored by Fulton County.

The competition was open to all senior classes in Atlanta and Fulton County schools. For the school’s winning campaign encouraging students to not drive impaired or while texting, it was presented with a $1,500 check on April 20 from Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the American Auto Club, a press release said.

The competition was sponsored by the Fulton County Youth Commission.

In addition to the check, “The Voice” actor and singer Nick Hagelin performed at the school’s SPECIAL prom, which was held April 20.

One of North Springs Charter “It’s exciting to have won and we thank the FulHigh School’s prom safety posters. ton County Youth Commission and all the sponsors involved,” said Principal Scott Hanson in the release.

LOCAL STUDENTS HONORED IN CONGRESSIONAL ART COMPETITION Several local students’ art was celebrated by U.S. Rep. Karen Handel’s (R-Ga.) office in the Congressional Art Competition.

Each spring, high school students from around the country are asked to submit entries to their representative’s office, and panels of district artists select the winning entries.

Winning works are displayed for one year at the U.S. Capitol, according to a press release.

Logan Maiolo, a senior at St. Pius X Catholic High School, a school outside Brookhaven, won third place. Shannon Kang and Sophia De Lurgio, also of St. Pius, won an honorable mention, as well as Albert Zhang, a senior at The West“Rags” by Logan Maiolo minster Schools, the release said.

The art was judged by Steve Penley, a local artist. The winners were recognized at an April 20 ceremony, the release said.

First, second, and third place winners are awarded scholarships of $12,000, $7,500 and $3,500, respectively, according to the release.

LAKE FOREST ELEMENTARY PARTNERS WITH BUCKHEAD CHURCH Lake Forest Elementary School in Sandy Springs has partnered with Peachtree Presbyterian Church in Buckhead for tutoring and mentoring programs, the school district

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8 | Commentary

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C O NTA C T US Founder & Publisher Steve Levene stevelevene@reporternewspapers.net Editorial Managing Editor John Ruch johnruch@reporternewspapers.net INtown Editor: Collin Kelley Editor-at-Large Joe Earle Staff Writers Dyana Bagby, Evelyn Andrews Copy Editor: Donna Williams Lewis Creative and Production Creative Director Rico Figliolini rico@reporternewspapers.net Graphic Designer: Soojin Yang Advertising Director of Sales Development Amy Arno amyarno@reporternewspapers.net Sales Executives Melissa Kidd, Jeff Kremer, Janet Porter, Jim Speakman Office Manager Deborah Davis deborahdavis@reporternewspapers.net Contributors Robin Conte, Phil Mosier

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Commentary / Staying on track with a new regional transit plan Historically, the Atlanta area has played one indisputable role in the Southeast U.S. region: Because of its location, it has always been the regional transportation crossroads. Atlanta started as an 1840s rail hub and for the next 150 years, it was the regional leader in transportation innovation.

In the 1920s, its airport emerged and it eventually grew into the world’s busiest. In the 1940s, it started planning an urban interstate well before President Dwight Eisenhower, after seeing the role Germany’s Autobahn played in moving its World War II troops from point to point, launched the national interstate highway system. In the 1950s and ’60s, leaders here started planning the region’s first heavy rail transit system.

Atlanta’s success vis-à-vis neighbors like Birmingham, Charlotte, Nashville and others came because it capitalized on its ability to connect people, places and goods.

Then, in the 1990s, we quit. We quit planning, building and innovating in surface transportation. So, for almost 30 years, the metro area continued its burgeoning population growth, but never built the infrastructure needed to support it.

Until the pain of congestion got so intense, the Georgia Legislature, whether controlled by either party, was unwilling to approve the financial resources this area needed.

Now, the pain has reached intolerability. So, the General Assembly has stepped up. First, it gave us House Bill 170, which generated more than $1 billion in new state transportation road funding and allowed local governments to seek voter support for resources to fix bottlenecks and other challenges at the neighborhood level.

Rapid transit has been hampered by the management and reputational deficiencies of MARTA; political leaders and voters had no faith it could management what it had, much less a larger system.

That problem was largely solved by the previous MARTA general manager, Keith Parker. New General Manager Jeff Parker pledges to continue the path set by his predecessor.

Secondly, MARTA’s rail network was designed when people lived in the suburbs and worked downtown. Now, people live many places and are more likely to commute to the suburbs than the urban core.

The system simply cannot move people efficiently to where they need to go.

This year, the Legislature gave us House Bill 930, which marks a path forward toward a true regional 13-county transit system. Under these state guidelines, the Fulton Commission and the county’s mayors have worked for three years to address the backlog of transportation needs. Together, we placed a 0.75 cent sales tax to fund community-level road improvements before voters, who approved it.

Through HB 930, we’re now working on the transit piece of the transportation puzzle. We have agreement that north Fulton will extend MARTA’s current rapid rail beyond the North Springs terminus with Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) to offer highspeed transit using the managed Ga. 400 lanes planned by GDOT. At some point, voters will be asked for a fifth of a penny for the $300 million capital costs of building transit stations up

ing the flexibility to incorporate, over time, evolving transportation innovations such as autonomous vehicles, which make possible synchronized vehicular movement; ridesharing; smart Rusty Paul roads; satellite is the mayor traffic control of Sandy Springs. systems; maglev propulsion; and whatever other technologies emerge.

Timing, however, is crucial. We must put transit in the existing Ga. 400/I-285 corridors and use the managed lanes GDOT is planning because we have no

An illustration from a 2017 presentation about the Fulton County Transit Master Plan, a partial blueprint for the type of regional transit recently authorized by the General Assembly.

Ga. 400. MARTA will pay for the operational and maintenance costs out of current revenues.

Meanwhile, planners will answer questions such as how this North Fulton plan fits within the larger 13-county network.

Where will the BRT stations go? What about — a crucial question for Sandy Springs — east-west connectivity between Gwinnett/Doraville and Cobb, important sources of traffic here?

Fortunately, the 30-year drought in surface transportation planning and discussion has ended. We can’t recapture lost time. However, we can move now with the needed infrastructure, while retain-

other acceptable locations. GDOT is designing those projects right now, planning to place them under construction in the next five years; to integrate transit into those plans, we need fast decisions, or we may lose the opportunity — possibly forever.

This process is on a fast track, but not so fast that we won’t take the time necessary to make wise decisions about the best, most cost-efficient process for moving a growing metro population more effectively.

The future success of our region and our community depends on getting this process done and done right.

Have something to say?

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On Mother’s Day, remembering what your kids will forget Robin’s Nest

To all you mothers of youngsters out there — you they will quash me with what I forgot. brave women in the trenches — a word from a veteran: I will remember singing them a lullaby every Robin Conte is a writer night; I will have forgotten that it was “Tears of You won’t remember a darn thing.

You might recall a few snippets from your child- and mother of four who a Clown.” rearing years, but what you remember and what your lives in Dunwoody. She And thus evolves in our house a distinct, “What I can be contacted at remember/What I forgot” pattern. children remember will be entirely different. Because memory is a fickle thing … so fickle, in fact, that Barba- robinjm@earthlink.net.

What I remember: We played inside games. ra Streisand sang a song essentially glorifying its fickWhat I forgot: Our favorite one was “Name that leness way back in the ’70s. A tattered old cat had a Smell.” long run on Broadway singing about it, too.

What I remember: I always fed them healthy Alas, the curious tenet of memory is that you food. will remember a thing one way, and others will reWhat I forgot: Except when I wanted a few member it another. This paradigm applies most aptminutes to myself — that’s when I’d hand them a ly to child-rearing. carton of ice cream and a spoon.

Years from now you will be scrolling through phoWhat I remember: I watched my language. tos, quietly reminiscing with yourself and rememberWhat I forgot: They caught me using an expletive ing what a great mom you were, pausing every now while driving them to preschool, and I told them that and then to form a congratulatory grin at how wonderI only cuss when I’m turning left. fully attentive, creative and energetic your younger self What I remember: We played “Hide and Seek.” was, that she was constantly doling out pearls of wisWhat I forgot: My regular hiding place was under a dom whilst kissing boo-boos and whipping up healthy dinners. blanket on the couch. When it was my turn to “seek,” I stayed there Your kids, however, will remember you at your worst. Like a … and took a very, very long time to find them. nosey hiker peering under wayside rocks to discover the nesting What I remember: Spending quality time with each of my maggots there, your kids will pry beneath the glossy memories children. and reveal the unflattering bits nestled beneath.

What I forgot: It was typically in the waiting room of the ER. For instance, you knock yourself out for 20 years, staging mulThe moral here is that you can’t win. You will flip through tiple birthday parties at recurring intervals, careful to evenly bal- the photo albums, happily recalling your fall family outing to ance the themes and expenses among your offspring and to choose the pumpkin patch when your little darlings were all dressed parties which are relevant to the interests of each child and yet up in gingham and overalls and played gleefully amongst pertinent to the time of year and the social milieu of the day, and chrysanthemums and orange gourds, and they will remember all they will remember is that Barney didn’t come to their fourth that you didn’t let them have a funnel cake. birthday party. You, naturally, will have forgotten that.

Cheer up, moms, and happy Mother’s Day. You’re doing a great Lately, when my kids catch me reveling in what I remember, job … no matter how your kids will remember it.

Check out Robin’s debut book, ‘The Best of the Nest’ Robin Conte’s “Robin’s Nest” column is one of the best features in the Reporter, readers often tell us. Now we’re pleased to offer you the best of the best — a book gathering Robin’s selected columns.

“The Best of the Nest” offers 49 of Robin’s witty essays on suburban family life, organized by seasons. They include some of the pieces that won Robin the first-place Lifestyle/Features Column award in the 2017 Georgia Press Association contest.

Robin, a Dunwoody resident, is a mother of four children who may or may not be aware of how frequently their adventures show up in her columns. If you’re looking for a great Mother’s Day gift, or just a good bedside or beach book with a warm and humorous take on family life, this is the collection for you.

To order the book and to follow updates on Robin’s bookrelated appearances, see her website at bestofthenest.net – John Ruch, Managing Editor

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These are desperate times for Americans, who are overwhelmingly miserable. Meanwhile, the happiest people in the world are found, according to worldwide polling, in Scandinavia. It is time for Americans to confront the fact that America is a profoundly savage place compared to the much more humane Scandinavia. Compared to America, Scandinavia is an absolute paradise with free, universal health care, paid family leave, free education and five weeks vacation.

It is time for a second American Revolution. The grim reality is that the top 10 percent of Americans own 90 percent of America’s wealth. That is an absolute scandal.

In America, so few own so much and so many Americans have very little. That is why Americans are miserable. One of the most obscene things about America is this repulsive deference that many Americans show the rich. The rich have turned America into an oligarchy of, by and for the rich. It is time for Americans to rise up and overthrow the tyranny of the rich. Wouldn’t it be great to see Donald Trump and his family forced to apply for food stamps? The money seized from the evil rich should be used to provide universal health care coverage for all Americans. Paid family leave should, also, be covered with the proceeds from the takings of the 1-percenters. Depending on how much money is raised from the takings, free, higher education for all should be offered.

As a result of the first American Revolution, America achieved political democracy.

The goal of the second American Revolution should be to achieve economic democracy. America can no longer continue to be such an unequal society. Actually, America is growing more unequal by the day with growing economic inequality. Remember, the Bible condemns the rich. The Bible says it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven. Throughout the Bible, the rich are condemned. Yet many Americans seem to worship the rich and show shameful deference to the rich in the expectation that they may become rich themselves.

The reality is that very few Americans will become rich. There is very little economic mobility in America, certainly less than in Europe. Thus, the goal of the second American Revolution should be to bring about a much more equal society for the vast majority of Americans and ensure that America no longer caters to the few. The only way to end the misery of Americans, in contrast to the happiness of the Scandinavians, is to make America more like Scandinavia.

It is especially the duty of America’s college students to overthrow the tyranny of the 1-percenters and bring about economic democracy. College students should organize, hold rallies and demonstrate. College students are the vanguard of American society. As such, they should be in the lead in addressing the widespread misery that is rampant in America.

Redistributing the ill-gotten gains from the 1 percent and making America more economically equal is the moral issue of our time. The American people are miserable in today’s inequality. It is time to make the American people happy by restructuring the America financial structure. No longer should so few own so much while the vast majority live in misery. The 1 percent pose the greatest threat to America. Their vicious tyranny must be ended. It is time to end the misery of the American people. Rise up, America!

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Lemonade Days, another sweet success

BY DYANA BAGBY dyanabagby@reporternewspapers.net

Several days of sunny weather packed in crowds to the 19th annual Lemonade Days at Brook Run Park to enjoy carnival rides and eat plenty of carnival food. But rain and heavy winds forced the festival to close on the last day of its scheduled five-day run, April 18-22.

On April 21, Peachtree Charter Middle School’s parking lot was filled and then some as people made the short hike to the park on North Peachtree Road.

Across the street from the park, members of St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church’s youth group were accepting donations to park in their lot. They were also allowing people to use the church building’s restroom and diaper changing stations.

This was the 19th year of the festival that was started to help Dunwoody rebuild and replant trees after the city was struck on April 9, 1998, by a powerful tornado that resulted in the loss of one life, destroyed homes and downed thousands of trees.

The city hosted a 20th commemoration of the tornado on April 8.

The first year of the festival was in April 1999 and it is now the largest annual fundraiser for the Dunwoody Pres-

ervation Trust, a nonprofit that works to preserve the city’s history and heritage.

The Dunwoody Preservation Trust has been financing, along with the city, the renovations for the Donaldson-Bannister Farm which is slated to open May 1.

“The first year it was down at the Cheek Spruill House on Chamblee-Dunwoody Road and it was just a small thing, maybe some bouncy houses,” Dunwoody Preservation President Jim Williams said while seated at the Trust’s booth on April 21.

Williams said the large crowds are proof the community appreciates coming together. He said to expect an even grander festival next year when Lemonade Days celebrates its 20th anniversary.

DPT’s Vice President of Development Jack Lane said he liked seeing how happy people were at the festival.

“I like seeing people coming off the rides and just kind of running and smiling,” he said.

“With everything that’s going on around in the world today and some news that may not be as pleasant to some people, it’s just fun. I feel like people can really let their hair down … it just seems very free. It feels good to me to see people feeling safe, feeling free and laughing,” Lane said.

C

Large crowds turned out on Friday, April 20 for the third day of the 19th annual Lemonade Days festival at Brook Run Park.

A - Lauryn McCants spins around on the Tea Cup Ride. Lauryn attends first grade at Huntley Hills Elementary School.

B - The crowd enjoys carnival rides.

C - Familes line up at the ferris wheel.

D - The Dunwoody High School rock band “Cavareza,” takes the live music stage. Lead singer Vallie Noles, a freshman at Pellissippi State Community College in Tennessee, performed with Dunwoody High School students Casey Ratoyni on lead guitar; Zack Hammend on bass guitar; and Reed Ratoyni, drummer.

PHOTOS BY PHIL MOSIER

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Baseball league strikes out on pitch to speed up field construction Continued from page 1 ed to purchase and lay soil cement as a base to stabilize the saturated ground so a drainage pipe and artificial turf could be installed would first need to come out of taxpayer funds. And the mayor and City Council said they were unwilling to make that commitment. Budget for the fields is currently approximately $6 million.

Soil cement is a construction material and would be used as a subbase layer reinforcing and protecting the saturated earth, making it stable enough to build on.

“Our primary responsibility is to the taxpayers and our focus has to be on the long term,” Councilmember Terry Nall said at the City Council’s April 23 meeting. “This [project] is for a shortterm gain of about 30 days just to accelerate one season of play. I appreciate the offer to pay the money over five years, but are we representing the taxpayers or a nonprofit program?”

Parks & Recreation Director Brent Walker explained to the council April 23 that heavy rainfall has slowed construction on the baseball fields. Original plans were to have both baseball fields — the east and west fields — completed by Feb. 2, in time for Dunwoody Senior Baseball middle school league play.

The Dunwoody Senior Baseball east field is completed and is being used by for league play.

PHOTOS BY DYANA BAGBY

That date came and went, with the east field eventually opening in mid-March.

Dunwoody Senior Baseball Treasurer John Crawford said not having a second field is costing the league about $5,000 to $8,000 a month to rent baseball fields in cities such as Brookhaven and Doraville.

“We’ve already spent $20,000 on field rentals this year,” Crawford told the council. “Those fields are very important to us that we are willing to be on the hook for the $100,000 … this is how much we care about the issue.”

Walker told the council the other option is to simply wait for warmer, dryer weather to allow the soil to dry naturally. With about two weeks of dry weather, the contractor could then begin to install a drainage pipe and the artificial turf, he said.

“If we’re relying on Mother Nature,” Crawford said, “then we may not have this field done until July. And what if we keep having more rain? Without the soil cement we don’t know when the fields will get done.” He noted that the longer the delay, the chance exists that PCMS students won’t be able to use the field either.

Councilmember Lynn Deutsch said rarely do construction projects finish on time. A year from now, the delay will only be a memory, she said.

“But if we spend $100,000 to expedite the construction, the money is gone forever,” she said. “I share Dunwoody Senior Baseball’s disappointment and perhaps frustration, but I can’t justify spending money for the short term when we have DUN

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A sign warns passersby to watch for foul balls when Dunwoody Senior Baseball league play is happening. Netting around the fields to catch foul balls is expected to be to be installed as part of construction.

so many other needs.”

In an interview after the meeting, Crawford said he was surprised the city didn’t agree to have the league pay for the soil cement over five years. The new field that is being used is “incredible,” he said, and kids love playing on it. The middle school league that just wrapped up had 38 teams, including four from PCMS, with boys from Dunwoody playing on many of the other teams.

Construction of the baseball fields’ concession stand is expected to be completed in the next few weeks. The city must still also build batting cages and bullpens and install netting to keep foul balls from flying into neighboring streets.

“We just want to get the other field done so we can get on with the business of playing baseball,” Crawford said.

Dunwoody Senior Baseball President Jerry Weiner said in an interview he is frustrated with the progress. He said after the east field was completed in March, the city promised it just needed another two weeks to finish the west field.

Weiner said he understands the city can’t control the weather, but the fields were promised to be finished in February.

“We believed and trusted the city,” he said. “The point is now we don’t know when the field will be ready.”

Weiner said the constant delays have damaged Dunwoody Senior Baseball financially and hurt the league’s reputation.

“We’ve missed our middle school league with one field [finished this month], and it looks we’ll miss our spring and recreation league [starting in late April] and we don’t know what will happen with the Memorial Day tournament we put on,” he said.

Construction of the fields has not been managed from the beginning, Weiner said, and he was also disappointed the city did not take up the league’s offer to pay for the soil cement over a five-year period.

“We appreciate everything the city has done for us, we’re just disappointed the city has not honored their commitment to us,” he said.

The new fields are being built on property once belonging to Peachtree Charter Middle School. They are replacing the fields in Dunwoody Park used

by Dunwoody Senior Baseball for more than 40 years that were sold as part of a land swap to the DeKalb County Board of Education for the construction of a new Austin Elementary School. The new school is under construction and slated to open in the fall of 2019.

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YOU’RE INVITED! The City of Sandy Springs cordially invites you to attend the Dedication and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony of our new City Hall.

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FILE/DYANA BAGBY

One of nearly 80 people sworn in as American citizens last year at the Fourth of July Parade celebrates by waving an American flag.

Feds decline to swear in new citizens at July 4 parade Continued from page 1 will come back next year if the resources at Homeland Security change.”

The Fourth of July Parade, which attracts thousands to the city, began holding naturalization ceremonies in Dunwoody Village following the parade in 2015 and the ceremony has grown over the years. Last year, nearly 80 new citizens hailing from 36 countries were sworn in as family members and parade revelers cheered.

Patriotic tunes played by a U.S. Army band accompanied the ceremony.

To host a naturalization ceremony, a site or organization must first apply with the local office of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and meet criteria established by the federal government. USCIS is a component of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Duncan said she filled out the usual paperwork to host the ceremony, but this year the Atlanta field office declined the invitation in a March 20 email.

“Thank you for the offer to host a naturalization ceremony at the Dunwoody Village for the Dunwoody Homeowners Association on July 4, 2018,” the email said.

“Due to mission requirements and our allocation of resources, we have reduced the number of offsite naturalization ceremonies we will be conducting this year for the Atlanta Field Office. As a result, we regretfully decline your request.”

The Atlanta field office did not respond to a request for comment, but USCIS officials serving the Southeast said the agency decided to hold a “special” ceremony instead.

“We wish to clarify that there was no change of venue for the Atlanta field office’s planned 4th of July naturalization ceremony,” said a USCIS written statement.

“We never agreed to participate in the Dunwoody 4th of July celebration this year.

“We take into consideration many different venues for special ceremonies — including venues that have hosted us in the past. Budget was not a factor in this situation. Rather, this year the Atlanta office has decided to hold a special naturalization ceremony at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta for the 4th of July. We expect to naturalize about 25 people at that ceremony.”

Nisha Karnani, a Dunwoody resident and immigration attorney with the firm Antonin & Cohen located on Buford Highway in Brookhaven, said she was sad to hear the ceremony wouldn’t take place at her hometown’s parade.

“It’s really a nice thing to have with the parade,” she said. “Dunwoody is a very international city and it was a really nice part of the celebration.”

She said she wondered whether the relocation had anything to do with national political debates about immigration policy.

In February, USCIS Director L. Frank Cissna, appointed by President Donald Trump, changed the mission statement of the agency to remove the phrase characterizing the country as “a nation of immigrants.”

The statement from 2005 read: “U.S.C.I.S. secures America’s promise as a nation of immigrants by providing accurate and useful information to our customers, granting immigration and citizenship benefits, promoting an awareness and understanding of citizenship, and ensuring the integrity of our immigration system.”

The new version approved in February states: “U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services administers the nation’s lawful immigration system, safeguarding its integrity and promise by efficiently and fairly adjudicating requests for immigration benDUN

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efits while protecting Americans, securing the homeland and honoring our values.”

Karnani said immigration attorneys around the country are seeing a significant slowdown in application approvals. When the process once took four to six months, it now takes close to a year, she said. “And these are what feeds into the naturalization ceremonies,” she said.

“There is general unrest with the current administration ... and you have to wonder if it’s a general effort to slow down legal immigration,” she added.

Rep. Handel, whose district includes Dunwoody, said it appeared USCIS was consolidating resources, which could explain the new location.

“While it appears that FILE/DYANA BAGBY The Dunwoody Woman’s Club provided free events are being consolicookies and other homemade snacks for new dated to maximize resourcAmerican citizens at last year’s naturalization es, the important thing ceremony held during the Fourth of July Parade. is that those who have worked legally to become citizens will still be welcomed as fellow Americans at a ceremony at the Carter Center,” Handel said in a written statement. “These naturalization celebrations, especially those held on July 4, are a reminder to all of us of the significant positive contributions of legal immigration to America. I look forward to celebrating our nation’s independence in Dunwoody and across the 6th District this July.”

The USCIS Atlanta field office holds special naturalization ceremonies at off-site locations approximately five to 10 times per year. Locations for those ceremonies are based on many factors, including historic or cultural significance, and possible themes special ceremonies might have, according to USCIS officials.

In March, USCIS canceled a planned naturalization ceremony sponsored by a refugee agency at the Georgia state Capitol, citing updated rules that prohibit ceremonies from being held where political and immigration activism takes place.

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16 | Art & Entertainment

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“MY FAIR LADY” BROOKHAVEN

•

BUCKHEAD

PERFORMANCES

•

DUNWOODY

•

SANDY SPRINGS

Thursday, May 3 through Saturday, May 5, 7 p.m; Sunday, May 6, 3 p.m.

Dunwoody United Methodist Church Performing Arts delivers a staged concert version of the award-winning musical “My Fair Lady,” which tells the tale of a cockney flower girl transformed into an elegant lady. $15 online or at the door.

1548 Mount Vernon Road, Dunwoody. Info: dunwoodyumc.org/parts.

“WHAT WAR ZONE”

“BIG FISH”

Thursday, May 3, 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Through May 6

Orbit Arts Academy and Orbit Theatrical students present the musical “Big Fish,” the tale of a man who leads an extraordinary life — according to the stories he tells his son. $25.

Providence Place, 590 Mount Vernon Highway N.E., Sandy Springs. Schedule info: orbitartsacademy.com.

Comedian Benji Lovitt presents a hilarious picture of Israel at the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta by deconstructing cultural differences and the immigrant experience in his home country. $18 members; $24 nonmembers. 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody. Info: atlantajcc.org.

FRANKLIN POND CHAMBER MUSIC CONCERT Sunday, May 6, 3 p.m.

The finale concert of this program for talented string students features 22 middle-school and high-school musicians coached by a faculty from the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and the Atlanta Opera. Free. Kellett Chapel of Peachtree Presbyterian Church, 3434 Roswell Road, Buckhead. Info: franklinpond.org.

SUMMER CONCERT SERIES - SUNSET RIDE Saturday, May 12, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The Dunwoody Nature Center launches its summer concert series with the band Sunset Ride and its mix of retro and current hits. Seating available on a first-come, first-served basis in the meadow or on the back porch. Outside food and drink welcome. $5 adults; $3 students; free for members and for children 3 and under. Craft beers, sodas and water available. 5343 Roberts Drive, Dunwoody. Info: dunwoodynature.org.

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Art & Entertainment | 17

www.ReporterNewspapers.net

SUNDAYS ON THE RIVER

TOUR OF HOMES AND MARKETPLACE

Sunday, May 13, 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

The 1920s style Dixieland jazz band Blair Crimmins and the Hookers performs at the Chattahoochee Nature Center. Take a blanket or chairs and have a picnic. Cash bar available. Sundays on the River concerts take place on second Sundays monthly from May to September. $12-$16.

9135 Willeo Road, Roswell. Info: chattnaturecenter.org.

Continued on page 18

“Enjoy the little things in life, for one day, you will look back and realize they were the big things.”

—Kurt Vonnegut

Tour five unique homes within the Big Canoe Community including the 2018 Designer Showcase Home May 18 & 19, 2018 9am – 5 pm, Friday, 9 am – 4 pm, Saturday Tickets and information: www.bigcanoelegacy.org Hosted by the Big Canoe Chapel Women’s Guild to benefit local charities.

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18 | Art & Entertainment

Facebook.com/TheReporterNewspapers ■ twitter.com/Reporter_News Continued from page 17

CONCERTS BY THE SPRINGS

Sunday, May 13, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Gates open at 5 p.m.

Heritage Sandy Springs launches its 22nd series of free summer concerts on Mother’s Day with the band Banks & Shane. The concerts are held one Sunday evening each month in May through September on the Sandy Springs Society Entertainment Lawn at Heritage Green. Arrive early to picnic. Blankets, lawn chairs and coolers welcome. No outside tables permitted. Additional food, beer, wine and sodas available for purchase.

No pets, except for special assist animals. 6110 Blue Stone Road, Sandy Springs. Info: heritagesandysprings.org.

GET ACTIVE FAMILY CANOE DAYS

Saturdays, May 5 and May 19, 10:30 a.m. to noon.

Get an introduction to canoeing with tips on paddling techniques and equipment and a canoe trip at the Chattahoochee Nature Center’s Beaver Pond. All equipment provided. Races and games included. Ages 5+. $15 general public; $10 nature center members.

Register by the Thursday before each class. (Limited spaces.) 9135 Willeo Road, Roswell.

Info: chattnaturecenter.org.

With so many things to do, we suggest getting an early start on your want-to-do list.

There’s a lot to do at The Piedmont Retirement Community — clubs, events, socializing, and more.

So, go ahead and make your want-to-do list.

But please don’t include a bunch of chores.

We’ll take care of most of those for you.

We invite you to see all that The Piedmont has to offer (including assisted living services if needed) at a complimentary lunch and tour.

Please call 404.381.1743 to schedule.

LYNWOOD PARK DAY

Saturday, May 5, noon to 6 p.m.

The Lynwood Park community hosts its 40th annual community heritage celebration in partnership with the city of Brookhaven with a parade featuring the Miller Grove High School marching band and with live music, horses, a Corvette Club and a variety of activities and vendors at the Lynwood Park Community Center. Free food, free drinks, free admission. The parade starts at noon at the Lynwood United Church of God in Christ, 1424 Windsor Parkway, and ends at the community center, 3360 Osborne Road, Brookhaven. Info: brookhavenga.gov.

I n de p e n de n t & A s s i s t e d L i v i ng

650 Phipps Boulevard NE • Atlanta, GA ThePiedmontatBuckhead.com • 404.381.1743

DUNWOODY ART FESTIVAL

Saturday, May 12, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, May 13, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

This Mother’s Day tradition in Dunwoody is back for its eighth show, rain or shine, in Dunwoody Village. Artist market, live music, food court and “Kidz Zone” with activities and rides. Dunwoody Village Parkway, Dunwoody. Info: splashfestivals.com.

APRIL 27 - MAY 10, 2018

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Art & Entertainment | 19

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Atlanta’s GYN & Surgical Specialists Previously McDaniel and Durrett

GARDENS FOR CONNOISSEURS TOUR

Saturday, May 12 and Sunday, May 13, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Celebrate Mother’s Day with this annual self-guided tour featuring private home gardens, from tranquil woodland settings to intimate urban oases, throughout metro Atlanta, including Buckhead and Sandy Springs. Rain or shine. Benefits the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Tickets and info: atlantabg.org.

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Saturday, May 5 through Saturday, June 16.

In celebration of National Barbecue Month, the Atlanta History Center opens an exhibition that reveals the complexities of one of America’s favorite foods with artifacts, images, and oral histories from across the country. Related special programs include an opening celebration on May 5 and a screening of the Southern Foodways Alliance film “Valentina’s Tex Mex BBQ” with a barbecue panel discussion on May 23. 130 West Paces Ferry Road N.W., Buckhead. Schedule and ticket info: atlantahistorycenter.com.

FREE FIRST SATURDAY: FARM TO TABLE

Saturday, May 5, 11 a.m. to noon.

Get gardening tips ranging from growing herbs to squash and explore the benefits of composting kitchen scraps in a free session at the Dunwoody Nature Center.

Make miniature pots from newspaper and take some seeds home to get your garden started. 5343 Roberts Drive, Dunwoody. Info: dunwoodynature.org.

“BLOOD MOON: AN AMERICAN EPIC OF WAR AND SPLENDOR” Monday, May 7, 8 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Author John Sedgwick discusses his book, “Blood Moon,” the story of the century-long blood feud between two rival Cherokee chiefs from the early years of the U.S. through the infamous Trail of Tears and into the Civil War. $10 public; $5 members. 30 West Paces Ferry Road N.W., Buckhead.

Info: atlantahistorycenter.com.

VOLUNTEER HOST A FRENCH STUDENT Friday, July 6 to Thursday, July 26

Paris-based LEC (Loisirs Culturels A l’Etranger), a French organization offering international cultural experiences, seeks host families in the Atlanta area for 20 French teens who speak English. Hosts are compensated for providing room and board, hospitality and friendship. Retired French teacher Linda Farmer and a French chaperone will oversee the program. Info: Linda Farmer at lgfarmer@aol.com or 770-973-2452. Also see lec-usa.com.

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calendar@ReporterNewspapers.net

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Contact us today for an appointment at one of our two convenient locations:

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Northside Hospital Office

Piedmont Hospital Campus 960 Johnson Ferry Rd., Ste 336, Atl

404-352-2850 | www.avantgynecology.com

20 | Community

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After Atlanta cyber attack, other cities prepare defenses Dunwoody

BY JOHN RUCH johnruch@reporternewspapers.net

In the wake of a March 22 cyber attack that caused chaos on city of Atlanta computer systems, other local cities say they are prepared for similar threats, which occur almost constantly. Dunwoody says it has seen a “marked increase” in one type of suspicious computer activity since the Atlanta incident.

In the Atlanta attack, unknown criminals penetrated city computer systems, encrypted various files, and demanded a ransom in exchange for the key to unlock them, in what is known as “ransomware.” It remains unclear whether the criminals directly hacked into the system or used “phishing” — a deceptive email containing a link that, when clicked, installed the ransomware on the computer.

The ransomware shut down systems for paying water bills and handling city court cases, and rendered useless the computer files of some City Council members, among other impacts. Most of the systems are back in operation, but some files may never be recovered, and water bills still can’t be paid online.

The city has declined to say whether it paid the ransom.

Dunwoody previously experienced its own, less damaging hack on Thanksgiving Day in 2016, when hackers believed to be from the county of Turkey altered the city’s website to display a photo of the Turkish president and flag.

The website is hosted on a third-party server and was restored after about two days. City spokesperson Bob Mullen said that is one attack of dozens per day that are unsuccessful.

Mullen said the city’s IT team “estimates hacker attempts on the website occur about 10 times per day and hacker attempts on the city’s firewall or systems occur about 40-50 times per day.

The majority of these attempts are passive attempts usually from [automated software] ‘bots’ versus individual human hackers attempting to break into the systems.”

“There has been a marked increase in spam received and stopped by the city’s filter safeguards since the Atlanta attack,” Mullen added. In response, the IT team has boosted its digital security, including “added protections for emails and spam, as well as reinforced antivirus and firewall protections.”

Brookhaven

The city of Brookhaven said it also sees hacking attempts regularly, but has not noted any increase since the Atlanta attack.

“The cyber attacks and ransomware attempts are fairly commonplace, and the city of Brookhaven sees them regularly, especially the phishing variety such as the email that entices the recipient to click on a link, which releases the virus [or] ransomware, etc.,” said city spokesperson Burke Brennan.

“Because we have multiple preventative measures in place, it is almost impossible to ascertain the exact number of unsuccessful attempts made,” Brennan added. “Anecdotally, it does not appear that there has been any increase or decrease since March on the obvious email attempts.”

As general digital defense, Brennan said, Brookhaven SPECIAL

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The city of Dunwoody website as it appeared in 2016 after a hacker replaced its content with a photo of the Turkish president.

has “enlisted the resources of several IT security and services companies to perform security assessments and/or monitoring, and ensure that we maintain current anti-virus software on all of our desktop, mobile and server computers. These security firms would also assist in the restoration of programs and data, if a breach was successful.”

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Sandy Springs has not seen an increase in hacking attempts since the Atlanta attack, said spokesperson Sharon Kraun. Citing security concerns, she declined to describe the defensive measures used by the city. But she said the city is well aware of such threats.

“Maintaining a secure infrastructure is a top priority, and the city uses a variety of security measures, both cloudbased and local, to ensure the safety of our data,” Kraun said. “There is an ongoing threat of being hacked, not only for Sandy Springs, but for any business or municipality which utilizes online services. Knowing this, we mitigate the risks by implementing multiple layers of protection.”

The Atlanta attack had an effect on some Sandy Springs citizens, as the city’s water service is provided by Atlanta.

APRIL 27 - MAY 10, 2018

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Classifieds | 21

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Personal & Professional Services Directory

Reporter Classifieds HELP WANTED

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

Computer / IT - Principal Architects, (Atlanta, GA) Employer HQ Atlanta, periodic relocation and travel required. Apply online: www.itorizon.com.

MACSTADIUM Inc. seeks a fulltime Senior Auditor to perform analytical review of audit document, determine and implement system improvements, forecast requirements; audit annual budget and schedule expenditures; analyze variances; monitor revenue and expenses, interpret accounting policies; perform yearly reviews for accounting subordinates; establish internal controls to ensure efficiency; determine and apply control environment for E.R.P.; apply materiality to transactions; experience in system implementations and impact on transitions and transactions with knowledge of NetSuite. Must have Master’s in Accounting and 1 year of public accounting experience as an auditor. Big 4 preferred. Please send resumes to 3565 Piedmont Road Building 4 – Suite 460, Atlanta, GA – 30305

LAWN CARE Bill Bartlet – Landscaping, design, maintenance, retaining walls, sod & pressure washing for all of your lawn care needs. Call 404-787-2690.

SERVICES AVAILABLE

REAL ESTATE INVESTOR LOOKING FOR PARTNERS GREAT RETURN. INVESTMENT GUARANTEE WITH PROPERTIES.

CALL WILLIAM NOW 404-446-6146

Motivated Seller - Turn Key Business, Income Producing Property Available – Licensed for 8 Assisted Living Facility. Currently 6 under contract Private rooms with private baths, Private Pay, Medicaid, Long term Insurances, VA benefits.

Management will remain if necessary. Location: Turtletown / Farner area - Polk County, TN - 1 ¼ acres (rural location) - 2 ½ hours from Atlanta, GA - 45 minutes outside of Blue Ridge, GA. 423-496-5010 www.WedellsChestnutHill.com. $490,000 “Make me an offer I can’t refuse.”

REAL ESTATE Leasing Sandy Springs Independent Senior Living condos – Newly renovated. Mount Vernon Village…$2295 to $2695 per month.

Kim@dunwoodybrokers.com or 404-414-8307.

Driveways & Walkways – Replaced or repaired. Masonry, grading, foundations repaired, waterproofing and retaining walls.

Call Joe Sullivan 770-616-0576.

42nd Anniversary Clearance Sale – Oriental Rug Shop – Antique and Decorative Rugs since 1976. 20% off Cleaning & Repair of all Rugs – mention this ad – one per family. 5548 Peachtree Industrial Blvd, Chamblee 30341 – call 404-9958400.1.5 miles inside of I285 – Chamblee Plaza. www.PersianRugParadise.net.

CEMETERY PLOT Arlington Memorial Park – Two side by side burial plots in prime Lakeside Section.

Lot 118C - Spaces 1 & 2. Offered at 10% below cemetery price for $9,000 each. Email: bedwards1956@att.net. Contact Owner: 770490-1857. Cemetery will assist in showing.

Arlington Memorial Cemetery – 3 lots for sale in the Calvary Section located in lot 276D, spaces 2, 3 & 4. Asking $5,900 each or $17,000 for all. This section is almost sold out and prices through the cemetery would be $,6,900 each. Beautiful views and the most desirable section. Cemetery will assist in showing. Email: mrmccabe@hotmail.com

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22 | Community

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VOTERS GUIDE 6TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT Four Democrats are competing on the May 22 primary ballot for the right to challenge Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. Karen Handel in the 6th Congressional District this fall. Candidates Bobby Kaple and Lucy McBath did not respond.

KEVIN ABEL KevinAbelforCongress.com Occupation: Founder, Abel Solutions Previous experience holding elected offices: None Other community service experience: ViceChair, New American Pathways; Chairman, Small Business Council, Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce; Board of Directors, Davis Academy; Board of Councilors, Carter Center; Leadership Atlanta Class of 2006.

Why should the voters choose you for this position?

I’m an immigrant to this country and I have been so fortunate to live the American dream, but I’m afraid that dream is unavailable to so many, and will be even less accessible for future generations. I’ve been deeply involved in the civic and community life of the district for 26 years, built and sold a business, and raised a family. I believe that I am the strongest candidate to take on Karen Handel in November and that with my pragmatic, business-minded approach I can win the independent voters we’ll need to win this election.

What is the biggest issue facing the district and how will you address it?

Access to affordable healthcare is the single biggest issue facing not just our district, but our country. President Trump has purposefully undermined healthcare markets and caused numerous providers to pull out of the marketplace right here in Georgia. The ACA was a great starting place, but as with any legislation, it has room for improvement. We need to reinstate the individual mandate, continue to promote Medicaid expansion, allow Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices, and expand the use of Accountable Care Organizations, which incentivize providers to measure outcomes based on quality of results and not quantity of care delivered.

The opioid drug addiction epidemic has been a major issue in the district and nationwide. What strategy do you believe the federal government should pursue to reduce or end the opioid epidemic?

We need to treat the opioid epidemic, and drug addiction in general, like the public health crises that they are. The single biggest obstacle to addressing this issue is lack of access to affordable and comprehensive care, which prevents people who suffer from this disease from accessing the treatment they need. We also need to address the over-prescription of highly addictive painkillers and punish pharmaceutical companies and doctors who irresponsibly push and prescribe these drugs beyond their necessity in order to increase profits.

Do you believe Congress should authorize such military action as President Trump’s recent military strikes in Syria, and how would you have voted in this case?

America cannot be the world’s police force, but we cannot sit idly by as despots gas their own populations. I would vote to take precise and targeted action, in concert with our international partners, against the Syrian regime to send a message that the world community will not tolerate these horrific crimes against humanity perpetrated by the Assad regime.

to 6th Congressional primary race For full answers from the candidates, see ReporterNewspapers.net.

STEVEN KNIGHT GRIFFIN GriffinforCongress.com Occupation: Former Policy Coordinator/Mgmt & Program Analyst, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Previous experience holding elected offices: None Other community service experience: I am an executive board member at For the Kid in All of Us, a wonderful metro Atlanta charity that provides school supplies and toys for children and families in need. I have also held memberships with employer-based LGBTQ organizations such as GLOBE.

Why should the voters choose you for this position?

Firstly, I am the only person in my primary with government and public policy experience, which means I’ll be an effective legislator. Secondly, I know the community very well, having lived here for over 25 years.

Thirdly, voters seem to agree it is time for new blood and fresh perspectives — and I believe millennials like myself and the youth more generally are poised to provide it. Lastly, I provide a contrast — we’re all tired of celebrities and the wealthy running this country into the ground. The best cure to the current kakistocracy is everyday people running for elected office.

What is the biggest issue facing the district and how will you address it?

Two issues concern a majority of residents: healthcare and education. There are over 75,000 uninsured individuals in the district. Many politicians like to talk about access to healthcare; that doesn’t mean much in the absence of coverage. We need to expand coverage by restoring the public option and negotiating Medicare drug prices, applying the savings to reduce premiums, increase subsidies and close Georgia’s non-Medicaid-expansion coverage gap.

On education, we’re one of the most well-educated districts in the nation; consequently, we also have many students burdened with loan debt. We must make college more affordable via grants and interest rate reductions.

The opioid drug addiction epidemic has been a major issue in the district and nationwide. What strategy do you believe the federal government should pursue to reduce or end the opioid epidemic?

Nearly 400 individuals died of opioid overdoses in our district in 2016. Our first step should be to equip first-responders and the public generally to save lives, providing naloxone kits in exchange for training in proper administration and overdose identification. Secondly, we should focus on and fully fund harm reduction initiatives, addiction recovery services and pharmaceutically-assisted withdrawal treatment. Lastly, we should investigate underlying causes and address them, as well as research and deploy effective alternatives to opioids, such as medical cannabis. A recent UGA study confirmed that legal medical cannabis reduced prescription opioid use and abuse.

Do you believe Congress should authorize such military action as President Trump’s recent military strikes in Syria, and how would you have voted in this case?

It is the sole prerogative of Congress to authorize and fund any offensive military action, and our legislature has unconstitutionally delegated this authority by providing blanket authorization and funding for the use of military force by the executive branch. Each and every military strike has human consequences and real potential for blowback — and so decisions should be supported by evidence and considered thoughtfully. I believe it is right and proper for the international community to punish crimes against humanity, but we should never do so alone. We must also be wary of further inflaming regional and international tensions.

DUN

APRIL 27 - MAY 10, 2018

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Public Safety | 23

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Police Blotter / Dunwoody From Dunwoody Police reports dated April 15 through April 22.

The following information was pulled from Dunwoody’s Police-2-Citizen website.

LARCENY/ SHOPLIFTING/ THEFT 4700

block of Ashford-Dunwoody Road — On April 15, in the afternoon, a 26-year-old woman was arrested and charged with shoplifting from a discount superstore.

2200 block of Dunwoody Crossing —

On April 15, in the afternoon, a man reported someone tried to break into his car, damaging the driver door lock.

4400

block of Ashford-Dunwoody Road — On April 16, in the afternoon, employees at a mall kiosk filed a larceny complaint.

7100 block of Peachford Circle — On

April 16, at night, a woman reported her home was burglarized and she was missing a MacBook Pro. 4500

block of Ashford-Dunwoody Road — On April 16, at night, a man was arrested and charged with grabbing $4,000 worth of Polo items and running out the door of a department store and into the parking lot and for possessing a stolen vehicle.

steal a motorcycle, but was unsuccessful.

improper lane usage.

4500

4400

block of Ashford-Dunwoody Road — On April 19, at night, a man was arrested and charged with shoplifting.

4400

block of Ashford-Dunwoody Road — On April 19, at night, a man was arrested and charged with shoplifting men’s cologne from a department store.

4500

block of Ashford-Dunwoody Road — On April 19, at night, a man was arrested and charged with shoplifting.

100 block of Perimeter Center Place — On

April 19, at night, a woman was arrested and charged with trying to shoplift from a superstore.

4400 block of Ash-

ford-Dunwoody Road — On April 20, in the evening, a man was arrested and charged with shoplifting.

4300 block of Ash-

ford-Dunwoody Road — On April 22, in the morning, a man was arrested and charged with shoplifting.

6600 block of Peachtree Industrial

1200 block of Hammond Drive — On

4800

April 17, at night, a shoplifting incident was reported at a discount retailer. Fragrance was taken.

3200 block of Lake Ridge Lane — On

1800 block of Cotillion Drive — On

April 17, at night, a man said his 1998 Honda CR-V was stolen.

April 15, at night, officers responded to a family battery incident. One was a wanted person and was promptly arrested.

18, in the morning, a man reported both his unlocked cars had been entered overnight.

A backpack containing a laptop, shotgun shells and a pocket knife were stolen.

6700 block of Peachtree Industri-

al Road — On April 18, a man said two packages he was expecting were stolen.

100 block of Perimeter Center Place—

On April 18, in the evening, a man was arrested and charged with shoplifting.

4400 block of Ashford- Dunwoody

Road — On April 18, in the evening, a woman was arrested and charged with shoplifting from a department store.

100 block of Perimeter Center East — On

April 19, in the morning, someone tried to DUN

On April 17, in the afternoon, a man was arrested and charged with fraud for trying to cash a worthless check.

4300

block of Ashford-Dunwoody Road — On April 17, in the evening, a man was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct.

4700 block of Ashford-Dunwoody Road — On April 18, at night, a man was pulled over for driving recklessly in a parking lot. He was arrested on marijuana possession charges.

4500 block of Ashford-Dunwoody Road — On

April 19, at night, a man was arrested and charged with driving unlicensed.

2200 block of Kings Point Drive — On

April 20, in the afternoon, a woman was arrested and charged with failing to fulfill the duty of stopping at an accident.

1200 block of Ashford Crossing — On

April 20, in the evening, a woman was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct under the influence.

3800 block of Lake Ridge Lane — On

April 21, in the early morning, a man was arrested and charged with simple assault.

I-285/Chamblee-Dunwoody Road —

On April 21, in the early morning, a man was arrested and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol.

READ MORE OF THE POLICE BLOTTER ONLINE AT

www.ReporterNewspapers.net

Boulevard — On April 15, in the morning, officers responded to a domestic dispute turned assault. block of Ashford-Dunwoody Road — On April 15, in the morning, a woman reported she was receiving threatening phone calls.

1200 block of Redfield Ridge — On April

100 block of Perimeter Center West —

1300 block of Roberts Drive — On

A S S AU LT

block of Ashford-Dunwoody Road — On April 17, in the evening, a man was arrested and charged with shoplifting from a discount superstore.

4700

block of Ashford-Dunwoody Road— On April 17, in the morning, a man was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct.

April 19, in the afternoon, a man was arrested and charged with criminal trespass.

1000 block of Crown Pointe Parkway —

On April 16, in the morning, officers responded to a nonviolent domestic dispute.

ARRESTS 6600 block of Peachtree-Industrial

Boulevard — On April 16, in the afternoon, a woman who filed a stolen property complaint was subsequently arrested as a wanted person.

4400

block of Ashford-Dunwoody Road — On April 16, in the afternoon, a man was arrested and charged with credit fraud at a store in the mall.

4500

block of Ashford-Dunwoody Road — On April 17, in the morning, a man was arrested and charged with driving with a suspended license and

Heritage Sandy Springs Farmers Market comes home to City Springs on May 12th Grab your friends, family, and pets and join us Saturday mornings at the market. Shop for local, naturally grown produce, pasture-raised meat, farm fresh eggs, and a variety of specialty food items. Or, just hang out at the City Green.

To welcome the market home, City Springs Executive Chef Rodney Martin will do a cooking demo featuring items from the market.

Meet Chef Rodney and learn a new recipe.

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NOW OPEN

Pediatric urgent care right in your neighborhood Children’s at Chamblee-Brookhaven You now have convenient access to pediatric urgent care in the Chamblee-Brookhaven neighborhood. So the next time your child’s doctor is unavailable, ours will be standing by, including evenings and holidays.

CHILDREN’S AT CHAMBLEE-BROOKHAVEN

©2018 Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Inc. All rights reserved.

5080 PEACHTREE BLVD, STE 100, CHAMBLEE

choa.org/urgentcare

In the Parkview on Peachtree shopping center

DUN