5-13-2016 Sandy Springs Reporter

MAY 13 - MAY 26, 2016 • VOL. 10— NO. 10

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Military Timeline

► Resident says street buyout not a done deal PAGE 3 ► Northside plans 8-story tower, 10-story parking garage PAGE 11

We’re going to pump you up

CALENDAR | P16

District 3 City Council candidates voice differences at forum

BY JOHN RUCH johnruch@reporternewspapers.net

The five candidates vying for the Sandy Springs City Council District 3 seat staked out some key differences at a May 4 forum hosted by the Sandy Springs Reporter.

Candidates Chris Burnett, Brian Eufinger, Joe Houseman, Suzi Voyles and Larry Young also offered up a few big ideas, including a Hammond Drive tunnel and an apartmentconstruction moratorium.

See SANDY SPRINGS on page 13

Alyssa Kosek, 12, and her father Jim, take on the balloon challenge during the 4th annual Community Assistance Center’s annual “Food ‘n Fun Festival” at North Springs Charter High School on May 7. The center uses the event to raise awareness, funds and food to combat hunger and homelessness in the community.

Time to get out and vote!

Georgians head to the polls May 24 for local party primaries and non-partisan elections. Sandy Springs has an election for City Council, and Brookhaven, Buckhead, Dunwoody and Sandy Springs all choose nominees for the state Legislature. Fulton and DeKalb have school sales-tax votes.

To see if you’re properly registered, where to vote or to view a sample ballot, check the My Voter Page on the Georgia Secretary of State’s website, mvp.sos.ga.gov/MVP. Learn more about local candidates by going to the Voters Guide on page 12. Find the complete versions at ReporterNewspapers. net. Check our website on Election Night for the results in local races.

Hard work, persistence and resilience are more important than raw ability. What you decide to study is more important than where you go to school. Think about growth opportunities when you make your education choices.

Gary A. Piligian Math and statistic teacher, Mount Vernon Presbyterian School See Exceptional Educator Page 6

PHIL MOSIER

MAKING A DIFFERENCE Program assists Latino children

Page 4

Local rules differ on cranes hoisting loads over streets

BY JOHN RUCH johnruch@reporternewspapers.net

A heavy load of wooden building frames dangled from a crane over traffic on a Sandy Springs street April 29. Hoisting a load over an open street is a move the crane’s owner says should not happen, and various construction industry guidelines discourage it.

But in the patchwork world of localized construction codes, officials say, that lumber lift broke no legal rules in that specific spot, the One City Walk project’s side facing Sandy Springs Place. But the same lift might violate city or state rules if it happened just a See CRANES on page 14

2 | Community

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PATH400, Perimeter Center transit on Sandy Springs’ T-SPLOST wish list

BY JOHN RUCH johnruch@reporternewspapers.net

A PATH400 extension and a Perimeter Center trail network doubling as a possible future monorail or trolley line are among projects Sandy Springs wants to fund with a transportation sales tax that could go before Fulton County voters Nov. 8.

The transportation special local option sales tax, or T-SPLOST, process is moving quickly on a short deadline. The five-year sales tax increase of up to 0.75 percent must be attached to a specific project list submitted to the county by May 30. Officials unveiled the possible project list at the May 3 Sandy Springs City Council meeting.

“We have a whole host of already publicly vetted projects” to choose from for inclusion on the list, Assistant City Manager Bryant Poole told the council at its meeting.

If approved by voters, the T-SPLOST could raise a projected $500 million to $600 million over five years countywide, with about $101 million of that going to Sandy Springs based on its population, county Chief Operating Officer Todd Long told the council. That does not include the city of Atlanta, which has a separate SPLOST ballot question aimed at funding MARTA expansion.

Poole said the city would like to devote large amounts of the T-SPLOST money to basic roadway maintenance ($5 million) and sidewalk installations ($15 million). But there are also some unique big-ticket items on the city’s list, including the $5 million missing link of the PATH400 multi-use trail between Buckhead and a section that will be built as part of the I-285/Ga. 400 reconstruction project.

Another item is a $5 million contri-

bution to building Perimeter Center’s “Last Mile Connectivity” path network that Sandy Springs is jointly planning with the Perimeter Center Improvement Districts and the cities of Brookhaven and Dunwoody. The basic concept is a network of bicycle and pedestrian paths to ease connections to local MARTA stations, and the T-SPLOST funds would be used to pay for that part. The project also includes right of way for pairing the paths with some form of mass transit—maybe buses, maybe something more futuristic, such as a monorail or gondola cars.

Sandy Springs City Manager John McDonough, in an interview at the council meeting, gave some new details of the “Last Mile Connectivity” plan— including that it could produce an alternative transit “pilot project” relatively soon.

The request for proposals for a path plan consultant has been issued the previous week, McDonough said, and Sandy Springs already plans to budget $500,000 in the next fiscal year to “jump-start” planning by purchasing available right of ways. Officials previously said the study also would include a cost-benefit analysis of alternative mass-transit forms. But, McDonough said, there actually will be a second RFP issued in about six to 12 months for sales pitches from alternative transit companies.

“This is the gondola, trolley, monorail [or other options]—what should this be?” McDonough said, adding that companies will be asked such questions as, “What’s your technology? Is it proven?”

“We’ll see, is there a pilot project to be had?” McDonough said, explaining that an alternative transit test route up to a mile long might be possible.

T-SPLO ST PR O J ECTS O N THE S A NDY S P R I NG S WI S H L I S T

Ferry Road/Mount Vernon Highway roundabouts: $25 million. The plan to replace the existing • Johnson X-shaped intersection with roundabouts is stalled by a dispute over the historic status of an auto repair

shop that the city must demolish for the project. Pulling out of federal funding and its more complex appeals process could speed up a resolution to the historic issue, Poole said.

operations improvements”: $20 million. Many of the projects are fairly minor items • Asuchlongaslistnewof “traffic roadway lanes and traffic signal timings. One bigger-ticket item is a realignment of the intersection of Roswell and Grogans Ferry roads.

Vernon Highway and Roberts Drive multi-use paths: $15 million. This would build the paths • Mount already approved in the city’s bike and pedestrian plan.

TWO ADDITIONAL PROJECTS TO BE ADDED IF THERE IS T-SPLOST MONEY AVAILABLE

Drive widening design and acquisition (not actual construction): $15 million. The controversial • Hammond project’s construction would still be more than five years away, Mayor Rusty Paul noted. shoulder lanes on I-285 westbound: $1 million. Express and shuttle buses could use the • Flex-use highway’s shoulder as a travel lane from Raider Drive to Cobb County in a project intended to mitigate

future Braves stadium traffic. The state Department of Transportation would need to approve the concept.

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MAY 13 - MAY 26, 2016

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Community | 3

www.ReporterNewspapers.net

Resident says planned street buyout on Pill Hill isn’t a done deal

BY JOHN RUCH

interested.”

Cannon declined to comment on the project’s status in response to Kessler’s The buyout of an entire residential comments, though he indicated more street for a large mixed-use project on information should be available in a Pill Hill is not a couple of weeks. done deal, even Richmond Honthough the plan an did not immeis on a communidiately return a ty meeting agenphone call. Ganda this month, non at the High according to a resPoint Civic Assoident who said she ciation said the has not agreed to plan remains on sell her mansion the group’s May 18 there. agenda.

Developer Kessler said she Richmond Honan bought the Clemaims to redevelentstone house in op residential Cle1980 and extenmentstone Drive sively renovated it in Sandy Springs to resemble a maninto a mixedsion on the Adriuse project frontatic Sea owned ing on the Glenby her grandfaridge Connector.

JOHN RUCH ther, who served He seeks to presas prime minister Andjela Kessler has not agreed to sell ent an early plan her mansion at 970 Clementstone of the former Yuto the High Point Drive, above, to developers. goslavia during Civic Association World War II. She on May 18. brought in archiJoe Cannon of KW Commercial Attects and masons from that area to give lanta Perimeter, the developer’s real the house an authentic look, she said. estate broker, indicated in a previous “So it’s a very historic house to me…I interview and to civic association memcan’t really replace that,” she said, addber Bill Gannon that all homeowners ing that she would like to leave it to her agreed to the buy-out and that a rezonchildren. “It would be extremely paining application for the “entire street” ful for me to leave there.” would be filed “in the near future.”

Kessler said the developer more than But Andjela Kessler said that she and a year ago made an offer for her properat least two other Clementstone homety that she found “very much unacceptowners have not agreed to sell. Kesable.” But among residents who have sler said she was unaware the plan was not agreed to sell, she said, there is conmoving forward or that it was being cern of ending up with adjacent proppresented to the civic association. erty redeveloped into commercial uses.

“I have not signed to sell my proper“The attitude is, if we are forced to ty,” said Kessler, who lives at 970 Clemgo, we will sign,” Kessler said. “People entstone. “I have not talked to [the deare scared to be forced out of it, in a velopers] in a long time…I thought it sense.” was off. I thought they were no longer johnruch@reporterenewspapers.net

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4 | Making a Difference

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Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death because often there are no symptoms until it has spread. The good news is a lung cancer screening can help detect it early when there are more treatment options. Northside Hospital Cancer Institute offers a low dose CT screening if you’re 55 – 77 years old and a current or previous smoker.

It’s quick and easy and could save your life.

For information call 404-531-4444 or visit northside.com/lung

Where the Extraordinary Happens Every Day

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With Saturday School, Los Ninos Primero helps Latino children feel at home in Sandy Springs

BY DONNA WILLIAMS LEWIS In one classroom, 3-year-old yoga students on blue mats shifted like pros into their “downward dog” and “warrior” positions. In another, 4-year-olds tapped beats on drums to practice counting.

Down the hall, other preschoolers created paper pyramids and squares to be tossed in a game. Each side of the figures revealed a direction such as “Count to 50” or “Do something nice for someone.”

This was Saturday School at Los Ninos Primero, now in its 16th year of serving Latino children in a year-round educational program at Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church in Sandy Springs.

For the little ones, the morning was all about fun.

For their teachers, fun is a power tool for building a passion for learning, and for nipping in the bud the inhibitors to kindergarten readiness that can arise from language and cultural differences and socioeconomic situations.

Every activity had a role in that mission — even yoga, which they teach to prepare the children to deal with stress.

Executive Director Maritza Morelli, a child psychologist, is very sensitive to that need.

“The school and the church are very open and protective and embracing,” Morelli said, “but this is a very different environment than we see in some other ways.”

Veronica Toscano de Leger, director of the Georgia Liaison Office of the state government of Guanajuato in Mexico, said Los Ninos Primero is helping children who may have difficult home lives flourish with confidence in a loving, welcoming environment.

“That makes a difference in a child.

It makes them start working harder to succeed,” she said. “You can see the passion when they play an instrument, the passion when people care for them.”

A church bus picks the children up from across Sandy Springs, where 14 percent of the population is Hispanic or Latino. Ninety-nine percent of the program’s children were born in the U.S. and their first language is Spanish.

Most of them are from low-income families.

Steve Whisenant, CEO of Haven Campus Communities, was the founding chairman of Los Ninos Primero’s board of directors. He said the nonprofit program was born out of Mount Vernon’s research on the needs of the area’s growing Latino population. “We found out very quickly that to say it was underserved was an understate-

ment,” he said.

Los Ninos Primero began as a twoweek summer program that served 17

Making A Difference

PHOTOS BY DONNA WILLIAMS LEWIS

Volunteer Carmen Morales, 15, started with Los Ninos Primero as a 3-year-old preschooler. The Riverwood International Charter School student plans a future in medicine, education or criminal justice.

Sophia Monje, 4, gives a goodbye hug to Maritza Morelli, executive director of Los Ninos Primero, as she leaves the program’s Saturday School.

Los Ninos Primero art teacher Alison Calefati helps Emiliano Salas, 4, left, and Edwin Esteva, 5, create an educational game.

children on the preschool campus of Mount Vernon Presbyterian School.

Today, 250 children participate in its free programs: the three-hour plus lunch Saturday School for 3- and 4-year-olds; a month-long summer pro-

APR. 01 - APR. 14, 2016

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gram for ages 3 to 6; and weekday exMorales, 15, is headed that way. The Rivtracurricular activities for ages 5 and erwood International Charter School up. Orchestra, soccer, karate and chostudent plans a future in medicine, edrus are offered. ucation or criminal justice.

All of the program’s 15 teachers are She grew up with Los Ninos Primecertified and paid, except for a volunro, starting in the program as a 3-yearteer retired teacher. They are assistold and staying connected through her ed by dozens of volunteers, including family’s participation and her volunmany former Los Ninos Primero stuteer work as the program’s assistant dents. soccer coach.

“I think we’ve had about 1,000 chil“They gave me fond memories of my dren come through this program,” said childhood and I want to give that back Whisenant, who now serves on the proto them,” Carmen said. gram’s development committee. “I’ve She said the program is like a small been pleased with the ability to stay vicommunity for its families. able and to grow, and to have a lot of Carmen’s parents came to the U.S. people who feel like we’ve done the from Mexico 20 years ago. She rareright thing, for ly sees her the right reafather, exsons.” cept on weekSummer proends, because gram teacher he works Katrina Verde two jobs. Her sees first-hand mother works the difference nights cleanLos Ninos Priming three ero makes in floors of an school preparedoffice buildMARITZA MORELLI ness. She is a ing. kindergarten “You learn teacher at Sandy Springs’ Lake Forest about people who might have the Elementary School, a school where 94 same story as us,” Carmen said, “like percent of students are Hispanic and the struggle of getting here and then 59 percent of students receive language wanting their children to have a betservices. ter future than them. … I wish there “Programs like Los Ninos are pretwere more people like Ms. Maritza.” ty vital for these kids,” Verde said. “We want to bridge the academic gap so that nobody would notice a difference between kids who come from Lake Forest and the kids who come from other schools in our cluster.”

Morelli was lead bilingual community liaison for the Fulton County school system when she was asked to create and lead Los Ninos Primero.

The Venezuelan native was a perfect fit. “Being an immigrant myself, I understand how difficult it is for the parents to understand the school’s expectations,” Morelli said.

Parent involvement is not only key here, it is required.

“I want parents to feel that that they have something valuable to offer, to help and to feel proud of their own culture,” she said. “Building their self-confidence will help the children.”

Morelli said parents help with fundraising, go on cultural field trips, and must attend at least 50 percent of the classes offered to them, such as school system expectations, their “rights as human beings” and stress management.

“I’m planting hope in these parents that their children can go to college, because they were born here and they have more opportunity,” Morelli said. “They have to believe that. And they will learn, little by little, the steps they need to to make sure the kids are on track.”

Fifty percent of the program’s first 17 students are in college, and Carmen

The school and the church are very open and protective and embracing.

Making a Difference | 5

6 | Education

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Exceptional

Educator

Editor’s note: Through our “Exceptional Educator” series, Reporter Newspapers is showcasing the work of some outstanding teachers and administrators at our local schools. If you would like to recommend an Exceptional Educator, please email editor@ReporterNewspapers.net.

Gary Piligian

teaches Advanced Placement statistics, statistics and other math classes, including pre-calculus and algebra 2, at Mount Vernon Presbyterian School in Sandy Springs. He’s been a teacher for four years. Before teaching, he was trained as an engineer and worked on Wall Street as a financial investment banker.

He’s also the school’s crosscountry coach and runs marathons.

ter I went to graduate school for an MBA, worked in the institutional fixed-income business for 25 years - 11 years for Salomon Brothers (now part of Citigroup), and 14 years for Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. I’ve always been interested in education, as it played a huge role in my own career, and was at the stage of my life when I had the financial flexibility to teach.

Like many non-teacher parents, I was a critic of how kids are taught, and I decided that instead of simply being a critic, I should try and do something about it. Teaching, done right, is definitely more difficult than most critics think it is. I have tremendous respect for my colleagues at Mount Vernon Presbyterian School, and I’ve learned a great deal from them.

Q: What attracted you to teaching at first?

Q: Has the appeal A: My path was difchanged?

DAN CARMODY ferent than that of most A: I love working with Gary Piligian teachers - I was an enthe kids and with their pargineer by training who ents, so from that perspecworked at a management consulting firm tive, the appeal hasn’t changed at all. I draw after getting my bachelor’s degree, and, afenergy from seeing the students learn challenging concepts, and from helping them connect the dots between the skills they learn in class and the opportunities that are open to them in the business world.

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Gary Alembik has a broad range of experience. On top of his 27 years as a member of the state bar in private practice, he is the only candidate for judge who has served Fulton County for 10 years as a magistrate and judicial officer. He truly knows how our court system works… and where it needs to be fixed.

Q: What keeps you going year after year?

A: Honestly, it’s the notes you get every now and then from a student, a parent of a student, or a former student telling you about the personal impact that you’ve made on the student. That’s the key. I want our students to be successful and then to pay it back when they are in a position to do so.

I’m also fortunate that I work at Mount Vernon, where teachers have the flexibility to experiment with new ideas and technologies to keep things fresh. All teachers at Mount Vernon have learning outcomes that drive our instruction, but we have tremendous latitude in how to get our students to best achieve the learning outcomes. We can tailor our instruction and style to our special expertise. As an example, the school has let me create a two-semester elective for next year - introduction to personal finance, and introduction to investments. These are life-worthy topics, they are right up my power alley and I can involve our parent community as resources. I’m excited to see how this class unfolds next year.

Q: What do you think makes a great teacher?

A: I used to think subject matter expertise was the end-all and be-all, and, obviously, that is hugely important. In fact, it’s a given - it’s the price of admission to the ball game. But, after that, what really matters

Education | 7

MAY 13 - MAY 26, 2016 ■ www.ReporterNewspapers.net is something quite simple: Does the teacher care about the students and about the subject matter? If a teacher cares, students pick up on that. And likewise if they sense the teacher doesn’t care.

Q: What do you want to see in your students?

A: I want to see students who are ready to tackle difficult problems; I value resiliency and persistence. I try to put the growth mindset into all students - the idea that anyone can learn anything if they put the effort into it.

Q: How do you engage your students?

A: The biggest thing students are looking for is relevance. Our Head of School, Dr. Brett Jacobsen, suggested all of our staff read a book called “Future Wise” by David Perkins. The book emphasizes that educators need to make sure the concepts they teach are “life worthy” to students - in other words, is what we are teaching likely to matter to the lives that students are likely to live? That’s a great lens through which to build engagement: Is it relevant, and does it have real-world applicability? I always link what we learn in the classroom to what I actually applied in my role in the investment business; students are clamoring for that type of relevance.

Q: Do you have a project or special program you use year after year?

A: No. I change up my projects from year to year. You have to keep it fresh - refine what you’ve done before that worked well to make it better, and don’t be afraid to jettison things you did in the past that just weren’t that effective.

Q: Is there a “trick” that works to get students involved?

A: Candy. All students will work for candy. Seriously, there’s no trick - students can tell if you are working hard on their behalf. They can sense that you care, and they

respond in kind. Now, if you can only tell me the key to keeping graduating seniors involved. That’s a tough one, because, quite understandably, they’re starting to put high school in the rear-view mirror as they look forward to college. I love teaching seniors, because they are mature, they are thinking about their future, and they want to know what it’s like out there in the real world. But it does get challenging to keep them involved as you move toward Graduation Day. Also, I’m totally honest with my students. I tell them that I never had the occasion to use imaginary numbers in my work experience, but I used the concepts of compound growth almost daily. I build trust with my students, and don’t take that trust for granted. If you can expand your role from being a teacher to being a life coach, students appreciate it.

Q: What do you hope your students take away from your class?

A: Hard work, persistence and resilience are more important than raw ability. What you decide to study is more important than where you go to school. Think about growth opportunities when you make your education choices - if I were 18 years old today, I’d make sure I’d closely investigate technology, energy, health care and data science.

Effort matters. Luck matters. Ethics matter. Skills matter. Some jobs pay more than others because of supply and demand; make sure you get the skills that will put you in high demand, and make sure you protect your reputation. You are the master of your own destiny.

It’s graduation season. To find out when and where your local high school holds its graduation ceremony, check ReporterNewspapers.net.

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8 | Commentary

Reporter Newspapers

Our mission is to provide our readers with fresh and engaging information about life in their communities.

Published by Springs Publishing LLC 6065 Roswell Road, Suite 225 Sandy Springs, GA 30328

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Community Survey Question: What is the minimum post-high school education that you think is necessary today to get a good job? Do you think it is worth taking on debt to get more education?

Total Respondents (200)

WHAT RESPONDENTS HAD TO SAY

Phone: 404-917-2200 • Fax: 404-917-2201 Brookhaven Reporter | Buckhead Reporter Dunwoody Reporter | Sandy Springs Reporter www.ReporterNewspapers.net

None Some college cours completed

Atlanta INtown www.AtlantaINtownPaper.com

Associate’s Degree

C O NTA C T US

Bachelor’s Degree

Founder & Publisher Steve Levene stevelevene@reporternewspapers.net

Graduate Degree

Editorial Managing Editor Joe Earle joeearle@reporternewspapers.net Intown Editor: Collin Kelley Copy Editor: Diane L. Wynocker

Education HS 5%

Creative and Production Creative Director: Rico Figliolini Graphic Designer: Harry J. Pinkney Jr. Advertising Director of Sales Development Amy Arno amyarno@reporternewspapers.net Sales Executives Jeff Kremer Janet Porter Jim Speakman Office Manager Deborah Davis deborahdavis@reporternewspapers.net Contributor Donna Williams Lewis, Phil Mosier

Free Home Delivery 60,000 copies of Reporter Newspapers are delivered by carriers to homes in ZIP codes 30305, 30319, 30326, 30327, 30328, 30338, 30342 and 30350 and to more than 500 business/retail locations.

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POST GRAD 32% BS/BA 63%

Age 40 & OVER 30%

“No, work experience is more important.”

61-year-old Sandy Springs man with a college degree “No, not unless you are in a specific field that requires it (aka doctor, lawyer, etc.).”

31-year-old Sandy Springs woman with a bachelor’s degree “Yes, but you need to be strategic and have a career in mind. A degree is only valuable if employers think it is.”

31-year-old Brookhaven man with a master’s degree

Associate Editor: John Ruch Staff Writer: Dyana Bagby

“Only if that debt can quickly be paid off. The education needs to lead to a job in a field where there is need.”

47-year-old Sandy Springs woman with a master’s degree

29 & YOUNGER 41% 30-39 29%

Despite the cost, a college degree remains the key to a good job, according to the people who answered our most recent 1Q survey. Two-thirds of the 200 respondents in the cellphone-based survey consider a college degree the minimum post-high school education needed to find a comfortable spot in the workplace.

“Continuing education increases the chances of getting a better job and consequently, making more money,” a 36-year-old Atlanta woman said when asked whether it was worth going into debt to secure a college degree. “It is an investment that is likely to pay off.”

And during this graduation season, when local colleges and high schools award degrees and diplomas to hundreds of new graduates, others echoed her belief that the extra years of schooling were worth the cost. “In today’s world, it is worth the debt to receive higher education,” a 23-year-old Brookhaven woman with a highschool diploma said.

Not everyone saw it that way, however. About 23 percent of the respondents to the survey of adults across the communities served by Reporter Newspapers and Atlanta INtown thought high school graduates could do well with only two years of college education, a few college courses or no college at all. “As an executive for a 200-employee company,” a 41-year-old Buckhead man with a high-school education said, “I’ve found that some of the best people have no degree, but rather a great understanding of the subject matter for a given position.”

Then again, about 10 percent thought college wasn’t enough. New graduates, they said, needed at least a master’s degree.

Others questioned the high cost of college, which often requires students or their families to go deeply into debt. “I have recently graduated with my bachelor’s degree,” a 23-year-old Atlanta woman commented. “I think it is crazy how much we have to spend and put ourselves in debt to find a job just to make it. It’s insane that there are no other options than to put ourselves in debt in order to get a job, because to get any decent job today you need at least a bachelor’s degree. I am all about the education, but not being punished financially for receiving it.”

“Only if it (debt) is flexible and low interest!”

51-year-old Buckhead man with a bachelor’s degree “Depends on how much the job you expect to get will pay.”

24-year-old Dunwoody woman with a master’s degree “No. Success is based on effort, determination and focus, not financial background. Plenty of rich kids who have access to a college education make nothing of it.”

40-year-old Atlanta woman with a master’s degree “It’s an investment, but only to get a job that can pay it off.”

27-year-old Atlanta man with a graduate degree

1Q is an Atlanta-based startup that has developed a technology which sends questions and surveys to a cellphone via app or text message from businesses and organizations across the country. Respondents are paid 50 cents per answer, through PayPal, for sharing their opinions. Payments may also be donated directly to charity. Sign up to be included in our local community polls at 1Q.com/reporter or by texting REPORTER to 86312.

MAY 13 - MAY 26, 2016

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Commentary | 9

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We carry our children I carried them to term, thirty-eight weeks. They were 6.5 lbs. and 6.7 lbs. and each measured 19.5 inches, a remarkable dual heft for a 5’1 me.

I carried them, hip on hip, side to side, front and back, for the first year. I carried them one at a time -- on a Boppy pillow in my lap and draped across my shoulder. I carried them tandem--strapped into strollers and car seats, in a backpack, and in a front sling. I carried them through colicky days and feverish nights, through Chuck E. Cheese bouncy-ball pits and Chick-fil-A slides.

I shuttled them to school, karate lessons, swim meets, soccer practice, baseball games, campouts and Scout meetings.

I hauled them to shoe shopping and suit fittings, and countless times to REI. I drove them to doctors’ offices and school dances, to birthday party days and movie meet-up nights.

I drove them to airports for departure to grandparent vacations and summer adventures.

I carried them to college visits and spring breaks and school dance picture parties.

This month as I watch my twin boys carry their high school diplomas across the stage, I will continue to feel their weight in my arms.

They may not know it, they may not like it, but they are a part of me and I carry them with me as completely and naturally as I carry my own heart.

And after graduation, I will carry them still.

We all carry our children. They are there in our minds and our guts, our hopes and our fears. We carry them through sickness, disappointments and breakups. When they don’t make the team, when their friends move away, we feel the loss and we share in the sadness. We carry them through health, accomplishments and satisfaction.

When their team wins, when they made the cut, we feel the elation and we share in the thrill. And through all the ups and downs, we carry them… with love and prayer and wringing hands and gleeful hugs.

We teach them to stand and to walk and to be independent; raising selfsufficient adults is, after all, our ulRobin Conte is a writer timate goal. and mother of four who (And yes, you lives in Dunwoody. She can throwcan be contacted at in “happy,” robinjm@earthlink.net. “well-adjusted,” “contributing member of society,” and any number of enriching adjectives, but you get my point). Yet our children are irrevocably connected to us through the bonds of parenthood, and it is within those parental bonds that we carry them.

We carry them with joy and pride and utter astonishment that these beings grew up before our very eyes and developed into strong and capable adults.

We will carry them still, through dorm move-in day and college football games, through interviews and job searches, through engagements and weddings and births, through new lives and new dreams and new families emerging.

It is the way of the world. Once we carry our tiny miracles as helpless infants, they become ours, and we carry them with us, forever.

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Community Briefs M IXED -U SE PRO JEC T, NEW EA S T- WES T R O A D PLANNED FO R PA L I S A DES S IT E

A major mixed-use project including 425 apartments and a new east-west connector road is planned to go up alongside the Palisades office park at 5901 Peachtree-Dunwoody Road. The project by Sandy Springs-based Pollack Shores Real Estate Group also includes 10,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space, according to a press release. The existing office buildings would remain.

Pollack Shores has agreed to help pay for a new east-west connector road between Peachtree-Dunwoody in Sandy Springs and Perimeter Center Parkway in Dunwoody. That is part of longer roadway planned to improve east-west traffic movement through Perimeter Center.

“We were really drawn to Palisades’ proximity to MARTA and its location near numerous job centers in the Perimeter market,” says Pollack Shores Managing Director Michael Blair in a press release.

The apartments would be “luxury” units ranging from one to three bedrooms. Some of the retail space would front on the new east-west connector. The project involves two new buildings with a common green space.

A SH T ON WO OD S HOUSING UND ERWAY AT G LENRI D GE HAL L SI TE

Ashton Woods’ massive and controversial housing development at the former Glenridge Hall site on Abernathy Road began work on May 7, according to a spokesperson. Now dubbed “Aria,” the Ashton Woods project has two main sections flanking Abernathy at Glenridge Drive.

The part starting now is a 47-acre housing redevelopment and a new public park at the former Glenridge Hall mansion. The other part, which may start late this year, is a 29-acre mix of condos, apartments, detached houses and retail space next to the future MercedesBenz USA headquarters. In addition, a third Ashton Woods redevelopment along Glenridge Drive, a 25-acre townhome project formerly known as Glenn West, is now being branded as part of the Aria project.

Overall, the project includes nearly 1,000 housing units.

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MAY 13 - MAY 26, 2016

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Community | 11

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Northside plans 8-story tower, 10-story parking garage

BY JOHN RUCH johnruch@reporternewspapers.net

Northside Hospital hopes to add an 8-story tower and a 10-story parking garage to its Pill Hill campus in plans now under state and city of Sandy Springs review.

Last December, Northside received state approval to build a 5-story tower—an addition to its main building at 1000 Johnson Ferry Road—to add 53 inpatient beds. That would boost the total bed count to 590.

This month, the hospital filed an updated tower plan that keeps the same number of beds, but adds three more stories containing other services to the building, according to spokesperson Katherine Watson. The application for a “Certificate of Need,” includes: • Expansion and renovation of the hospital’s food services.

• Four additional shared operating room suites and expansion of surgical support space.

• Renovation of existing space to house a conversion of existing medical/surgical beds into critical care beds.

• 25 physician sleep rooms.

• Refurbishment of the hospital’s Labor & Delivery area.

• Renovation/conversion of existing space to house 29 additional 23hour observation/extended recovery beds/bays.

• Renovation of space being vacated in the existing hospital for other clinical and non-clinical uses.

If the tower gains state approval, construction could start this fall, Watson said.

The new garage with about 1,270 spaces would go on the site of an existing surface parking lot off PeachtreeDunwoody Road between the hospital’s day care and a medical office building. The garage is intended as employee parking to free up spaces in the hospital’s other garages, Watson said.

The hospital already received state approval for the garage in March, but needs city zoning approval to combine two parcels, Watson said. If that happens, work could start in late summer and finish about October 2017, she said.

In the meantime, Watson said, the hospital already received city approval to create a temporary gravel parking lot on a vacant parcel it owns at the intersection of Meridian Mark Drive and the Glenridge Connector.

A community meeting about the plan, required by the city, is slated for May 23, 6 p.m. at Council Chambers in City Hall, 7840 Roswell Road, Building 500.

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A former Sandy Springs City Councilman and a Buckhead lawyer meet in the Republican Primary on May 24 to determine who will take the seat in the House of Representatives representing District 52, which covers portions of Buckhead and Sandy Springs. Graham McDonald of Sandy Springs and Deborah Silcox of Buckhead are vying to succeed veteran former Rep. Joe Wilkinson, who decided not to seek re-election. No Democrat has filed for the District 52 seat, so the winner of the Republican Primary will be able to claim the seat.

State Sen. Fran Millar of Dunwoody, who represents a portion of Sandy Springs, faces a challenge from financial advisor Paul Maner in the Republican Primary contest for the District 40 Senate seat.

The Sandy Springs Reporter submitted questions to the candidates. Here are selections from their responses, edited for space. To see their full answers, go to ReporterNewspapers.net.

Graham McDonald Lawyer

Community: Sandy Springs Past political experience: Councilman for the city of Sandy Springs, District 3, from January 2014 through March 2016.

Graham McDonald Other experience in the community: Leadership Sandy Springs; prior president and vice president, North Harbor Neighborhood Association; prior vice chairman, Sandy Springs Economic Development Advisory Committee.

Q: What do you see as the biggest problem facing the state?

A: The biggest problem facing our state is unnecessary legislation, like this past year’s socalled “religious freedom” (“RFRA”) bill. We need to cut back on legislation attempting to serve as a solution to a problem created only by the legislation. If it had not been for the Governor’s veto, Georgia’s reputation as a welcoming and gracious state would have been damaged and the economic detriment to our state would have been immense. One only needs to look at what has occurred in North Carolina and Indiana, when similar legislation was enacted, to see what could have befallen on Georgia economically.

Deborah Donaldson Silcox Attorney

Deborah Donaldson Silcox

Neighborhood: Northside Woods Past political experience: University of Georgia legislative intern; legislative intern for U.S. Sen. Sam Nunn; clerked for Georgia Attor-

ney General; have worked on numerous campaigns.

Other experience in the community: Reappointed and made chair of the Governor’s Commission for Service and Volunteerism by Gov. Nathan Deal (2014-present); appointed by Gov. Sonny Perdue to state of Georgia’s Commission for Volunteerism and Service (2011- 2014) as well as the Department of Human Resources Board (2009-2011).

Q: What do you see as the biggest problem facing the state?

A: As our representative, I will work to ensure we have long term economic development plans in place to bring jobs and growth here. My proposal to eliminate income taxes and replace them with a FairTax plan would absolutely result in economic development from companies relocating out of high-tax states to Georgia and bringing growth, manufacturing, and high-tech jobs with them.

Republican Primary Georgia Senate, District 40 ,

Paul Maner

Financial advisor Neighborhood: Embry Hills Past political experience: None.

Other experience in the community: I have served as a missionary on both foreign and local misPaul Maner sions, as well as working with the needy and indigent.

Q: What do you see as the biggest problem facing the state?

A: Education, transportation and taxes.

Fran Millar (I)

Marking Consultant/state Senator Community: Dunwoody Past political experience: State Representative for 12 years; state Senator for six years; Chairman Senate Higher Education Committee.

Fran Millar Other experience in the community: Member of Dunwoody United Methodist Church; Dunwoody Homeowners Association.

Q: What do you see as the biggest problem facing the state?

A: Educational achievement and regional transportation.

I=incumbent SS

MAY 13 - MAY 26, 2016

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Sandy Springs Council candidates stake out differences at forum Continued from page 1 More than 50 people—including current council members Andy Bauman and Tibby DeJulio—attended the forum at Heritage Hall on Blue Stone Road. The candidates answered questions from the audience and from moderator Joe Earle, the managing editor of Reporter Newspapers.

The five candidates are running for a May 24 special election to fill the District 3 seat left vacant in March when Graham McDonald resigned to run for state representative.

Why they’re running Each candidate had a different approach to the council job.

Eufinger, who founded the Sandy Springs Zoning Coalition group on Facebook, presented himself as a moderator and mediator of debates on high-density developments.

He said there’s “nothing wrong with growth, but [it should be] smart growth,” and said he would bring a “measure twice, cut once” approach to development issues.

Burnett and Young both campaigned on long community experience and took shots at Eufinger, with Burnett saying he’s been a local banker longer than Eufinger has been alive. “Sandy Springs is a very large and complex city,” said Burnett. “It is not a job someone with inexperience can do very well.”

Young looked back to his status as “one of the founders of the community,” while Burnett said he’s the only candidate serving on the advisory committee for the city’s “Next Ten” long-range planning process.

Young said he is “uniquely qualified” by his experience as an attorney, a former city judge and a former president of the Sandy Springs Council of Neighborhoods. He also touted his “independence” from the city administration and local developments.

Houseman, an airline pilot and lifelong local resident, positioned himself as a voice for the old-school, suburban, lower-density, treefilled Sandy Springs. “Sandy Springs is in my DNA,” he repeatedly said.

Voyles described a more “tweaking” approach to a city doing many things well.

The current executive director of the Fulton County Republican Party, Voyles said she has a “national network of legislators” she can use for advice and help on issues.

about over-building of apartments and a possible market crash. “I would support a district-wide moratorium right now on multifamily development,” he said.

“I do not promote future high-density growth,” said Houseman. “Right now, the growth and development is impacting negatively the citizens of Sandy Springs.”

Voyles expressed concern about tall buildings fronting the streets, such as the One City Walk underway at Roswell Road and Hammond Drive. “I’m not so sure that’s the identity I want for the community,” she said, describing it as more Buckhead-like.

Eufinger called for “middle-ground solutions” and noted he has helped with community advocacy that reduced the unit count on a number of large projects. However, he also said the city must still stick to its own planning.“The thing with the city’s current policy is, it seems pretty dense,” he said, repeating a joke he said a resident told him. “I think rules are made to be followed…Why have rules if you’re going to approve 300 percent, 400 percent over the quota?”

Traffic and transit District 3 covers much of western and central Sandy Springs, including several major commuter routes. Traffic and transportation

improvements are major local issues.

Burnett said he would call for a District 3 traffic study. He said he already has the “big, hairy, audacious goal” of building a new road between Johnson Ferry Road and Powers Ferry/Windy Hill roads in Cobb County to divert commuter traffic.

“The only long-term solution is transit,” Young said. “To just add more lanes and more pavement does not solve the problem.”

Voyles said she wants more car capacity

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H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H

CHRIS BURNETT WORKS FOR YOU! City Council Candidate Checklist CHRIS BURNETT’S EXPERIENCE

Important Issues

Green Space Traffic and Smart Zoning Sandy Springs Revitalization

Education

How dense is too dense?

The city has many dense, mixed-use projects and skyscrapers underway or under review. The candidates’ positions on denser development ranged from cautious support to opposition.

Young said the city’s own City Springs mixed-use downtown project is a good idea, and it needs dense redevelopment around it to be successful. “So [denser] redevelopment is appropriate in the right place.”

Burnett, however, said he’s concerned

on I-75, but also called for a local tram service. Houseman agreed with trams, but also said, “Bike lanes are paramount to me,” noting how well they work in Europe.

Eufinger agreed with the need for a traffic study and noted he started a website called “Keep Moving Sandy Springs” that promotes commuting alternatives.

All were skeptical of a controversial proposal to widen the two-lane section of Hammond Drive.

Civic Involvement Most Qualified Council Candidate

Other Candidates

Sandy Springs Conservancy Board Member Next 10 Strategic Planning Committee Sandy Springs Chamber of Commerce Chair Sandy Springs Restaurant Council Sandy Springs Economic Advisory Council Holy Innocents’ Board of Trustees Sandy Springs Civic Scholarship Fund Sandy Springs Rotary Club

Chris Burnett

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H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H

14 | Community

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Raising The Standard of Care

Cranes carrying loads over streets covered by different rules Continued from page 1

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few miles away in Buckhead—or even just a few feet away on Roswell Road.

In the April 29 incident, workers had placed the load of wood in a travel lane of Sandy Springs Place without any special traffic control. As vehicles drove around the load, two workers connected it to the crane, which then lifted it over moving traffic and onto the job site. The crane is a rental from North Carolina-based Heede Southeast.

“I was like, ‘Holy…’ It’s not the best feeling,” said Heede General Manager Jason Kenna about seeing a photo of the lift.

“Hoisting loads over occupied streets is not a common practice,” he added, saying workers usually will stop traffic “so no one’s under the load.”

Kenna said it appeared the crane operator was working “in the blind,” meaning he could not see the load directly due to the angle and relied on “flaggers,” or ground workers, to direct him. Heede provides only the crane and the operator, not the flaggers, who are general contractor CW Construction’s responsibility, Kenna said.

“We’ll probably do a site visit and talk to the contractor to figure out what happened and make sure it doesn’t happen again,” Kenna said.

Grant Stackhouse, CW’s executive vice president of construction, said that the tightness of the site requires lifts from the street at times, but that the company does not want loads passing over traffic. “That isn’t our policy. We want to do our best to not fly things over [the street],” he said.

Stackhouse said the site supervisor informed him that traffic had been blocked during the April 29 lift, but acknowledged he had not directly witnessed it. Stackhouse said the supervisor has been instructed to emphasize the need for traffic control during crane lifts.

While the crane and contracting companies are taking action, the city of Sandy Springs probably would not, because no specific rules cover the situation, said city spokesperson Sharon Kraun.

“Our current code does not cover

JOHN RUCH

A heavy load of wooden building frames dangles over a portion of Sandy Springs Place on April 29.

‘means and methods’ as it relates to cranes and construction within the city,” Kraun said, adding that the state code the city borrowed from doesn’t, either. “However, our building inspectors are able to take action if they witness activity that they believe is unsafe or presents a life safety issue.”

One City Walk is also bordered by Roswell Road, a state route where crane operations have different rules. “If GDOT was overseeing this work…we would not have any vehicles moving under our crane, period,” said state Department of Transportation spokesperson Annalysce Baker.

On state routes, even moving the crane’s arm over the street requires a “right of way encroachment” permit, said Baker.

And hoisting a load over the road would require a traffic control plan involving stopping vehicles “until the load went from Point A to Point B. Nothing should be under that load.”

The city of Atlanta has similar permit requirements, a spokesperson said.

S PECIAL EL ECTION TO FILL COUNCIL SEAT – DI ST RI CT 3 You must live within District 3 to vote in this special election.

ADVANCE VOTING Fulton County North Fulton Annex, 7741 Roswell Road, Sandy Springs May 2-May 20, 2016, Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 14, 2016, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

ELECTION DAY VOTING Hammond Park, Round Program Building 6005 Glenridge Drive, Sandy Springs May 24, 2016, 7:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.

MAY 24, 2016 - SANDYSPRING SG A .G OV/ VOT E SS

Community | 15

www.ReporterNewspapers.net

D

City plans first $100 million budget since economic crash

→ All of the firms contracted to provide the city’s outsourced public services are boosting employee pay for a total cost of $16.3 million. City Manager John McDonough said that’s due to retention and hiring issues, with building inspector and traffic engineer positions remaining difficult to fill. → $416,000 in operating expenses to set up the City Springs performing arts center, expected to open in 2018. That includes an estimated $140,000 per year salary for a general manager. McDonough said the city is negotiating a contract with the theater management company Spectra, a Comcast affiliate, and expects to bring the deal to the City Council in June. → $3.9 million for several capital projects approved by Mayor Rusty Paul and council members via balloting. In order of priority, they include: traffic signal system improvements; various intersection improvements; new sidewalks; bicycle/pedestrian plan design and implementation; and construction for the new

Crooked Creek and Windsor Parkway parks (which received a tie vote and will split funding). → $3.2 million for more “protective buys” of residential property on Hammond Drive, where the city is considering a road widening. The city recently spent more than $1.2 million to buy three Hammond properties as placeholders for the potential project. → $500,000 for Lake Forrest Dam repairs.

State-order repairs to the earthen dam under Lake Forrest Drive on the Atlanta/Sandy Springs border are slow-moving and still have no specific plan. McDonough said the city, which splits the dam costs with Atlanta, is setting aside the $500,000 out of guesswork. But it definitely won’t be enough to complete final repairs, whatever they turn out to be, probably years from now. “This could be a five-plus-million-dollar expenditure,” McDonough said. → About $2 million in replacing many police, fire rescue and parks vehicles.

HHHHHHHHHHHH Elect Joe Houseman ~ District 3 Special Election on May 24 2016

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A final draft of the budget goes to City Council at its May 17 meeting, followed by public hearings on June 7 and 21.

The budget projects revenues being up 5.75 percent to $90.7 million, and general fund expenditures up more than 3.4 percent to $103.6 million. The budget also includes carrying over the city’s fiscal 2016 “undesignated fund” balance of $12.9 million.

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FOR KIDS KIDS TO PARKS DAY Saturday, May 21, 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. For the sixth year, Sandy Springs participates in the National Park Trust’s “National Kids to Parks Day.” Activities for all ages include: obstacle course challenges, water slides, inflatables, face painting, balloon artist, raffles, DJ music and more. Free. Hammond Park, 705 Hammond Dr., Sandy Springs, 30328. Find out more: sandyspringsga.org.

A SEUSSOME TWOSOME Saturday, May 21, 11 a.m. Using the poetry of Dr. Seuss’s classic stories, “Gertrude McFuzz,” and “Green Eggs and Ham,” this children’s program is an easy to understand introduction to opera. Tickets, $10 per person. Q&A with performers follows show. Conant Performing Arts Center, Oglethorpe University, 4484 Peachtree Rd., Brookhaven, 30319. For further details and tickets, go to: ccityopera. org. Call 404-364-8555 with questions.

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Authors and brain scientists discuss how to help kids navigate the digital world. Tickets, $12. To purchase, visit: YTFL.org/screenagers.

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INTRO TO MEDITATION Wednesday, May 25, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Learn what meditation is and what its benefits are. Free and open to the public. Suitable for adults, elders, college and high school audiences. For more information, contact the Buckhead Branch Library at 404-814-3500 or email: comments@co.fulton.ga.us. 269 Buckhead Ave., NE, Atlanta, 30305.

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Saturday, May 21, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Learn “simple” medicinemaking skills using native and nonnative plants found at Blue Heron Nature Preserve! This class covers plant identification, and the medicinal and edible value of plants. Hike the woods, learn proper harvesting skills and discuss plant safety. Make a “pre recipe” tonic to take home. Light snacks and beverages provided. $30 per person; $15 for children under 12. 4055 Roswell Rd., Atlanta, 30342. Call 404-345-1008 for information.

Register: bhnp.org or email: amyz@bhnp.org.

SPRING FLORA Saturday, May 21, 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Bring your canoe or kayak and join National Park Service Naturalist Jerry Hightower for a three-mile float on the Chattahoochee River, exploring plants, geology and wildlife. You will encounter three, mild class 1.5 rapids suitable for beginners. Meet at the Powers Island entrance at 10 a.m. to unload equipment. Wear warm, quick-drying clothes and good river shoes. No flip-flops! Bring lunch and water for a picnic. Reservations required by calling 678-538-1200. $3 park pass or current annual pass or America the Beautiful Pass required. 5450 Interstate North Parkway, Sandy Springs, 30328. Find out more: nps.gov.

SCREENAGERS Sunday, May 22, 11 a.m.-12:45 p.m. The Marcus Jewish Community Center of At-

Saturday, May 28, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The Atlanta History Center honors U.S. veterans of generations past as well as those of today during the family program, Military Timeline. Meet veterans sharing personal stories of wartime and memorabilia. Travel the military timeline from the Revolutionary War to current conflicts. Enjoy self-guided tours of Veterans Park using smartphones to access recordings of veterans’ stories.

Free for members; included in general admission for non-members. For details or tickets, visit: atlantahistorycenter.com or call 404-814-4000. 130 West Paces Ferry Rd., NW, Atlanta, 30305.

FUNDRAISERS BROOKHAVEN BOLT Saturday, May 21, 8 a.m. Join the crowd at the Brookhaven Bolt! 5K runs through Ashford Park. Begins and ends at Village Place Brookhaven, 1418 Dresden Dr. Walkers, strollers and pets start at 8:05 a.m. Rain or shine. Post-race festivities include raffles, awards, food. $30; $35 race day. Proceeds go to Ashford Park Elementary School. Learn more and register: brookhavenbolt.com. Caldwell Road, Brookhaven, 30319.

GEORGIA BEER FESTIVAL Saturday, May 21, 2-6 p.m. The second annual Tap into Georgia Beer Festival rolls into Brook Run Park, featuring local Georgia brewers. Live music.

Rain or shine. Tickets, $30 in advance; $35 at the door. Designated driver ticket available, $10. Proceeds benefit the Dunwoody Nature Center. Ticket includes tastings, souvenir glass and access to on-

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site concessions. 4770 N. Peachtree Rd., Dunwoody 30338. Questions? Visit: dunwoodynature.org.

SALUTE TO OUR TROOPS 5K Saturday, May 28, 8 a.m. Come out and honor the men and women of our armed services! This 5K provides financial support to our troops with food, rent, utilities and medical expenses. Grab your family, friends and fuzzy buddies for a run/walk around Chastain Park. Rain or shine. Strollers and walkers welcome. $30; day of $35. Children 6-18, $23. 110 W. Wieuca Rd., Atlanta, 30342. Register at active.com or find out more: mycbf.org.

VISUAL & PERFORMING ARTS SOUTHEASTERN PASTEL SOCIETY

dents, $30; free with a Petrel Pass. Additional shows: Saturday, May 21, 8 p.m. and Sunday, May 22, 3 p.m. Conant Performing Arts Center, 4484 Peachtree Rd., Oglethorpe University, Brookhaven, 30319. For more information and tickets, go to: ccityopera.org.

ZYDECO DANCE

Saturday, May 21, 8 p.m. Known for their smooth harmonies and Motown-era influences, this young band, Curley Taylor & Zydeco Trouble, makes audiences want to stay on the dance floor. Free beginners dance lesson 7-8 p.m. $18; $5, students; $14, active military. No partner required. All ages welcome. Cajun food for sale.

Dorothy Benson Center, 6500 Vernon Woods Dr., Sandy Springs, 30328. For further details, go to: aczadance.org or call 877-338-2420.

ATLANTA CONCERT BAND Sunday, May 22, 4 p.m. The Atlanta Concert Band continues its 2015-2016 season with a free performance of “Take the High Road: A Musical Tribute to the Fallen” at The Galloway School.

No tickets required. In the Chaddick Performing Arts Center, 215 West Wieuca Rd., NW, Atlanta, 30342. For more information, call 404358-1966 or visit www.atlantaconcertband.

SOULHOUND Thursday, May 19, 6-8 p.m. Reception for the 17th annual international juried exhibition, featuring 100 submitted paintings from the Southeastern Pastel Society. Show runs through June 26. $5 for adults; free for OUMA members; children under 12, free. Free parking. Lowry Hall, Third Floor, Oglethorpe Museum of Art, 4484 Peachtree Rd., NE, Brookhaven, 30319. Call 404-364-8555 or go to: museum. oglethorpe.edu.

THE MIKADO Friday, May 20, 8 p.m. Capitol City Opera Company presents Gilbert and Sullivan’s light-hearted comic operetta production, “The Mikado,” set in Japan. General admission: adults, $40; seniors/stu-

Saturday, May 28, 7-9 p.m. The Dunwoody Nature Center’s Concerts in the Park series welcomes Soulhound, who play groove-oriented R&B, as well as soul and greasy funk of the late ‘60s and ‘70s. Grab a chair, blanket and picnic dinner. Beverages available for purchase.

Seating on first-come, first-served basis. Free for DNC members; adults, $5; students, $3; children 3 and under, free. 5343 Roberts Dr., Dunwoody, 30338. For further details, call 770-394-3322 or go to: dunwoodynature.org. Find out about the band: soulhound.com.

Out & About | 17

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Staplehouse

t

au

should get the tickets. Don’t argue with me about the merits of ticketing; trust Smith to deliver you an amazing feast that is twice as large as you exMegan Volpert lives in pect. The tickDecatur, teaches in Roets are for a swell and writes books five-course about popular culture. menu, but there were four surprise courses threaded between those and one of them had four completely different bites on it. It’s dynamite bang for your buck.

Trust in Smith, whose tastes, techniques and plating will all prove themselves to you as worthy of the ridiculous amount of praise already bestowed upon them.

This brings me to my only point of disagreement with Kummer’s review. He says that the food “is of a seriousness that suggests, perhaps even demands, white tablecloths and a hint of formality.” Noooo! I would say instead, “welcome to Atlanta, where the very best chefs have no need of white tablecloths.”

Fine dining establishments in New York or Los Angeles are free to serve you expensively boring four-star food, resting assured that you can sweep your disillusionment under their white tablecloths. That is not how we do it in the South. Not only is Staplehouse free of white tablecloths, it doesn’t even require servers to wear standardized uniforms and it also features – gasp! – an open kitchen floor plan. We are unfussy and we have soul, and we should not make concessions or apologize for it.

One other thing: we like to drink in the South. The long line of glowing Staplehouse reviews often neglects to mention its

Dining Out Megan Volpert

ew

Res

In the April edition of Atlanta Magazine, Corby Kummer gave four stars to Staplehouse—the first four-star rating given by that magazine since 2010. Within the same 24 hours as that incredible review, news also broke that Staplehouse is a James Beard Finalist for Best New Restaurant.

After I ate there, I immediately posted on social media: “Don’t wait for my review, ATLiens, get tickets to eat at Staplehouse now, before they’re the hardest table to get in this city. I’m not a sentimental person, so when I say you won’t regret it…” and then posted a photo of the slogan painted over their kitchen. It’s a quotation from Ryan Hidinger that reads, “Anything long lasting or worthwhile takes time and complete surrender.”

Everyone knows the late Hidinger’s story by now. In short, he was a talented chef with plans to open a restaurant, but instead he died after the industry raised quite a lot of money to aggressively but unsuccessfully treat his gallbladder cancer. What remains is the small but fiercely determined clan of his wife, Jen; his sister, Kara; and Kara’s husband, Chef Ryan Smith. What remains is The Giving Kitchen, a means of raising charitable funds for members of the industry who are in need of help with expensive medical bills. All of the after-tax profits from Staplehouse go to The Giving Kitchen.

So to begin with, this is an easy way to give back to the chefs and servers who literally put food on your table. And it is incredible food. I have had the pleasure of experiencing the majority of fine dining offerings in Atlanta, and without hyperbole of any kind, I want to state unequivocally that I have never been so impressed with a meal in our fair city as I was with the one at Staplehouse. Kummer said it’s a meal worth a plane ticket and I agree.

There are many dishes worthy of analysis, but little point in detailing them because you should not order them. Staplehouse offers an a la carte menu, but you

rant Re

vi

18 | Dining Out

MAY 13 - MAY 26, 2016

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At Senior Helpers, we know that life is busy and caring for an elderly parent or loved one is hard work. Our loving team is here to assist you and give you the break you deserve.

From left, Kara Hidinger, Chef Ryan Smith and Jen Hidinger.

bar program, directed by Stephen James.

James is not a formally trained sommelier.

He is a glam band rocker from Athens with little patience for some other expert’s idea of good taste. A self-taught connoisseur, he paired a superb set of wines to go with the tasting menu. Every pour was a generous one and he personally chatted us up tableside when, after having very much enjoyed not making any choices for the past two

and a half hours, we struggled to decide on a simple aperitif.

Get tickets to Staplehouse. Completely surrender to it, as Ryan Hidinger wanted. Traditionalist fine diners and the James Beard Awards should find it worthwhile, too.

Staplehouse is located at 541 Edgewood Ave. in the Old Fourth Ward. For more information, visit staplehouse.com.

Quick Bites Create Your Cupcake is open in Sandy Springs at 203 Hilderbrand Drive. The shop allows customers to personalize their own cupcake creations in person for delivery or for group and corporate meetings and events. For more information, visit createyourcupcake.com.

Senior Helpers is a Family Owned & Managed Company that has been helping Atlanta families since 2006. Your hometown solution for Private Home Care and Transportation.

Senior Helpers has specially trained Caregivers (Certified Nursing Assistants) that provide care anywhere from one hour a day to live-in and 24/7.

Call Senior Helpers Home Care today for extra help 770-442-2154!

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WHEN YOU MENTION THIS AD!

Jamba Juice is now open at 6623 Roswell Road, Suite J, in Sandy Springs, offering up fresh juices, all-natural baked goods, sandwiches and more. For more information, visit jambajuice.com.

Brookhaven Provisions is now open in Brookleigh Marketplace. The combination restaurant and shop features sandwiches and salads from both Café at Pharr and Hungry Peach as well as items like olive oils, honey, jams, jellies and more. For details, visit facebook. com/BrookhavenProvisions.

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20 | Community

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JOIN OUR SALES TEAM HERE’S LOOKING AT YOU

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We’re looking for more high energy people with a passion for selling, proven experience and measurable success in any type of outside sales.

We offer excellent compensation (salary + commission) and benefits.

For information, contact publisher Steve Levene at (404) 917-2200, ext. 111 or email stevelevene@ reporternewspapers.net.

Above, Lost Corner Preserve, Sandy Springs’ newest park, was recently transformed into a classroom for 103 first graders from Dunwoody Springs Elementary School. The students learned about nature, gardening, history and beekeeping. At right, Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul, a third-generation beekeeper, shows off his skills handling the insects.

Austin Elementary School in Dunwoody held its annual International STEM celebration on May 5, providing an opportunity to learn about other nationalities.

At left, second-graders Erik Johansson, left, and Viggo Klint, dressed in the colors of Sweden, have a snack.

Published by Springs Publishing, LLC, 6065 Roswell Road, Suite 225, Sandy Springs, GA 30328

The celebration gave students a chance to showcase their implementation of STEM practices and principles as well as their use of engineering and design concepts.

Emma Kate Sellers, a student at the Atlanta Girls’ School and a member of Youth Leadership Sandy Springs, spent part of her final day in the program studying the biodiversity of a creek at Island Ford, headquarters of the Chattachoochee River National Recreation Area.

Students found a variety of wildlife including frogs, invertebrates, dragonfly larva, water bugs and crawfish.

MAY 13 - MAY 26, 2016

■

Classifieds | 21

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HELP WANTED

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Handyman Services – plus local moving & delivery. References available. Experienced, Dependable & Fast Services. Call Cornell at 803-608-0792 Reliable Property Caretaking for your home - while on the market or when you are away.

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22 | Public Safety

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Perimeter North Family Medicine Offering a full range of adult and pediatric services, our board-certified physicians proudly offer the highest quality care to keep you and your family happy and healthy. We accept most insurance plans and offer same-day appointments and extended hours at many of our locations.

Our services include: • Physical examinations and wellness care for men, women and children • General and chronic care for geriatric patients • Immunizations • Acute illness treatment for colds, fevers, flu and more • Comprehensive women’s health services

Police Blotter / Sandy Springs The following represents some, but not all, of the reports made to Sandy Springs police from April 22 through April 28 The following information was provided by Capt. Steve Rose of the Sandy Springs Police Department from its records and is presumed to be accurate.

B U R G L A RY 8700 block of Roswell Road – On April

23, employees at a discount store reported that someone accessed a back door to a storage area and stole $500 in cigarettes. The manager said this has happened in the past and thinks it is the same person as before.

8300 block of Roswell Road – On April

Call (770) 395-1130 for an appointment 3400-A Old Milton Parkway, Suite 130, Alpharetta, GA 30005

960 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 300, Atlanta, GA 30342

pnfm.com

H H H H H H ELECT

LARRY

YOUNG

H An Independent Voice H Uniquely Qualified H A Proven Neighborhood Activist H A City Founder Smart Growth.

We need a fair balance between well-funded commercial interests and the quality of life in our neighborhoods.

• Co-Chaired new City Zoning and Community Development Task Force Most Qualified.

My experience as a civil engineer, attorney and two term city judge gives me unique insight on • Served on Mayor’s Charter Review city functions.

Commission.

• Led Sandy Springs Council of Neighborhoods for 8 years.

Truly Independent.

I am self-funding my campaign and will accept NO financial donations.

For an Independent & Experienced Voice on Our City Council

VOTE MAY 24TH

Early Voting starts May 2nd | www.Young4SmartGrowth.com

HHHHHHHHHHH

1000 block of Brentwood Way – On

April 26, a 40-year-old woman reported that she left her apartment around 10 a.m. and returned around 4 p.m. Before she returned home she said she heard voices in her head saying, “We have your stuff.” She then returned to find her laptop, perfume, angel oil and two keys missing. There were no signs of forced entry. She told the officers that she was currently hearing “static” in her ears.

She added that she has a current case pending against her neighbors and suspects them of the burglary.

600 block of Chestnut Oak Ct. – On

CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 3

Proven Volunteer.

I have represented Sandy Springs neighborhoods for almost 20 years.

24, an officer responded to an alarm at a gas station-food mart and found that the front door had been pried open. In the parking lot was an abandoned van, engine running. It probably had been stolen and was the burglar’s vehicle. Detectives took over the investigation.

Paid for by Elect Larry Young

April 27, a resident said she returned home and found the door to the carport open and a speaker that belonged in the living room was on the kitchen counter. Several cabinet doors were open and items moved around. Several items were missing. The victim said a couple of contractors had been in the home on the previous day.

5100 block of Spring Creek Lane – On

April 27, a resident said when he arrived home, his door was ajar. Inside, he discovered several electronic items missing.

2000 block of Huntingdon Chase – On

April 28, a woman reported someone entered her home and took coffee.

500 block of Forest Hills Drive – On

tio and a Visio sound bar from a living room. Several other items were also missing.

THEFTS A woman re-

ported that she went through the Captain drive-through at Steve Rose,SSPD fast-food restausrose@sanrant on Roswell dyspringsga.gov Road, paying for the food with a $100 bill. She said the employee took the bill that she said was legit and must have swapped it for a counterfeit $100 bill. The employee then told the manager the diner paid with a counterfeit bill and the bill was confiscated. The diner believes the employee swapped it out and pocketed the bill.

1100 block of Hammond Drive – On

April 22, a 29-year-old man reported his bicycle was stolen from the parking deck of his residence. The bike was locked.

8400 block of Roswell Road – On April

22, a 73-year-old woman told police her son recently purchased some purple bed sheets for her and at some point, she believes a caretaker stole them.

300 block of Hammond Drive – On

April 22, a 73-year-old woman said someone took $150 cash from her wallet that was on the bed at a hotel.

4600 block of Stella Drive – On April

23, air conditioning units were stolen from a home under renovation or construction.

8600 block of Roswell Road – On

April 24, a 52-year-old woman said she was eating lunch at a restaurant and at one point left her table—and her pocketbook—unattended. She returned and found her purse and its contents gone.

8300 block of Roswell Road – On April

26, at about 1 p.m., officers met with a woman at a grocery store who told them her cellphone was stolen. The phone was tracked to Roberts Drive. The woman contacted her provider and suspended service.

5100 block of Lake Forrest Drive – On

April 26, two Lennox air conditioning units were stolen from a construction site.

April 28, a back patio door was pried open and the home entered.

READ MORE OF THE POLICE BLOTTER ONLINE AT A Samsung TV was taken from the back pa-

www.ReporterNewspapers.net

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MAY 13 - MAY 26, 2016

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Local police departments training public on active shooter events

BY DYANA BAGBY

2013. to 16.4 incidents per year. There were 486 people killed in these incidents and 557 wounded. Seventy percent of the A crowd of nearly 100 people gathincidents occurred in either a business/ ered recently in the Fellowship Hall of commerce or school environment. Sixty Dunwoody United Methpercent of the incidents odist Church to hear Lt. ended before police arMike Carlson teach a Cirived. vilian Reaction to an Columbine High Active Shooter Event School, Sandy Hook El(C.R.A.S.E.) class. ementary School, last In addition to Dunyear’s San Bernandiwoody, police departno attack – these are all ments in Sandy Springs, well-known active shootBrookhaven and Atlaner events, Carlson said. ta also have offered such Carlson said most classes, all free and open people have a “normalto the public, as news of cy bias” and don’t believe “active shooters” conthey could be involved in tinue to make nationa shooting.. It takes poDYANA BAGBY al headlines. An active lice an average of three Lt. Mike Carlson of the shooter as defined by the Dunwoody Police Department minutes to respond to a addresses a crowd attending a FBI is “an individual acshooting. The best way tively engaged in kill- recent Civilian Reaction to Active to save lives is to teach Shooter Event at Dunwoody ing or attempting to kill civilians how to respond United Methodist Church. people in a confined and themselves, he said. populated area.”

People are urged to The Sandy Springs “avoid, deny, defend,” he said.

Police Department has offered three Avoid: Make sure you have “situationC.R.A.S.E. seminars to the public so far al awareness” when walking into a room. this year, and also 11 private classes, said Know where all the exits are and considSgt. Forrest Bohannon. “We have a lot of er secondary exits, such as windows. private requests. We do lockdown drills Deny: If in a school or office buildat schools. Schools have different policies ing, close the door to your office or room than what we teach with C.R.A.S.E. Some and use a belt or other strap to lock up of the principles are the same, but some the handle so the shooter cannot enter. are not because of the younger children,” Also, barricade the room shut by pushBohannon said. “Some of the classes we ing desks and other furniture in front of have done are for medical offices, busithe door. ness offices, private school parents, citiDefend: If all else fails, be ready at the zen police academy.” doorway to surprise the shooter by poCarlson told the Dunwoody crowd sitioning yourself to attack and take the that there have been 160 “active shooter gun away. “Remember, you are not helpincidents” in the U.S. from 2000 through less. What you do matters.,” he said. dyanabagby@reporternewspapers.net

PROJECT-BASED VOUCHER WAITLIST OPENING The Housing Authority of Fulton County, Georgia (HAFC) will open its ProjectBased Voucher (PBV) waitlist specifically for Sterling Place Apartments located at 144 Allen Road, Sandy Springs, Georgia. The waitlist will open June 1, 2016 at 12:01am and will remain open until such time as a minimum of 500 names are on the list. All applicants must be 62 years or older, and must meet the criteria of “low-income” in accordance with the requirements of Section 42 of the Internal Revenue Code, the Regulations and the HAFC. An applicant’s income cannot exceed 60% of Area Median Income (“AMI”). Currently, 60% of the Area Median Income is:

1 person 2 person

$28,680 $32,760

3 person 4 person

$36,840 $40,920

Interested, eligible persons should call HAFC at 404-588-4950 to provide their name, address and telephone number (if applicable) to request an application. An application can also be placed at the HAFC Main Office at 4273 Wendell Drive, SW, Atlanta, Georgia 30336 beginning June 1, 2016 between the hours of Monday through Thursday, 9am to 4pm, or Friday, 9am to noon Eastern Standard Time.

SS

Reynoldstown Senior Residences

PUBLIC NOTICE OF THE OPENING DATE OF THE SITE-BASED WAITING LIST May 9th, 2016 - Ongoing Reynoldstown Senior Residences is accepting applications for apartment units receiving rental assistance on its1 and 2 bedroom apartments. Eligible residents will pay no more than 30% of their adjusted monthly income for rent and utilities, subject to minimum rent and other requirements.

Age Requirements: 62 or older Community: Reynoldstown Senior Residences, 695 Field Street SE, Atlanta, GA 30316 Phone: 404.975.4291 Application period:

Open Date: 5/9/16

Close Date: Ongoing

Application Submission Applications are now being accepted at the following location: Lang Carson Community Center, 100 Flat Shoals Avenue Southeast, Atlanta, GA 30316 Application forms will be available to fill out on-line at http://www.mercyhousing.org/georgia/reynoldstown-senior-residences Annual Household Income: In order to be eligible, the applicant household’s Annual Household Income cannot exceed the following amounts for households that include the indicated number of members: Number of household members

1

Maximum Annual Household Income

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

$28,680 $32,760

$36,840

$40,920

$44,220

$

$

$

Priority Categories: Eligible applicants will be ranked on the site-based waiting list according to the recorded date and time their fully completed application forms were received and accepted by management.

All applicants must pass a credit and criminal background check prior to being considered for the site-based waiting list. Please note that an applicant desiring to lease an assisted apartment must comply with all applicable eligibility criteria, including but not limited to the criteria set forth in the application. All information provided by the applicant will be verified from all applicable sources including, but not limited to employers, providers, and federal, state and local government agencies. Applicants who have misrepresented any information during the application process may be removed from the site-based waiting list or, if housed, subject to lease termination. In addition, applicants who have previously participated in any assisted housing program and were terminated for cause may not be eligible. Applicants who are determined ineligible will be offered the opportunity to participate in an informal meeting with management to dispute the ineligibility decision.

Requests for Reasonable Accommodations during the pre-application process will be taken by telephone on an ongoing basis between the hours of 8:30 and 5:30 at the numbers above or TTY/Relay 711.

City of Sandy Springs Advertisement for Public Comment Draft 2016 Annual Action Plan The City of Sandy Springs has prepared its draft 2016 Annual Action Plan required for participation in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program. The Annual Action Plan describes how the City intends to use its 2016 CDBG allocation to achieve the broad goals described in the City’s 2013-2017 Consolidated Plan.

The City of Sandy Springs anticipates receiving approximately $592,429 in 2016 CDBG funds and proposes to use these funds to continue the multi-year sidewalk improvements program in designated low- and moderate-income target areas on the east and west sides of Roswell Road to improve access to commercial areas, public transit, parks, and health services for residents.

As required by 24 CFR Part 91.105(b)(2), the draft 2016 Annual Action Plan will be available for a 30-day public comment period beginning June 8, 2016 through July 8, 2016. A copy of the plan is available for those interested in reviewing it under the “Community Development Block Grant Program” heading at the top of the City’s CDBG webpagehttp://www.sandyspringsga.gov/City-Departments/ Community-Development/Community-Development-Block-Grant.

Hard copies of the document can also be reviewed at the following locations: Sandy Springs City Hall Community Development Department Morgan Falls Office Park 7840 Roswell Road, Building 500 Sandy Springs, GA 30350 Sandy Springs Regional Library 395 Mt. Vernon Hwy., NE Sandy Springs, GA 30350 Dorothy C. Benson Senior Multipurpose Complex 6500 Vernon Woods Drive Sandy Springs, GA 30328 Those who may wish to provide comments on the 2016 Annual Action Plan may email the CDBG Program mailbox at cdbgprogram@sandyspringsga.gov or send written correspondence to the Sandy Springs Community Development Department at the address above until July 8, 2016. Final adoption of the 2016 Annual Action Plan is scheduled for the July 19, 2016 Mayor and City Council regular meeting. All meetings start at 6:00 p.m., are open to the public and held at the Sandy Springs City Hall, 7840 Roswell Road, Building 500, Sandy Springs, GA, 30350. Citizens in need of translation services or materials in alternative formats should call 770-730-5600 seven calendar days prior to the regularly scheduled meeting.

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