JULY 2019 - Dunwoody Reporter by Reporter Newspapers

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JULY 2019 • VOL. 10 — NO. 7

Dunwoody Reporter

DUNWOODY SALUTES AMERICA WITH ANNUAL FOURTH OF JULY PARADE See pull-out section pages 15-18

DeKalb transit master plan moves ahead, would need sales tax boost

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

PBS to air local singer’s documentary P5

COMMENTARY

BY DYANA BAGBY

GDOT chief: ‘Benefits of express lanes are proven’ P10

dyanabagby@reporternewspapers.net

Kevin Abel of Sandy Springs, a member of the State Transportation Board which oversees the Georgia Department of Transportation, however, took those officials to task and said he supports the toll lanes projects planned on I-285 and Ga. 400 because they promise to bring bus rapid transit to the area.

The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners is expected next month to consider a countywide transit master plan designed to improve current rail and bus service and determine where to build new transit over the next 30 years. As part of that consideration, commissioners will also have to decide if they believe voters are motivated enough to vote for a sales tax increase to pay for the proposed improvements, which include light rail, bus rapid transit and arterial rapid transit in north and south DeKalb. DeKalb County, the Atlanta Regional Commission and MARTA worked with local municipalities and gathered public input over the past year on a proposed transit master plan with three broad goals: address the county’s mobility challenges, foster economic development and improve quality of life. Consultants with VHB recently toured DeKalb cities and in June made presentations on proposed and conceptual transit master plans to the Brookhaven and Dunwoody City Councils. Both presentations spotlighted two scenarios: a 1 cent sales tax increase that would raise $3.65 billion over 30 years and fund 16 projects, and a halfpenny increase that would raise $1.85 billion over 30 years and fund 15 projects. Increasing the sales tax requires a vote. DeKalb’s current sales tax is 8 percent. Going to a referendum is a major decision, Grady Smith, VHB project manager, told the Brookhaven council at its June 10 meeting. He said he is hearing DeKalb leadership is wanting more time to consider the proposals and is seeking input from the cit-

See DUNWOODY on page 31

See DEKALB on page 30

COMMENTARY

Honored Reporter winsas a newspaper of General 15 Georgia Excellence Press awards 2018

The proposed full-penny DeKalb County transit master plan scenario would include four light rapid transit routes; four bus rapid transit routes including along the top end of I-285; and eight arterial rapid transit routes. These expansions would cover 180 project miles.

P10

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Piano-playing Rogers family is a YouTube hit P29 Check out our podcasts and Facebook Live Streams

The Dunwoody Reporter is mail delivered to homes on selected carrier routes in ZIP 30338 For information: delivery@reporternewspapers.net

Local City Council members sign anti-toll lanes petition BY DYANA BAGBY AND EVELYN ANDREWS Elected officials in Dunwoody and Doraville are speaking out against the planned I-285 “top end” toll lanes and have signed a petition opposing the estimated $5 billion project expected to begin construction in 2023.

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BY DYANA BAGBY dyanabagby@reporternewspapers.net

Rachael Kates stood at the podium during public comment at the June 10 Dunwoody City Council and praised the council’s decision to pass a nondiscrimination ordinance that prohibits local, privatelyowned businesses from discriminating against minority groups, including LGBTQ people. “I wanted you guys to know that living in a place where someone who comes at me as a queer person or a Jewish person, that I will be DYANA BAGBY able to go to the city [for Rachael Kates of Dunwoody attended her first help] and something can City Council meeting June 10 to thank the council for approving its nondiscrimination ordinance be done … it’s everything that includes protections for LGBTQ people. to me,” Kates said, adding the ordinance also allows LGBTQ people to “feel safe.” Kates also noted June is Pride Month, a month celebrated across the country to commemorate the June 28, 1969 Stonewall riots against a police raid at a gay bar in Greenwich Village in Manhattan. The demonstrations are largely credited with spurring the modern-day LGBTQ rights movement in the U.S. “Our mothers and fathers rioted at Stonewall for this and I thank you for standing up for us,” Kates said. With Dunwoody’s approval of the ordinance, the city joins a growing rank of metro Atlanta cities putting such laws in their books that include protections for LGBTQ people. Similar ordinances have passed in recent months in Doraville, Clarkston and Chamblee. Atlanta passed an LGBTQ nondiscrimination ordinance nearly 20 years ago. With The municipal ordinances strike back at attempts by the General Assembly over the past several years to pass so-called “religious freedom” bills. Such a bill would essentially prohibit governments from restricting a person’s exercise of their religion. Opponents of the bill say the bill would lead to businesses discriminating against LGBTQ people. Dunwoody’s ordinance bans local, privately owned businesses from discriminating against people based on their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. The ordinance also prohibits discrimination based on a person’s actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, disability, marital status, familial status or veteran/military status. As part of the ordinance, the city put a process in place for people to report alleged discrimination to the city with city-appointed mediators and hearing officers investigating such claims. Additionally, the ordinance formalizes that the police department will receive training on hate crimes and report hate crimes to the FBI. The ordinance exempts religious corporations or associations and nonprofit private clubs that are not open to the public. Councilmembers John Heneghan and Pam Tallmadge proposed the ordinance. They both said a gay resident asked them to do so after reading about a similar ordinance being approved in neighboring cities. Heneghan said most of the protected classes included in the ordinance are protected by state and federal law. But, he said, the ordinance is necessary because

Community | 3

JULY 2019 ■ www.ReporterNewspapers.net there is currently no state law prohibiting discriminating against someone because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. One person did speak out against the nondiscrimination ordinance. Ted Freye, holding his Bible, told the council homosexuality was a sin and he urged them to not approve the ordinance. He was alone in his public opposition. Robert Wittenstein, former Dunwoody Homeowners Association president, thanked the council for its work and said the city has always been a place where diversity is welcomed and valued. “And this ordinance helps deliver that message,” he said. Allison Padilla-Goodman, the regional director for the Anti-Defamation League’s Southeast Region based in Atlanta, is a Dunwoody resident. She commended the city’s decision to include in the ordinance hate crimes training for police officers as well as mandating the department track and report hate crimes to state and federal law enforcement authorities. “I’m a proud Dunwoody resident and even prouder for the council to consider this ordinance,” she said. The ADL has worked for many years to pass a hate crimes law in Georgia, one of only four states without such a law. The state House passed a hate crimes law including sexual orientation during the past session, but it did not pass out of the Senate. Dunwoody Police Chief Billy Grogan supports a hate crimes law and has advocated for Georgia to pass a hate crimes law. “Hate crimes are a major issue nationwide,” Padilla-Goodman said. Last year the ADL saw a 17 percent spike in hate crimes against people because of their race, religion and national origin, she said. The ordinance was included in the City Council’s consent agenda with several other items. The consent agenda was passed unanimously without council comment. After the vote, many of the approximately 30 people attending the meeting applauded.

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Community Briefs NEW ASSISTANT C I TY ATTO R NEY B EG INS JUNE 24

The city has hired Jay Vinicki, the former executive director of budget services for Atlanta Public Schools, as its new assistant city manager. Vinicki was scheduled to begin the job June 24. Vinicki replaces Jessica Guinn, who left in April to take a job with Cobb County as director of Community Development. “Having worked in and around the Dunwoody area SPECIAL for more than a decade, I appreciate the sense of commuJay Vinicki was the executive nity that the city offers,” Vinicki said in a press release. “I director of budget services for can’t wait to get started.” Atlanta Public Schools and Vinicki was executive director of APS’s budget servic- worked for DeKalb County government for 11 years. es since 2018 and was in charge of budget functions of $1.1 billion. He also helped develop budget policies, procedures and programs, according to the news release. Before joining APS, he worked for DeKalb County government for 11 years, serving as the first director of the Office of Management and Budget from 2015 to 2018 and overseeing development of a $1.2 billion budget. “Jay’s dynamic leadership and extensive experience in local government made him stand out,” said Dunwoody City Manager Eric Linton in the press release. “He has a proven ability to navigate complex issues with a strong background in strategic budgeting and policy research. He’s a great fit for Dunwoody.”

PIANO D O NATED TO DO NA L DS O N- BA NNIS TER FA R M

A new Play Me Again Piano named “Millie” is being donated to the Donaldson-Bannister Farm and will be available for the public to play. Play Me Again Pianos, a nonprofit aspiring to make metro Atlanta more musical through 88 public piano installations, will cut the ribbon on its newest donated piano Sunday, June 30, at 3 p.m. at the Donaldson-Bannister Farm, 4831 Chamblee Dunwoody Road. The event is free and open to the public, and anyone is encouraged to play the piano, named “Millie,” after the ribbon-cutting ceremony. The piano was named for Martha (Millie) Adams Donaldson, who continued to run the Donaldson Farm for thirty years after her husband, William J. Donaldson, died in 1900. The farm was eventually sold at auction after her death.

CITY APPR O VES TAK I NG L A ND FO R T IL LY M IL L S I DEWA L K The City Council unanimously approved June 10 using eminent domain to acquire an easement at 4988 Tilly Mill Road for the construction of sidewalks along Tilly Mill Road. The decision was made after city staff said the homeowner did not respond to the city’s attempts to reach her.

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PBS to broadcast Sandy Springs resident’s symphony documentary BY EVELYN ANDREWS evelyn@reporternewspapers.net

A Sandy Spring resident’s project to preserve the history of an Atlanta Symphony Orchestra conductor has turned into an award-winning documentary that will get a national TV audience. The documentary, titled “Robert Shaw – Man of Many Voices,” will be broadcast on PBS’ “American Masters” program June 21 on 9 p.m. The film follows the rise and influ-

ence of Shaw, who conducted the orchestra and its chorus for over 20 years. The film was conceived of and executive produced by Kiki Wilson, who is in her 38th season of singing in the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus. Wilson is one of the about 30 members left who sang in Shaw’s chorus, and she his contributions to Atlanta music and the orchestra world to be remembered. “I wanted to make sure there was a mechanism available for people not to forget who Shaw was,” she said. “That was my goal.” The documentary won awards from film festivals and became an official selection at one. It also won three Southeast Emmys last year. Because of its broadcast on PBS, the film is eligible for the national Emmy awards next year, Wilson said. “Little did I know that it would become a much bigger thing than I would ever, ever have thought,” she said. Wilson, who has never been involved in a film before, found it similar to organizing any other kind of project, and credits her team for making it a successful documentary. The film was produced in partnership with the orchestra and Georgia Public Broadcasting. Wilson secured funds for the $1 million

project through fundraising efforts like a 2013 gala, which included current Conductor Robert Spano as a performer. She also held first-hand knowledge about Shaw and was key in building the script. Getting on PBS has been one the longest hurdles, taking three years to navigate the complex process. The documentary also had to be cut to fit its time slot, she said. The documentary premiered in April 2016 to a sold-out crowd in the Atlanta Symphony Hall, in time for what would have been Shaw’s 100th birthday, Wilson said. Shaw died in 1999 in Connecticut. Wilson and the team did more than 30 interviews including with prominent figures like renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma, famed NPR classical music host Martin Goldsmith and former Atlanta Mayor, U.S. ReprePHOTO BY sentative and U.N. EVELYN ANDREWS Ambassador AnAbove, Kiki Wilson did most drew Young. Presof the work on ident Jimmy Cartthe film from her er, who was also home office in interviewed in the Sandy Springs. film, chose Shaw Left, Robert Shaw to perform music conducts a chorus in New York City in at his inaugurathe 1940s. (Special) tion in 1977. The film was shot in locations around the metro area, including the basement of Wilson’s home in Sandy Springs. Much of the script was written in her basement, where sticky notes listing details of Shaw’s life still hang on the walls. Shaw was brought on in 1967 during the creation of the Woodruff Arts Center, which combines the orchestra, Alliance Theatre and High Museum. He founded the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus in 1970 and grew the all-volunteer group into an award-winning program. He also conducted the orchestra at Carnegie Hall several times. He climbed to prominence with little formal music training, Wilson said. He was known for pushing boundaries with the type of music that could played and for growing the orchestra and chorus profiles, Wilson said. “He pushed the limits,” Wilson said. He remained the conductor until 1988 and championed the use of modern music and allowing black players for the first time in the South. Asked what viewers should take away from the film, she said, “I want people to know the arts under Robert Shaw are a place where everybody is equal.”

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A surprise sculpture, a book with a dark past and other treasures unveiled BY JUDITH SCHONBAK Torrential rain did not keep them away. Well before the opening hour of 9 a.m. on June 8, more than 30 people were lined up at the Turner Lynch Campus Center at Oglethorpe University in Brookhaven. Juggling umbrellas, they carried boxes, shouldered backpacks and pulled suitcases holding family heirlooms and antiques in the hopes of discovering hidden treasures. They had braved the weather for “Hidden Treasures: Unveiled,” an appraisal event organized and hosted by Oglethorpe University Museum of Fine Art (OUMA). And some surprise treasures were discovered, ranging from a centuries-old Buddha bust to a book with a dark past. Specialists from Hindman, an internationally known auction house were on hand to appraise items. Five experts were at stations for Fine Art, Decorative Art, Asian Art, Jewelry and Books and Manuscripts. Appraisal fees went to help fund OUMA, and a portion of proceeds from any items discovered at the event and auctioned by Hindman will go to the museum as well.

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Attendees came from all parts of metvon Goethe’s writings was apparently givro Atlanta and as far away as Dahloneen to Dr. Wilhelm Frick by the city in Gerga and Cartersville. Two hundred people many where he lived, Hause told Dickbrought their treasures and 300 items son. Frick was Adolph Hitler’s minister of were appraised, reported museum diinterior for 10 years and was hanged for rector Elizabeth Peterson, director of war crimes. Another mystery for his famOUMA. ily: Dickson said he doesn’t know how Jonathan Dickson navigated his way the book came into his grandfather’s posfrom East Cobb County with several heirsession. “Its is not entirely a happy story, looms in tow, including a painting, porbut certainly a fascinating one.” celain pieces, German beer steins and a Gloria and Gary Kubik from Johns large book of Goethe’s writing. They are Creek set their large carton on the Decremnants of his father’s estate, he said. orative Art table with hopeful expectaMost of them had been handed down by tions. They lifted out a large Tiffany-style Dickson’s grandfather, who had lived in lamp shade that had long been in the ofNew York, Florida and Germany. His first fice of Gary Kubik’s grandfather. His stop was the Fine Art table, staffed by grandfather had shipped the lamp from Kate Stamm, Hindman’s Fine Art specialConnecticut so the couple could bring it ist for the Southeast region. to the event. Dickson unveiled a large full-length “We’ve always been told it is probably portrait of two young girls dressed alike a Tiffany lamp,” Gary Kubik said. in red, arms entwined. He had virtually Specialist Jon King examined the no information on the painting, not even shade carefully. Regretfully, he gave the a title, only the artist’s last name, HoffKubiks the news. It is a 1920s lamp, he man. told them. “But it is not an original TiffaThe title may never be known, but ny. Many Tiffany-style lamps and shades Stamm dated the work in 1865. The piece had only minor flaws. She researched the painting after the event and sent Dickson a report four days later, identifying the artist as George C. Hoffman. “The estimated value is in the low thousands.” said Dickson. “We will keep it as a famiFrom left, Gary and Gloria Kubick present a glass lampshade ly heirloom.” The to appraiser Jon King. The Kubicks were disappointed to learn the item was not a product of Tiffany. mystery remains whether those children are on his family tree. were made then and still are,” he said. AlDickson also visited the Decorative though there were other clues, the most Art station with his porcelain pieces and obvious was the lack of a Tiffany signaGerman beer steins. The popular stop ture or any indication that it was made was manned by expert Jon King, Hindin the Tiffany studio. man’s senior consultant for the SouthThe Kubiks took the news well and east region, who has been in the field said they would not be taking an extendsince the early 1980s, King has overseen ed vacation or retiring any time soon, but collections from the estates of noted cethat the appraisal experience was “really lebrities and has worked with the PBS sefun.” ries “Antiques Roadshow” and HGTV’s Ken Moorman of Brookhaven, accom“Appraise It!” panied by family friend, Trish Percival, The heirlooms Dickson laid out at the stepped to the Asian Art station. UnwrapDecorative Art table are not of much valping two panels of Asian paintings, he exue, he found out, but he said he learned plained to specialist Annie Wu that they some interesting information about had been owned by his wife’s aunt in Calthem. His final stop was the Books and ifornia. Manuscripts table, staffed by Gretchen “All I ever heard about them is that Hause, who is a specialist in Hindman’s they are Japanese,” he told Wu. Fine Books and Manuscripts department. “No, they are Chinese, done between The hefty book of Johann Wolfgang 1850 [and] 1870 and had been painted at a

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center in Jing De Zhen in central China,” said Wu. She explained that in the 19th and 20th centuries, scholars were invited to the center to paint works of art, mainly for export. The delicate, detailed porcelain paintings on individual tiles are of classic Chinese scenes and people. Few of the scholars became well-known, although each painting is signed with the artist’s signature “chop,” or seal, in red. The writing on the paintings are descriptions or poems about the scenes, and Wu offered to have them translated for Moorman. “The paintings and condition of the panels are important, and it is rare to find them in as good a condition as yours. Typically, they came in a set of four panels, which would likely be valued in the high thousands at auction,” said Wu, adding, “The market for Chinese art buyers is very active right now.” Ellen Kierr Stein remembered her

Buddha bust being a fixture in her parents’ homes as far back as the 1960s. It was part of an eclectic collection of artifacts from their worldwide travels, she recalled. Wu, at the Asian Art station, filled in some details. The Buddha bust is a bronze Thai piece from the 16th or 17th century and is “very good condition,” she said. “Buddha is an iconic image in Asian culture and the expression on his face is very important. This Buddha has a calm, benevolent expression, as is fitting.” A highlight of the day was Kierr Stein’s surprise, on-the-spot donation of the Buddha bust to OUMA, made with her sister, Susan Kierr in memory of their parents, J.N. and Raymond Kierr. “We were thrilled,” said John Tilford, OUMA’s curator of collections. “It’s a major contribution to our permanent collection and a wonderful addition to our Asian collection.”

From left, Trish Percival and Ken Moorman listen to appraiser Annie Wu’s explanation of Chinese artworks that Moorman owns.

8 | Art & Entertainment

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Dunwoody Nature Center, 5343 Roberts Drive, Dunwoody. Info: dunwoodynature.org.

Red, White and Bernstein BROOKHAVEN

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BUCKHEAD

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Theater Hairspray

Friday, July 12- Sunday July 21 The City Springs Theatre Company stages the story of big girl with big hair and an even bigger heart who sets out to follow her dreams and win the boy she loves. Tickets: $30$62. Byers Theatre, City Springs, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs. Info: citysprings.com/events.

Driving Miss Daisy

Friday, June 28 - Sunday, July 21 Presented by Georgia Ensemble Theatre. Set against the historical backdrop of Atlanta’s development through the mid20th cen-

DUNWOODY

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tury, the story of aging Southern matron Daisy Werthan, her long-suffering son Boolie, and her chauffeur Hoke Colburn unfolds over 25 years of friendship, loss, racial tension, and ultimately love. Tickets: $35. Conant Performing Arts Center, Oglethorpe University, 4484 Peachtree Road, Brookhaven. Info: get.org or 770-6411260.

Music

Dunwoody Nature Center Summer Concert Series

Saturdays, June 29; July 13 and 27 7-9 p.m. The city of Dunwoody series includes Americana group Russell Cook and the Sweet Teeth on June 29; blues group The Breeze Kings on July 13; and a classic Battle of the Bands July 27. New this year, a different food truck will be on site each week. Free for members, $5 adults, $3 children.

Sunday, June 30, 4 p.m. A concert of American music in celebration of composer Leonard Bernstein’s 100th birthday. Free. Dunwoody United Methodist Church sanctuary, 1548 Mount Vernon Road, Dunwoody. Info: dunwoodyumc.org.

Concerts by The Springs

Sunday, July 14, 5-8:30 p.m. Departure, a Journey tribute band takes stage starting at 7 p.m. Beforehand, the Taproom Concert Series will offer a craft brewery pop-up tasting Taproom Tastings $18. Heritage Sandy Springs. 6110 Blue Stone Road, Sandy Springs. Info: heritagesandysprings.org.

City Green Live Music Series

Fridays, June 21 and 28, July 26, 6:30 p.m. The City Green in Sandy Springs continues its summer music series with beach music group Band of Oz June 21; country group Savannah Jack June 28; and Big Sam’s Funky Nation July 26. City Green, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs. Free, no tickets required. Tables may be reserved start-

ing at $40. Info: citysprings.com/ events.

Summer of Love

Friday, July 26, 6:30 p.m. and Saturday, July 27, 11:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Capitol City Opera’s 27th Annual “On the Light Side” will celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Woodstock with singers accompanied by a rock trio in an “indoor picnic” fundraiser with a silent auction, trivia, food and Woodstock-themed costume contest. $40. Highpoint Episcopal Community Church, 4945 High Point Road, Sandy Springs. Info: ccityopera.org.

Atlanta Festival Academy Shining Stars

Saturday, July 27, 7 p.m. This fundraising concert for the 2019 Atlanta Festival Academy features young musicians. Tickets: $35$60. Byers Theatre, City Springs. 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs. Info: citysprings.com/events.

Visual Arts Student & Faculty Juried Exhibition

Through Saturday, Aug. 24, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Spruill Arts displays artwork from its students and instructors during its

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annual juried exhibition. Spruill Gallery, 4681 Ashford-Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody. Info: spruillarts.org.

Books & Authors For the Good of the Game

Wednesday, July 10, 7:30 p.m. Bud Selig, the former Commissioner of Baseball who held the job for more than 20 years, will discuss and sign copies of his new book, “For the Good of the Game: The Inside Story of the Surprising and Dramatic Transformation of Major League Baseball” as part of the Page from the Book Festival of the MJCCA. $35, includes hardcover book copy. MJCCA, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody. Info: atlantajcc.org/bookfestival or 678-812-4002.

For Families and Kids

Free Soccer Tournament

Friday, June 28, 5-8:30 p.m. The Cross Keys Sustainable Neighborhood Initiative (CKSNI) hosts its 4th Annual CKSNI Soccer Tournament. This free event will feature soccer games for organized teams and individuals aged 5-7 and 8-10 as well as free food, giveaways and community fair with organizations working in the Cross Keys cluster and Buford Highway Corridor. Register by June 26. Dresden Park, 2301 Dresden Drive, Chamblee. Info: 770-936-0969.

Mumferd Learns

Friday, June 28; July 12, 3-4 p.m. Kaiser Permanente’s Educational Theater teaches water safety June 26 and exercise July 12. Free. Sandy Springs Branch Library, 395 Mt Vernon Highway, Atlanta. Info: afpls.org/events/events-calendar or LibraryComments@fultoncountyga. gov.

Touch a Truck

Saturday, June 29, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Police cars, fire trucks and more will be on for children to see up-close. Free. Blackburn Park, 3493 AshfordDunwoody Road, Brookhaven. Info: brookhavenga.gov.

Make a Straw Rocket

Tuesday, July 9, 3-4 p.m. Create your own rocket ship out of paper and straws, then see how far you can make it soar! Free. For ages 5-12 years old. Registration re-

quired. Dunwoody Library, 5339 Chamblee-Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody. Info events.dekalblibrary. org/event/1955682 or 770-512-4640

Family Bird Walk

Friday, July 19, 9-10:30a.m. Learn to use binoculars and birdwatch, and make a seed-on-a-pinecone bird-feeder to take home. Meet in the pavilion. Free, registration requested. Morgan Falls Overlook Park, 200 Morgan Falls Road, Sandy Springs. Info: registration.sandyspringsga.gov

Pocahontas!

Friday, July 26, 3 p.m. Serenbe Playhouse presents a special performance of Pocahontas, as she awaits to share the tale of her beautiful, beloved homeland. Ages 3 and older. Free. Sandy Springs Branch Library, 395 Mount Vernon Highway, Sandy Springs. Info: afpls.org/ events/events-calendar or LibraryComments@fultoncountyga.gov.

Outdoor Fun Stand Up for the Hooch

Sunday, June 23, 7a.m. – 12:30 p.m. The 8th annual Stand Up for the Hooch race features 2-mile and 6-mile races and a free kids’ race. All ages and ability levels are welcome. This year’s event benefits the Sandy Springs Recreation and Parks Scholarships. $45. Morgan Falls Overlook Park, 200 Morgan Falls Road, Sandy Springs. Info: highcountryoutfitters. com.

High Country SUP Yoga

Sunday, July 7, 21, 8:30 a.m. & 10:30 a.m. A lesson in a combination of yoga and stand up paddle boarding. $35, registration required. Overlook Paddle Shack, 200 Morgan Falls Road, Sandy Springs. Info: highcountryoutfitters.com/

Community Bike Ride

Sunday, July 7, 2:45-4 p.m. Dunwoody’s monthly community bike ride takes place on the first Sunday of each month through November, sponsored by Bike Walk Dunwoody. The route is a 4.5-mile loop around Dunwoody with mostly right turns. Helmets are required and a bicycle with gears is recommended. Village Burger, 1426 Dunwoody Village Parkway, Dunwoody. Info: bikewalkdunwoody.org.

With dining this good your friends may show up at lunchtime and stay through dinner. Once upon a time, dining at a retirement community did not bring forth words of praise. But not so any more. At The Piedmont at Buckhead the reviews for our restaurant-style dining are in, and they range from wow! to yummmmmm! Call us to set up a time and taste for yourself.

Lunch & Learn

Wednesday, July 17th • 11:30am

Join us for a complimentary lunch learn more about the engaging lifestyle offered at The Piedmont. To reserve your place, please call 404.381.1743.

It’s a great way to get to know us.

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

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

10 | 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 Phone: 404-917-2200 • Fax: 404-917-2201 Brookhaven Reporter | Buckhead Reporter Dunwoody Reporter | Sandy Springs Reporter www.ReporterNewspapers.net Atlanta INtown www.AtlantaINtownPaper.com Atlanta Senior Life www.AtlantaSeniorLife.com

C O N TAC 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 Creative and Production Creative Director Rico Figliolini rico@reporternewspapers.net Graphic Designer Julie Murcia 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 Contributors Robin Conte, Katia Martinez, Phil Mosier, Carol Niemi, Judith Schonbak, Jaclyn Turner

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Commentary Sharing and responding to your questions about the Ga. 400 Express Lanes Earlier this year, the Georgia Department of Transportation hosted five Public Information Open Houses to provide project information and solicit public comments on the State Route 400 Express Lanes project. We welcomed more than 1,200 attendees and received more than 500 comments. We are grateful to those who attended to provide this valuable feedback. Additionally, a number of questions were posed during and after these meetings. Georgia DOT is committed to responding to those questions and keeping the public informed. An official response is nearing completion and will be posted to the project webpage: dot.ga.gov/DS/GEL/ SR400. Many of you told us that you preferred transit alternatives over the proposed express lanes. Georgia DOT agrees that transit solutions are critical to the region and Georgia’s future. There is shared vision by MARTA, The ATL, Fulton County, State Road and Tollway Authority and Georgia DOT that the SR 400 Express Lanes will provide for transit opportunities in a new manner. This opportunity may be referred to as Express Lanes Transit (ELT). Georgia DOT is supporting this opportunity by constructing the Express lanes to accommodate future ELT stations along SR 400 that tie directly to MARTA’s North Springs Station. This work is being funded by $100 million of transit bonds, which were approved by the General Assembly and Gov. Nathan Deal in 2018. Think of the ELT future as an extension of MARTA’s Red Line minus the rails.

The express lanes provide reliable trip times for ELT riders, as well as for motorists who choose to use the lanes. The lanes are managed by dynamic, demand-based pricing to mitigate congestion in the lanes – as demand during peak hours increases, so does the price; as demand falls, the price falls. A network of express lanes on I-75, I-85, along I-285 and SR 400 will ultimately serve millions of motorists and transit users throughout the metro Atlanta region, providing reliable trip times to you, your neighbors and those in neighboring communities. Transit users will only pay their transit fare regardless of the price in the express lanes. Benefits of express lanes are proven. Four existing express lane corridors are currently in operation in Georgia. Since opening last September, travel times in the Northwest Corridor Express Lanes along I-75 and I-575 are 30 percent faster than the general-purpose lanes during peak travel times, and the general-purpose lanes are seeing travel as much as 20 mph faster during peak times. As a result, rush hours in Cobb and Cherokee counties have been reduced by over an hour during the morning and evening commutes, benefitting motorists and bus transit riders alike. More efficient and faster highways can mean fewer motorists bypassing those congested roads on surface streets in your community. The Georgia DOT has attended or held approximately 150 presentations and meetings to share information and seek input. These meetings have been attended by thousands of residents like you, and I’m

proud of the extensive efforts to work with the community. We’ve received comments reRussell McMurry, P.E., is garding commissioner of the the properGeorgia Department ty acquisiof Transportation. tion process, noise barriers and potential impacts to schools, access points, elevated structures and environmental questions. These comments are reviewed and we strive to address the concerns such to minimize all impacts. This is often an iterative process where one solution may cause another impact. Our goal is to achieve the best project with the fewest impacts. Express lanes, which provide improved mobility for users and non-users, can also serve as a backbone for future transit options -- and do so at the best value. For example, a similar 16mile investment for heavy rail in the corridor could cost as much as $500 million a mile, almost seven times the cost of the 400 Express Lane project, which also provides for a transit corridor. We pledge to continue providing the best information available throughout this process, which includes more public meetings. As the project’s design concepts develop, we will continue to release new information and continue to meet with stakeholders to ensure the best possible project is delivered for the region and Georgia.

Reporter Newspapers wins 15 Georgia Press awards Reporter Newspapers won 15 awards — including eight first-place honors in its division — in the Georgia Press Association’s 2019 Better Newspaper Contest, whose winners were announced May 31. The awards honored work that appeared in the Brookhaven, Buckhead, Dunwoody and Sandy Springs newspapers. The awards recognized all types of the Reporter’s journalism work, from opinion columns to newspaper design to in-depth reporting. The Reporter’s first-place honorees included: ■ Managing Editor John Ruch for Investigative Reporting for stories that revealed secret city discussions about affordable housing policies and north end redevelopment in Sandy Springs; and Business Writing for stories in the Perimeter Business section and an exposé of “safest cities” website rankings. Ruch

also won third place in Breaking News Writing. ■ “Robin’s Nest” columnist Robin Conte for best Lifestyle/Feature Column. She also won awards in the Humorous Column and Serious Column categories. ■ Photographer Phil Mosier for News Photo and Spot News Photo for work that appeared in the Dunwoody Reporter. ■ Creative Director Rico Figliolini for Page One design. He also won second place for Layout and Design. ■ The staff for Local News Coverage. ■ The staff for best Newspaper Website. Editor-at-Large Joe Earle, who writes the “Around Town” column, won second place in the Lifestyle/Features Column category. Staff writer Evelyn Andrews won third place in the Feature Writing cate-

gory for stories about efforts to preserve a historic African American church in Buckhead; the rehabilitation of the Atlanta History Center’s “Battle of Atlanta” Cyclorama painting; and a Sandy Springs Police Department program that rescues stranded motorists. Andrews was named a “Rising Star” earlier this year by the Atlanta Press Club in a separate contest. The Reporter staff also took second place in the General Excellence category. The GPA, founded in 1887, is an organization of Georgia newspapers. Its Better Newspaper Contest is statewide and was judged by members of out-of-state press associations. Entries were judged in seven divisions based on the newspapers’ circulation. Reporter Newspapers was judged in the division that includes weekly newspapers with a circulation above 15,000 and the GPA’s “associate media members.”

JULY 2019

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At a coffeehouse, you are what you drink A few years ago, Starbucks introduced a new caffeinated beverage, which they call the “Flat White.” When I saw that, I thought, “Great. Now they’ve come up with a drink that describes me in two words.” But I was intrigued by my newly discovered doppelganger in espresso form and decided to learn more. It turns out that (according to the Starbucks website) this drink is composed of “expertly steamed milk poured over ristretto shots of espresso and finished with a Starbucks signature dot.” Ristretto, by the way, is a shot of espresso made with the normal amount of coffee but extracted using less water, resulting in what is known -- by those who know these things -- as a “short shot” of espresso. Furthermore, I am pleased to report, also according to Starbucks a Flat White is the “coffee connoisseur’s choice” and it is “expertly handcrafted for a genuine Flat White experience.” So really, that does sound a lot like me. For one thing, at 5-feet-and-a-half-inch, I am quite the short shot. I am easily, if not expertly, steamed (by drivers blocking the intersection, kids spilling backpacks and dirty socks all over the kitchen... it doesn’t take much ), and although I don’t have that signature dot, I do have a signature nervous tic. Moreover, anyone who meets me is guaranteed to have a genuine Flat White experience. Yes, I do consider myself a coffee connoisseur, and in my opinion, the Flat White is cappuccino done right. This whole exercise got me thinking some more until I eventually came up with a postulation: Just as dogs are said to resemble their owners (and vice versa), I think that caffeinated beverages often resemble those who drink them. We merely need to come up with some more descriptive titles. In fact, there is a vast potential for coffeehouse beverage names that would aptly describe the drinker, or perhaps reveal something Robin Conte lives with of the drinker’s personality. her husband in an empHere are a few examples: ty nest in Dunwoody. The Snarky Ristretto: A short shot of jolting java, pulled by highly trained baristas and delivered like a bracing slap of aftershave to those who want to start their day with biting humor. The Cheap Shot: Like the Snarky Ristretto, but more intense. The Double Chocolatey Chip Crème Frappuccino Blended Meme: Interlaced layers of cream and sugar, topped with sugar-infused cream and drizzles of chocolate-flavored sugar, caressed with a hint of mocha and a dollop of cultural milieu, for Instagramming teens. Magic Chocolate Screamelatta: A soothing blend of crushed ice, sweet cream and potently dark cocoa powder, empathetically shaken and poured over a double shot of rum, for mothers with screaming toddlers. The Skinny Screamelatta: The same as above, without the ice, cream or cocoa powder. Espresso con Panna Allegro con Tutti: A double shot of exclusively procured and painstakingly roasted espresso with perfect peaks of micro-foamed and nimbly aerated cream, crafted in under 60 seconds, for coffee snobs in a hurry. So, my fellow coffee aficionados, you can play, too. As you sip your brew of choice, consider a few things. For instance, who’s drinking the Emo Blend? Brooding connoisseurs under the age of 23, who want to enjoy the deepest, darkest coffee offered and charge it to their father’s credit card? Then go back to your own coffee and consider this: What’s in your cup?

20 W i To GA & 19, nn p Pr 20 20 er C e 1 18 ol ss 7 um A ni ssn st !

Robin’s Nest

Read Robin Conte’s debut book ‘The Best of the Nest’ “The Best of the Nest” offers 49 of Reporter Newspapers columnist Robin Conte’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 2017, 2018 and 2019 and first-place for Humorous column in 2018 from the Georgia Press Association.

Order the book at bestofthenest.net Follow Robin’s book-related appearances at robinconte.com.

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A family that plays together in the Ultimate game After Fred Perivier graduated from college in 1979, he bought a motorcycle and headed to Atlanta to visit some friends and look for a job. He was sleeping on a couch in a house in Sandy Springs, he said, when he decided to put a personal ad in the daily paper seeking others who played a Frisbee-based game he’d learned at school. It didn’t take long for someone to tell him about a group that regularly got together to play the sport then known as Ultimate Frisbee and now simply as Ultimate. They gathered at Piedmont Park or at Emory. There weren’t many of them. The game, having sprung up at a New Jersey high school only about a decade earlier, was just too new. “When I first moved to Atlanta, there were about 40 players in town,” the 61-year-old Perivier said recently. “Back then, the community was very tight because there were so few people. For me, at least, some of my oldest friends are guys are I played with, guys from the ’80s. We still have that bond.”

H IGH

Perivier became a fixture in metro Atlanta’s Ulimate world, which proponents of the sport say has grown to about 3,000 players on a dozen club teams, 30 high school teams and a dozen college teams. In the early ’80s, he played on Chain Lightning, an Ultimate club team that represented Atlanta in tournaments across the Southeast and the country. They traveled to matches in communities spread from Florida to Wisconsin and Boston to San Francisco. One year, they played in 15 tournaments, he said. “I remember one year, Delta [Air Lines] had a big sale and you could go anywhere in the country for 150 bucks,” he said. “We all bought tickets to go to tournaments.” Perivier played an important role in Ultimate’s growth off the field, too. He helped create the Atlanta Flying Disc Club and coached teams at Georgia Tech and in local public schools. He no longer plays the game, but still coaches Lakeside High’s team.

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Around Town Joe Earle is editor-at-large at Reporter Newspapers and has lived in metro Atlanta for over 30 years. He can be reached at joeearle@reporternewspapers.net

From left, Jacques and Fred Perivier.

His entire family has grown roots deep into the Ultimate world, as well. He met his wife playing the game. His three children – Jacques, 22, Laurence, 20, and Marie, 18 – all play on Georgia college teams, and Marie recently was named a runner-up for the national Rookie of the Year title. Jacques, who plays for Georgia College and on the semi-pro team the Atlanta Hustle, said he’s been playing the sport since he was in sixth grade. His dad was his coach then. “I’ve been around it my entire life,” he said over a lunch with his dad recently. He grew up in north DeKalb County. His family regularly tossed a Frisbee around the cul-de-sac. He kept playing through high school, college and plans to keep going on post-college teams. “I love the camaraderie, just having a team,” Jacques said. “I enjoy the community aspect.” When Jacques was younger, he had to choose between soccer and Ultimate. He chose to stay with Ultimate because he thought he’d could play the game longer before he aged out, he said. After all, his dad played on senior teams into his fifties. “I can keep going in Ultimate,” Jacques said. “With soccer, as an adult, unless you’re really good, it’s all in casual pick-up play. I like the competitive aspects. I like to compete. You can still compete in Ultimate at a high level.” The Periviers also argue that unlike many other American team sports, Ulti-

JOE EARLE

mate has built into its very fabric a sense of what can only be called honor. There are no refs. Players call any fouls themselves. They call it “Spirit of the Game,” and it’s written into the rules. Perhaps it’s a holdover from the sports early, tiedyed days, but players are charged with being honest and telling the truth. “It really works well,” Fred said, although Jacques said he’d just as soon have refs to help keep things under control. They seem to agree that even though their young sport is growing, the idea of tossing a Frisbee up and down a field for points still seems strange to a lot of fans of other, more familiar games. Those folks, they say, don’t show Ultimate any respect. “You don’t get teased for playing soccer,” Jacques said. Ultimate, it appears, may still something of a PR problem. In June, Jacques and Marie were to play in an exhibition at St. Pius X High School intended to promote the game and to attract more minority players. “You ask nine out of 10 people what Ultimate Frisbee is, they’ll say, ‘That’s what the dogs do, isn’t it?’ Fred said. “Some people … say, ‘That’s not a sport,” Jacques chimed in, “It’s just a bunch of hippies out there.” “That changes when once they see it,” Fred said. “I’m going to say, once they get out there and try it,” Jacques said, the desire for competition showing in his smile.

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JULY 2019 ■ www.ReporterNewspapers.net

Hotel, restaurant/retail development proposed near I-285 BY DYANA BAGBY dyanabagby@reporternewspapers.net

A developer is seeking to build a mixed-use development on nearly 4 acres of undeveloped land in Dunwoody at the intersection of Ravinia Parkway and Ashford-Dunwoody Road, between the I-285 interchange and Perimeter Center’s Crowne Plaza hotel. The proposed development would include a 42,500-square-foot restaurant and retail space that would be 1 to 2 stories tall and a maximum 10-story hotel catering to business travelers, according to the rezoning application filed with the city. The hotel is planned to be built at the rear of the development, near I-285. A 3-story parking deck would be built in the internal area of the project, with 2 stories underground. The proposed development’s proximity to the I-285 interchange, where the Georgia Department of Transportation is planning to build elevated toll lanes, is being considered as the project moves forward, according to an attorney representing the developer. The applicant, GMC Real Estate Acquisitions, recently filed docuCITY OF DUNWOODY ments with the city seeking to rezone the property from office, commerAn illustration of the proposed mixed-use development at 11 Ravinia Parkway near the I-285 interchange. cial and residential (OCR) to Perimeter Center 2, a district included in the Perimeter Center Overlay. Ashford-Dunwoody Road have experienced tremendous growth over the past 40 years, Attorney Alex Brock, representing the applicant, said at the June 3 Dunwoody Homethis site “has remained idle,” according to the applicant. owners Association meeting that the developer is in talks with the city and GDOT about The 2004 the property was rezoned from office industrial to OCR, but with many conthe planned construction of the I-285 top end toll lanes, which could be built yards from ditions including limiting building height to 2 stories without a special land use permit. the proposed development. GDOT’s preliminary plans do not include taking any right of This zoning resulted in the land not being developed, according to the letter of intent. way from that site, Brock said. However, the plans are not finalized, he added. “The current proposal seeks to rectify this misstep and allow an attractive developBrock said plans are for the rezoning request to go the Planning Commission and City ment in one of Dunwoody’s leading areas,” says the letter of intent. Council in August. By bringing the zoning up to PC-2 standards, the proposed development includes The site with the official address of 11 Ravinia Parkway was originally zoned as part of plans for pedestrian connectivity, activated streetscapes as well as keeping a portion of the overall Ravinia development in 1982 and then rezoned for commercial and retail in the property as greenspace, according to the letter of intent. 2004, according to the application. While the area surrounding Perimeter Mall and along

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A new Dunwoody mixed-use development on 10 acres in the heart of Perimeter Center is expected to break ground early next year, anchored by a grocery store and including restaurants, retail space, a bank and a gas station. A stormwater detention pond popular with migrating Canada geese will be paved over for a parking lot as part of the redevelopment. The Dunwoody City Council voted 6-1 at its June 10 meeting to approve the Branch Properties’ “Perimeter Marketplace” project to be built at the former dining hub at the intersection of Ashford-Dunwoody and Meadow Lane roads, where now only a P.F. Chang’s restaurant remains open. P.F. Chang’s is expected to relocate into one of the new restaurant buildings as part of the project. Supporters of the project on the council say the new shopping center will revitalize the mostly vacant area, which fronts a major city thoroughfare. The project also includes adding a stretch of the long-planned planned Ashford-Dunwoody Road commuter trail, improving the streetscapes along the roads surrounding the development, and building a new public road connecting Meadow Lane to Ashford Parkway. And while the pond may be popular with geese and ducks, some city officials say it is dirty and unsightly and takes away from the look of a modern urban center. Opponents said the project destroys green space by paving a pond to put in a parking lot, among other issues. The developer did agree to preserve about 1 acre as a temporary pocket park, but has plans to build a hotel there. Councilmember Tom Lambert, who cast the lone “no” vote, said Perimeter Marketplace does not conform to the Perimeter Center Overlay the council approved in 2017. That plan includes zoning conditions intended to promote “live-work” redevelopments including multiuse residential and emphasizing walkability. “This is a car-centric development, not people-centric,” Lambert said. Community Development Director Richard McLeod acknowledged the project was like “ramming a square peg into a round hole.” Branch Properties was asked to rezone the property to meet the new Perimeter Center Overlay standards but is not required to do so. Instead the developers received major modifications to the original commercial zoning, which only allowed four restaurants and prohibited paving the pond. Because the project includes plans that are consistent with the overlay’s streetscape, building a portion of the Ashford-Dunwoody Road commuter trail and includes connectivity, it is consistent with the overlay, said city planner John Olson. Branch attorney Laurel David said when the developer first started planning the project last August, it considered rezoning the property to PC-2, which is designated as primarily for employment uses, residential buildings, and limited retail and services. “Branch wanted to build mixed-use with apartments, a parking deck, retail … and that allows for more open space,” she said. “You can’t [financially] support a parking deck with an office building. What is left is retail and restaurants. And we all know what the appetite [in Dunwoody] is for multifamily, so they didn’t pursue that.”

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JULY 2019 â&#x2013; www.ReporterNewspapers.net

Dunwoody Salutes America Parade JULY 4TH 2019 PRESENTING SPONSORS HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DUNWOODY!

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16 |

2019 GRAND MARSHAL The Dunwoody Police Department

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Billy Grogan, Chief of Police

The Dunwoody Police Department recently celebrated its 10th Anniversary as a department. We held an Open House as a way to say thank you to our citizens for their unwavering and continued support throughout the years. The department started out with 40 sworn officers and eight civilians. Today, we have 62 sworn officers and 14 civilian employees. From Day One, we have tried to only hire staff members that are interested in a career of service. Employees who understand the importance of working together with the community. Employees that treat people fairly and with empathy and compassion. We have a department full of people who understand that our core values are more than words written on a sheet of paper. Our core values represent who we are as people. We are dedicated to continuing to provide a high level of service to our community, and with the help of our citizens, we will continue to be successful.

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Parade start Kids Zone National Anthe m, sung by Jessica Iovanella 116th Army National Guard Marching Band Georgia Sensation Chorus Parade winners announced

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SPECIAL FLOATS AND MUSIC Special floats and vehicles this year include: Oscar Meyer Weiner Mobile Nocturnal Pirates of Atlanta

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Atholl Highlanders Bagpipes Atlanta Drum Academy Dunwoody High School Marching Band Georgia Sensation Chorus Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corps

Eyeglasses collection

Bring your used eyeglasses to the parade for recycling! Fifteen international youth ambassadors attending the Georgia Lions Youth Exchange Camp will march in with the Atlanta Lions Club. Look for the colorful flags of the world as the students will be parading with their national flags, along with eyeglass collection boxes. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like us to pick up your eyeglasses, contact Becky Jarrell at beckyjarrell@gmail.com or 770-355-7726. You can also find Lions Eyeglass Collection Boxes at Dunwoody businesses and pools in July.

Food pantry collection

Dunwoody Boy Scout Troop 764 will be pushing shopping carts along the parade route, collecting food donations for the Community Assistance Center Food Pantry. Most-need items include canned meats and fish; canned pasta; canned vegetables; canned or packaged fruits; and cereal.

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Adoptable dogs

LifeLine Animal Project is the beneficiary of an event organized by local Girl Scout Sophia Sparks, who will have adoptable dogs in the parade, and an informational tent and a portrait photo booth for attendees and their dogs at the festival. Photos will be $15. Monetary donations for the DeKalb County Animal Shelter also will be accepted.

ENTERTAINMENT AND FOOD Before and during the parade

Renasant Bank, 1449 Dunwoody Village Parkway, will have a tent with free face-painting, free water and doughnuts, and a cornhole game.

Festival after the parade

Music from the 116th National Army Guard Marching Band and Georgia Sensation Chorus Kids zone with inflatables Food: Barbecue for sale from Boy Scout Troop 266; hotdogs and sausages for sale from the Rotary Club of Dunwoody; frozen pops for sale from Steel Pops; beer for purchase from Moondog Growlers.

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18 |

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JULY 2019 ■ www.ReporterNewspapers.net

Mayor, councilmember differ on DeKalb ambulance service BY DYANA BAGBY dyanabagby@reporternewspapers.net

The city’s current mayor and the councilmember running to replace him are expressing vastly different opinions on DeKalb County’s EMS service following the county’s decision this month to extend its contract with controversial ambulance provider American Medical Response through September. The contract was scheduled to end June 30. Councilmember and mayoral candidate Terry Nall continues to beat the drum that AMR’s slow response times in Dunwoody violates the county’s contractual agreement with the city. Adding another six months to AMR’s contract means delayed responses to emergency calls will add up even more, he said, and could put people’s lives at risk. The extension also strengthens his argument Dunwoody should be part of a separate EMS zone, he added. Mayor Denis Shortal, who is not seeking re-election, said he questions the validity of response times being the only criteria to judge the county’s EMS service. He said he believes the city now has the best ambulance coverage in its history with three full-time ambulances stationed in the city and one stationed in the city on weekdays during peak hours. He said he has no problem with the contract extension as long as it ensures the best provider is selected and ready to provide service immediately. Added to this dispute between Shortal and Nall is the recent suggestion by the Sandy Springs fire chief that municipalities wanting to improve ambulance response times consider paying more for additional ambulances. Sandy Springs also contracts with AMR and Sandy Springs City Council approved spending $260,00 per year for five years to add three ambulances to keep up with demand. Nall said he would never support paying DeKalb County or AMR “any amount of money” because it is up to the county to meet its contractual agreement with the city for ambulance response times. “DeKalb County has a contract performance failure with Dunwoody. There is no way I would support paying DeKalb County or AMR any amount of money,” he said. “DeKalb County must fulfill its contractual obligations. The county is not meeting its contractual obligations for ambulance response times.” Shortal, on the other hand, said he is not willing to take anything off the table, including the city subsidizing additional ambulances. “Well, I hope we don’t have to do that, but I’m not ruling that out,” he said. “You can’t put a cost on a human life.” Dunwoody has been voicing its concerns with AMR’s slow response times since 2016. In response to the complaints, the state EMS Council overseeing DeKalb last year appointed an ad-hoc committee to review DeKalb County’s EMS services and the city’s request for its own EMS zone. The committee is scheduled to meet again July 18 at Dunwoody City Hall. AMR’s original contract expired Dec. 31, but was extended through June 30 as a

new request for proposal was drawn up. The RFPs were made public in March and in May three companies submitted bids: AMR, Grady EMS and PatientCare Logistics Solutions. Original plans were to have the Board of Commissioners vote on an ambulance service contract in June. More time is needed for an evaluation committee to review the complicated bids submitted, according to DeKalb officials. Hoping to address immediate concerns, the city entered into a memorandum of understanding, or MOU, with the county to establish response times: nine minutes or less on 90 percent of calls to life-threatening emergencies, and 15 minutes or less on 90 percent of calls for less serious emergencies. Since that time, Shortal, who worked out the MOU with DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond, has split from the rest of the council on wanting to create a separate EMS zone. Nall said records show AMR has failed to meet those response times every month since the MOU was implemented. “I do not see that DeKalb County has taken any steps to bring its contract with Dunwoody into compliance,” Nall said. “It’s time we formally call out DeKalb County as in default of its MOU and report the same to the EMS Council and its ad-hoc committee. “It’s time we turn up our call for a new ambulance zone to serve Dunwoody under the state statute,” he added. “We owe it to our residents, businesses, and daytime 120,000 visitors to provide improved ambulance services.” Councilmember Lynn Deutsch said she supports a three-tiered approach to resolving Dunwoody’s issues with DeKalb’s ambulance services: continue to push the county and AMR and live up to its contractual agreement; subsidizing an additional ambulance to enhance service delivery; and, in the long term, creating a smaller EMS zone with other municipalities. “It’s unbelievable to me that we have a clearly defined problem with ambulance response in a very large county ... and there doesn’t seem to be any urgency to fix it from anyone except the City Council,” she said. Subsiding ambulances with whomever the next ambulance provider is could be the way the county resolves the issue. As part of the RFP, the county included a provision to allow the provider to create service areas to give municipalities or other portions of the county that desire additional service to pay for supplemental service. Dunwoody City Manager Eric Linton said the MOU between DeKalb and the city on ambulance response times is a binding agreement that means there would be no payment for additional services to meet those times. “We do not intend to pay more for service that’s already part of our agreement. We continue to work with the Region 3 EMS Council, the Ad Hoc Committee and DeKalb County to get the best level of service for the city of Dunwoody,” Linton said.

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20 | Community

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U.S. Rep. McBath talks impeachment, gun control at town hall BY DYANA BAGBY dyanabagby@reporternewspapers.net

U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath stressed the importance of bipartisanship in Washington, D.C., at her June 8 town hall at Dunwoody High School, on everything from gun control to climate change. But she was forced to tackle a very partisan issue when a woman who described herself as a “staunch” McBath supporter asked her why she was not calling for impeachment proceedings against President Trump. “It troubles me to have to stand up and say that I’m concerned about that with you ... ,” the woman said in the second question of the town hall. “How long can you go before you stand up say the House has a job to do and you need to have hearings?” McBath, who sits on the Judiciary Committee, said hearings are coming, but stressed there is a “tedious process” that must be followed. The impeachment process begins in the House, where a vote on an article of impeachment is taken. If a majority of the House approves an article of impeachment, the process then moves to the Senate where a trial is held. Many political experts agree a Republican-controlled Senate — where a two-thirds vote is needed to remove the president — would not vote to impeach Trump. “I am absolutely furious about what is happening in this country. I am furious at the lack of accountability of this administration. I am furious about their inability to be forthcoming with the truth,” McBath answered. The recent report from former special counsel Robert Mueller about his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, McBath said, provides proof that there has been “obstructive behavior by this administration in concealing the truth.” “I know everybody wants it to happen overnight, but there is a process we have to follow. That process is tedious,” she said. “I am angry, and I am upset. ... If it comes to a point of an impeachment inquiry, you can trust your representatives will do their jobs.”

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McBath narrowly defeated Republican Karen Handel last year for the 6th Congressional seat, a seat held for decades by Republicans and includes portions of Dunwoody, Sandy Springs and Brookhaven. Handel is hopDYANA BAGBY ing to win back U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath (D-Marietta) addressed a crowd of some 200 people at her June 8 town hall at Dunwoody High School. the seat next year and has shored up major Republican support. There are three other Republicans are vying for the Republican nomination for a chance to go against McBath, including state Sen. Brandon Beach of Alpharetta. McBath started off the town hall discussing gun control, the issue that catapulted her into the national spotlight after her teen son, Jordan, was killed in 2012 at a Florida gas station by a white gunman who complained he and his friends were playing their music too loud. McBath noted she and many others in the crowd were wearing orange shirts to memorialize those killed by gun violence. The House has passed a law for stricter background checks, but it remains stalled in the Senate, she said. McBath said she is a “strong supporter of the Second Amendment” but believes in balancing those rights with “sensible gun laws.” She also blamed the NRA gun lobby for creating an “extremist gun culture” over the past 25-30 years.

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Special Section | 21

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Home & Real Estate A QUARTERLY SPECIAL SECTION

A guide to home security camera options BY KATIA MARTINEZ The security camera market is changing, with more options now allowing residents to control and install their own equipment. But the new options also bring more confusion about what is right choice for securing a home. Here’s a guide on how to pick a home security system. Two main companies provide self-installed cameras that can be monitored on a smartphone or other device. Nest’s cameras retail from $200 to $300 each. Ring’s cameras come at a similar price, except for its doorbell camera, which retails for $99. The cameras can be self-installed, but professional installation is recommended for some situations, such as use in older homes. Ring and Nest can also provide professional monitoring service to call dispatchers. Nest charges $30 per month for that, and Ring charges $10 per month. Pricing varies much more for traditional security companies, and it often depends heavily on how much work has to be done to get the property prepared for installation. Alarm companies typically come out to a property and design a personalized system. Companies will often provide free quotes, however. Most alarms fall into two categories: motion sensors and sound sensors. Most operate in similar ways by simply detecting motion or sound, which is why false alarms can be easy to trigger. However, older systems often don’t have the equipment to record and store audio or video content to transmit it to emergency call centers, for instance when verification is required, such as by the city of Sandy Springs.

Should homeowners stick with a traditional system or try a new doorbell camera system?

“That really depends entirely on what the client needs,” said April Chastain, the director of operations for Owen Security Solutions, a locally-owned North Georgia home security company. “We try to work with each client to find exactly what works for them.” Chastain said the Owen Security doesn’t want customers paying for something they won’t use, and sometimes a smart home system isn’t particularly viable. “Not everyone can afford these kinds of systems and it’s not always the right choice,” she said. “If you’re not going to use all the pieces of a smart home system, then you probably don’t need a smart home system.” Owen Security installs Nest and countless other kinds of systems, and said it is hard

to nail down how expensive an installation would be. Each package is tailormade for that client, but they are offering Sandy Springs residents discounts on packages that include the video verification, Chastain said. The discount varies from project to project, so Chastain was unable to give an amount. There has also been concern among residents about the ability to hack into a smart home system. However, Chastain said she doesn’t think that should be a concern and that any kinks in smart home systems have been worked out long before this ordinance was initiated. “These systems are so encrypted that I don’t really see how someone can hack into them anymore,” she said. “These are people’s homes, and security companies are here to protect them. It’s our jobs.”

If I have a system, is it good enough?

Dunwoody Police Sgt. Robert Parsons suggests homeowners select video verification instead of primarily audio verification systems. “While we do not endorse any specific alarm system or product, certainly ones that offer cameras can make our jobs easier should something happen,” said Parsons, who uses one himself. Chastain recommends that larger properties have a more thorough camera system, and isn’t sure one doorbell camera would be enough. “We recommend at least three cameras per property,” Chastain said. “That ensures that you’re covering your basic needs.”

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22 | Real Estate

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With tiny homes, the trend toward smaller living continues to grow BY COLLIN KELLEY Hundreds of the tiny home curious flocked to Atlantic Station last month for the annual Tiny Home Festival. While the movement toward smaller living has been making headlines for years, the interest has not waned and seems to be gaining new ground. The City of Atlanta recently passed a zoning ordinances allowing homeowners to build multiple units on one parcel land, paving the way for tiny homes Intown. One nearby community that is embracing the tiny home movement is set to be a template for future developments. On May 7, the City of Clarkston unanimously voted to approve a first of its kind tiny home development. The project, “The Cottages on Vaughan” is situated on a half-acre lot centrally located one block from downtown Clarkston, and will include eight tiny homes on permanent foundations, ranging from 250-492 square feet. Continued on page 24

Above and right, hundreds of small living enthusiasts flocked to Atlantic Station recently for the Tiny House Festival. Photos by Asep Mawardi

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Real Estate | 23

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24 | Real Estate Continued from page 22 “We are proud to partner with the MicroLife Institute on this innovative new approach to housing,” said City of Clarkston Mayor, Ted Terry. “We recognize that the past 50 years of urban sprawl has segregated communities, contributed to global warming, and exacerbated housing inequality. By experimenting and innovating with new development ordinances, we are able to allow a greater range of housing options.” Clarkston City Councilmember Jamie Carroll has high hopes for the development as well. “I hope that other cities will look at our tiny home ordinance and this development and see that it is possible to create a housing landscape that allows for home owner-

Facebook.com/TheReporterNewspapers ■ twitter.com/Reporter_News ship to come in all shapes and sizes.” The developer, MicroLife Institute, is an Atlanta-based nonprofit working to create micro-communities. “This project will be a proof of concept for us,” MicroLife Institute cofounder Kim Bucciero said. “There is a lot of interest and movement towards tiny homes and cottage homes, but many developers are hesitant to enter the market. Our hope is that this project will encourage other municipalities and private developers to experiment with new, innovate development paradigms and learn from this great case study.” For more about the Clarkston development, visit microlifeinstitute.org/ Clarkston.

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Education | 25

JULY 2019 ■ www.ReporterNewspapers.net

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Education Briefs ATL A N TA I N T ER N ATI ON A L SC H O OL N A M ES TOP GR A D UATES

Atlanta International School has named its valedictorian and salutatorian for 2019. Yannie Tan was named valedictorian, and Justin Chau was named salutatorian.

TH E WEBER S CH OOL PA R T N ER S WI TH LO S N I N O S PR I MERO

In a collaboration of Sandy Springs institutions, the Weber School has partnered with Los Niños Primero, which assists underserved Latino preschool children, helping raise funds for the program and collaborating with students. “The Weber School has become a tremendous partner to us in supporting our efforts year round and helping us deepen our ties to the Sandy Springs community,” Los Niños Primero Executive Director Maritza Morelli said in the release. Los Niños Primero was formed in 2001 by members of Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church to prepare preschoolers from the growing Latino population in Sandy Springs. Many Latino students who, according to national data, enter kindergarten already lagging a year behind their peers, the organization said. Los Niños Primero, which was honored at the 2019 Sandy Springs MLK celebration, has been partnering with The Weber School for the last two years, the release said. Weber, a private Jewish school in Sandy Springs, has helped fundraise for LNP’s classroom furnishings and soccer programs. Weber and LNP students also came together to design and paint a mural on an LNP classroom’s walls that honors the cultural roots and bilingual identity of the Sandy Springs Latino community. The Weber School hosted a breakfast between students in advanced Spanish courses and mothers of LNP students. Students practiced their Spanish in a real-world setting while LNP mothers shared their perspective on life and motherhood, the release said. “Working with the children, families,

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SC HO O L D ISTR ICTS A P P RO VE, PR EPAR E 2020 B U D G ETS

The Atlanta, DeKalb and Fulton school districts approved or proposed budgets for next year that will bring teacher pay raises. Atlanta Public Schools Board of Education approved its budget June 3. The $854 million budget would provide $2,000 raises for teachers, less than the $3,000 called for by Gov. Brian Kemp. APS said the amount of money provided by the state would not cover all of the $3,000 raises. The district would provide the raises if it is able to secure additional revenue, it said in a release. The full $3,000 raises are expected to be funded by the DeKalb and Fulton districts.

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C O R R EC TION The article “2019 Valedictorians & Salutatorians” in the June issue incorrectly identified a Holy Spirit Preparatory School student as a salutatorian; in fact, Holy Spirit had covaledictorians and no salutatorian. Holy Spirit’s co-valedictorians were Mikayla Brown and Watson Casal.

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26 | Education

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Luke Winstel, St. Pius X Catholic High School Luke Winstel, known as the “Voice of the Golden Lions” at St. Pius X Catholic High School, has led the school’s broadcasting team win awards, and has won some of his own for his work volunteering. Luke, who graduated in May, is most known for his work directing the ESPX student webcast program at the school, which is located in DeKalb County near Brookhaven. He led the team to win St. Pius X an “Elite Schools” award from the National Federation of High School Sports Network for the fourth year in a row. In March, he received the Georgia Youth Leadership Award presented by 21st Century Leaders. The competitive award is given by local businessmen to the top “20 Under 20” from across the state based on leadership, entrepreneurship and community service. He also led the team to win a national marketing award for the first time. “I fell in love with the art of broadcasting because of the extreme challenges it presented to me at each event,” Luke said. “But the webcast would not happen without the voluntary time put in by the crew to video and produce the games.” Luke has broadcasted many of St. Pius X’s sporting events since his freshman year when he joined the team. Preparing for hours of live broadcasting, especially for unfamiliar sports, takes some work, he said. “I spent a lot of time compiling information about different athletes and watching professional sports casters report games. I also kept typed-up documents of notes and particular words, so I could build up the proper vocabulary for reporting games,” he said. Luke also received the Gold Presidential Volunteer Service Award in 2016 for his work at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History. It’s awarded by the federal government for achieving over 250 hours of community service — almost 10-and-a-half days — in one year. Luke has volunteered at the museum for six years. He has given lectures to kids and adults on a range of scientific topics like fossils or marine biology. Helping visitors learn about the exhibits in the museum allowed him to better understand how to “cater to an audience” and become passionate about giving back to the community, he said. “Since I was a little kid, my family instilled the importance of helping others in me. I developed a passion for service when I discovered that even doing the smallest things can help make someone’s day better,” Luke said. He has also received the St. Theresa of Calcutta Service Award from St. Pius X for going beyond his school-assigned service requirements. “My parents have always emphasized the importance of serving your community, so I make it a priority,” he said. Luke also plays in the advanced guitar ensemble at St. Pius X, where he has also won

Standout Student

SPECIAL

Above, Luke Winstel plays guitar in the school’s advanced guitar ensemble, and provides commentary for the ESPX student webcast program.

awards. He’s also played guitar at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tennessee. He also hosts his own podcast covering Georgia sports, and has represented 21st Century Leaders in 2018 in a summer immersion program with the Atlanta Hawks video production group. What’s next? Luke plans to attend Georgia College & State University in Milledgeville to study mass communications. He plans to go into broadcasting after college, building on the experience and connections he made during his time at ESPX. This article was written and reported by Alexa Robbins, a student at Atlanta International School. Editor’s Note: Through our “Standout Student” series, Reporter Newspapers showcases some of the outstanding students at our local schools. To recommend a “Standout Student” for our series, please email editor@ReporterNewspapers.net with information about the student and why you think he or she should be featured.

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Commentary | 29

JULY 2019 ■ www.ReporterNewspapers.net

Carol Niemi is a marketing consultant who lives on the Dunwoody-Sandy Springs line and writes about people whose lives inspire others. Contact her at worthknowingnow@gmail.com.

Seven siblings, one piano: Dunwoody’s Rogers Family is a YouTube hit

Carol Niemi is a marketing consultant who lives on the Dunwoody-

They say the family Sandy that Springs plays line together stays together. For Dunwoody’s Rogers Famiand writes about people whose lives inspire others. Contact heraatset worthknowingnow@gmail.com. ly -- boasting seven siblings, including of triplets and a set of twins – it takes a lot of playing, with the piano as their instrument of choice. The siblings, ages 18 to 25, have made “RogersFamily” the name of their performing piano group with its own YouTube channel, which in three years has garnered almost 14,000 subscribers and close to 2 million views, some from as far away as Japan. Check out their videos, and you’ll see seven attractive young people dashing around the stage, alternately playing the piano - often three pairs of hands on the keyboard simultaneously - and plucking the piano strings, holding them down, hitting them with a mallet and thumping on other parts of the piano with their bare hands, drumsticks or even

chopsticks. But there’s method to their madness. Since everybody plays every instrument during every video, each performance is tightly choreographed. They call what they do extended piano techniques, which have names like muting, plucking, harmonics and percussion. “We’re constantly looking for ways to make new sounds out of a piano,” said Corin, 23. Admitting that everyone wants to play “the cool parts” in every song, they also look for ways to share. “We try to spread out the cool piano parts, rather than just beating and snapping,” said Aidan, 23. Though they don’t write their own music, they arrange and “mash up” the music of others to the point that it’s totally their own and totally infectious. I dare you to watch them and not tap your toes. According to Keenan, 25, the group spokesperson, Corin and Bryden are the group’s creative leaders. “They have perfect pitch,” he said. “They create all of our arrangements and mash-ups.” For those of not in the know, he defined a mash-up as “taking two songs and smooshing them together.” But there’s more to the Rogers Family than just their videos. Every one of them is also successful in “the real world. All of them are graduates of the Chamblee High School magnet program. Five have undergraduate degrees - three from UGA, two from Georgia Tech and one from FSU. One is at Georgia Tech now, and one is leaving for the University of Toronto in the fall. Thrown into the mix are two MBAs and an MS in progress. All of the grads have jobs ranging from engineer to financial analyst to official photographer for the Georgia State Senate. Their mother is a full-time professor in the b-school at Georgia State University, and their father is a consultant. They’re also really nice young people. Sitting at their family’s banquet-size dining room table the other day, I saw seven individuals with different personalities and tastes in music, but who clearly love being together, enjoy their creative differences and lack the sibling rivalry so common in many families. When I asked their parents how they raised such a crew, their father, Gordon, attributed their musical talent to his wife, who gave each child piano lessons starting at age 3. He attributed their closeness in part to the time they spend together every summer on the bucolic potato farm where their mother grew up on Prince Edward Island, Canada. He also mentioned that the reason for the banquet-size table in the dining-room extension they added to their Dunwoody home to accommodate it is that when everybody was still living at home, they always had dinner together as a family. All seven want to produce more videos, but say they’re limited by finding the time to be together to practice and record and also by finding an affordable venue with a dramatic stage, good lighting, at least one grand piano and “room to run around.” So far, they’ve been able to record for free on the stage at Chamblee High School, but they’d like to branch out to other venues, such as “a grand foyer in a mansion.” In addition to YouTube, their music is available on all major streaming platforms.

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DeKalb transit master plan moves ahead, would need sales tax boost Continued from page 1 ies on what they would like to see. Recommendations do not include timing of a possible referendum, he added. Funding transit expansion through a sales tax referendum up to 1 penny in DeKalb was made possible by the General Assembly’s passage of House Bill 930 for 13 counties in metro Atlanta. The bill also created “The ATL,” the regional transit governing body, and dedicated $100 million to fund public transit in the area. There are two other scenarios DeKalb transit plan options – one would be to do nothing and focus on maintenance and sustaining capital improvements of the 40-year-old MARTA system; the other is a plan adopted in 2012 that includes heavy rail from Indian Creek to Stonecrest Mall. The 2012 plan is unaffordable, according to VHB, who said it would take at least a 2-cent sales tax increase. The half penny and full penny scenarios both include funding BRT along the top end of I-285 by utilizing the toll lanes, or managed lanes, infrastructure the Georgia Department of Transportation is planning to build. Both scenarios would cover costs for buying buses, or trams, that look like trains but run on rubber wheels. The funding would also pay for construction of boarding stations and operations costs. A recent study commissioned by a task force representing Dunwoody, Brookhav-

en, Sandy Springs, Doraville and Chamblee estimated BRT along the top end of I-285 could cost up to $480 million by using GDOT’s toll lanes. The planned toll lanes have divided elected officials in Dunwoody and Brookhaven, with some saying the toll lanes will not alleviate traffic as promised and would harm local neighborhoods, while others argue the only way afford much-needed transit on the north end is to use GDOT’s infrastructure for the toll lanes. “In looking at the half-penny and fullpenny scenarios, including BRT on I-285, your finance models would be blown out of the water if the managed lanes are not constructed by GDOT?” asked Dunwoody City Councilmember Jim Riticher at the council’s June 10 meeting. That is correct, said Laura Everitt of VHB. In Brookhaven, Mayor John Ernst, who sat on the project management team during the master planning process, expressed excitement about potential transit projects in the city that would be funded by the full penny or half penny. One possible project includes a dedicated BRT line on Buford Highway. The 39 bus that serves Buford Highway is MARTA’s most used line, transporting workers who often are forced to stand during commutes. A proposed ART route from Pill Hill to Johnson-Ferry Road to Ashford-Dunwoody Road to the Brookhaven/Oglethorpe MAR-

TA station and then down North Druid Hills Road to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s medical campus and to Emory’s planned medical expansion at Executive Park would connect these two major healthcare giants together, he added. “This is the first time we are seeing transit benefit a majority of DeKalb, in the North, South, East and West,” Ernst said. The full-penny scenario would also put 1 million jobs within one hour of transit, he added. “That’s a massive impact for Brookhaven,” he said. He also praised the proposed plans for trying to “future-proof transit unlike any other plan out there” by including consideration of autonomous vehicles. Councilmember Bates Mattison even asked if gondolas were considered as right-of-way rapidly shrinks and mobility above the roads may become necessary. Grady Smith, VHB project manager, said nothing is off the table. In Dunwoody, council members raised questions such as what would be included on the priority list if a plan is approved and the referendum goes to the voters. If a referendum is approved, who would decide what projects would be cut if funding comes in short, they also asked. At a special called June 18 meeting, Councilmember Tom Lambert said the DeKalb transit plan appeared to be trying to solve a regional problem at the local level.

TYPES OF TRANSIT SERVICE

■ Heavy rail transit (HRT) – Operates on tracks separate from traffic. People board at stations. Cost to build is about $250 million per mile. ■ Light rail (LRT) – May operate in their own lanes separate from traffic, such as streetcars. Cost to build is about $120 million per mile, or $75 million per mile for a streetcar. ■ Bus rapid transit (BRT) – A bus that operates like a train with passengers boarding from a platform at their own stations. Cost to build is about $25 million per mile. ■ Arterial rapid transit (ART) – A bus that operates on regular streets so that vehicles are affected by congestion, but short bus-only lanes adjacent to major intersections are used to reduce delays. May also employ technology giving ART buses priority at traffic signals. Cost to build about $2.5 million per mile. Source: DeKalb County Master Transit Plan

Community | 31

JULY 2019 ■ www.ReporterNewspapers.net

Local City Council members sign anti-toll lanes petition Continued from page 1 Dunwoody Councilmembers Lynn Deutsch, John Heneghan, Pam Tallmadge and Tom Lambert and Doraville City Councilmember Joseph Geierman have all signed the change.org petition started by Dunwoody resident Travis Reid. All said adding more lanes would not solve the traffic woes on I-285 and they are urging the Georgia Department of Transportation to reevaluate the project. “The plan being presented is additional lanes and then there is a small chance of mass transit if the cities want to fund it,” Heneghan said in a written statement. “I believe this process is backward whereby mass transit should be the first discussion followed by other options like additional lanes after that.” Heneghan requested Mayor Denis Shortal and the city attorney at the city’s June 10 council meeting to approve funding next year to hire an independent environmental impact attorney. The attorney would guide the city through the environmental study process now underway by GDOT as part of the toll lanes project, he said. Four members of the Dunwoody City Council signing onto the petition represents a majority of the seven-member body. Councilmember Lynn Deutsch said that majority, she hopes, “will allow the council to be strong negotiators with GDOT to protect our community.” Lambert said the four signatures also shows the petition and the movement to stop the I-285 top end toll lanes are not only part of a grassroots movement. “We want to tap the brakes a little and make sure that every component of this project been thoroughly vetted and we’re having some input as well,” Lambert said. “The city needs to be engaged in this every step of the way to ensure have a say in the impact that it’s going to have for us.” The “I-285 Top End Express Lanes” project focuses on adding two new elevated, barrier-separated toll lanes, or “express lanes,” in both directions on I-285, alongside regular travel lanes. They could stand 30 feet or higher. The boundaries of the I-285 project have shifted over time, now extending west to the Vinings area and east to the Henderson Road area, and, in a confusing twist, including a section of Ga. 400 as well. Construction is expected to begin in 2023. In a separate toll lanes project, GDOT plans to start work on Ga. 400 to add two new barrier-separated express lanes in both directions alongside regular travel lanes in a project estimated to cost $1.2 billion and begin construction in 2021. Bus rapid transit is part of the Ga. 400 toll lanes project, which would run north of the North Springs MARTA Station and already has funding. Local cities have funded studies on building and funding a similar line on the I-285 lanes. GDOT says the toll lanes would alleviate traffic some of the most heavily traveled and congested highways in the country by allowing motorists to pay a fee to drive in less congested lanes.

Having most members of Dunwoody’s City Council publicly opposing the I-285 top end toll lanes is a much different approach than Brookhaven and Sandy Springs, neighboring cities that would also be impacted by the planned toll lanes. While council members in those cities have raised concerns about how their residents will be affected, they have focused on trying to work with GDOT rather than vocally oppose the project. On June 18, the Sandy Springs City Council voted to recommend GDOT make changes to the toll lanes on the Ga. 400 section of the project, which runs north of the North Springs MARTA Station. Brookhaven Mayor John Ernst has said GDOT’s toll lanes provide the best way to have east-west transit across the north end of the Perimeter, providing important connectivity for workers who now are forced to sit in hours of traffic during their commutes. ARC and GDOT adopted the toll lane strategy as the way to alleviate traffic congestion in 2013. GDOT spokesperson Natalie Dale said state law prohibits GDOT from funding heavy rail for transit. But GDOT always considers how transit options and use can be incorporated into their projects, she said. Geierman of Doraville criticized what he says is the secretive process GDOT using to inform the public on what is happening. He said he found out GDOT took 5 acres of Doraville’s massive mixed-use redevelopment Assembly project for the toll lanes by reading the story in the Reporter. “They have a plan they are not sharing with people, purposefully,” Geierman said. “They don’t want any of us to actually mobilize our neighbors and say, ‘This is what is going to happen.’ “Information is coming out so slowly it will be hard to organize a real response,” he said. “And there is so much money behind it. Legitimately, it will be hard to put out a defense.” GDOT officials say they are still in early concept design phases of the new toll lanes and will present detailed plans to the public in January. Dale said in a written statement that GDOT has met off-and-on privately with “stakeholders,” such as DeKalb and Fulton County school systems, for over a year to get feedback on some details, and occasionally at local City Council meetings. GDOT also says it will meet with any local organization, such as a homeowners’ associations. Dale said that GDOT does proactively reach out to affected homeowners impacted by the right-of-way acquisition process but does not publicly announce when parcels are purchased to protect the privacy of property owners. Signing a petition may not stop the GDOT project, but Deutsch said it plays an important role in raising awareness on toll lanes, their cost and impact to the top end communities. She also said the current plans are likely to be outdated in only a few years due to rapidly evolving technology.

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41 AWARDS FOR EDITORIAL EXCELLENCE We’re honored that Reporter Newspapers and Atlanta INtown have won 41 awards in the Georgia Press Association’s Better Newspaper Competition over the past three years. For 2019, the Reporter’s honors include eight first place awards in its category. The annual competition is judged by newspaper professionals from around the country and represent the highest journalism standards. Thank you to our readers, advertisers and peers who support our mission of providing trusted, hyperlocal community journalism.

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Spring 2019 |

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BY JOHN RUCH

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After 20 years of a population increasingly boom, jammed highways scraper-sprouting and skymega-developments, it may sound quaint that people about Perimeter worried Mall traffic way 1999. back in But the Perimeter Community provement Districts, Imof business propertythe self-taxing groups out of those concerns,owners that formed are among the sons the local boom has happened reawhy the traffic and isn’t even worse. to Perimeter If you go Center today, you may well get there via one of the big projects PCIDs pushed – like the Hammond the ramps on Ga. Drive 400 or the Ashford-Dunwoody Road diverging diamond change at I-285 inter– and you’ll see smaller touches they’re responsible for, scaping and rush-hour like landtraffic cops. “They had a reputation for, one, cleaning things up, providing number those cosmetic amenities we’ve some of all become used to,” said Ann Hanlon, who watched the CIDs form as resident and now a longtime Dunwoody serves as their director. “At the executive time, that was pretty revolutionary, that a private group was willing to pay for those amenities.” Back in 1999, the day cover Perimeter three cities that toCenter – Brookhaven, Dunwoody and Sandy Springs not yet exist. – did As the its next 20 years, PCIDs looks ahead to it has refocused sion on transportation, its misleaving previous proposals such as park-building ies. Transportation to the these days means citerything from evhelping to build trail networks multiuse to shaping the toll lanes and future of transit on Ga. 400 and I-285. That’s in addition to some of the PCIDs currently basics the provides or coordinates, like sidewalks and crosswalks, commuter shuttles, traffic signal timing and the rimeter Connects commuter advice Pevice. serAn increasingly part of Perimeter residential sector is Center’s future, with

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City Springs theater group prepares for another season of packed houses

BY EVELYN ANDREWS

evelyn@reporternewspapers.net

The Sandy Springs Reporter is mail delivered to homes on selected carrier routes in ZIPs 30327, 30328, 30342 and 30350 For information: delivery@reporternewspapers.net

As the City Springs Theatre Company prepares the final shows of its inaugural season, it’s also prepping for what it expects to be another season of packed shows as it tries to keep up with the enthusiasm and de-

mand from the community. The theater company survived major

leadership changes at City Springs and has succeeded in implementing one of the complex’s key initiatives – educational programming. “I’ve been involved in nonprofit theatre for 33 years now. I have never, ever in my career seen anything like the level of support and desire for musical theater,” Brandt See CITY on page 12

country store. “We’d like Sandy Springs to make a priority of residential neighborhoods and not Aar- out our podcasts Check make it a bypass for commuters,” said at ReporterNewspapers.net on Gill, a homeowner at the intersection. The start of the project is quickly approaching, with utility relocation expectconstruction ed to begin in the fall andThe DunwoodybyReporter is spring 2020. The city is currently working mail delivered to on securing right of way for the round-

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about. carrier routes in The $2.5 million project is expect-ZIP 30338 ed to cost $1.2 million for construction, For information: $800,000 for right of way and $300,000 delivery@reporternewspapers.net for design. The city did not respond to a request for comment, but has said the roundabout would improve safety by reducing side-impact crashes and installing pedestrian improvements. It’s also expectthe to according ed to reduce congestion, city.

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Layla Smith, left, and Corrine Ovellette, eighth-graders at Peachtree Charter School, ride the swings during Middle the 20th edition of the Lemonade Days festival, which ran April 24-28 at Brook Run Park. The festival this year raised money for the Dunwoody Preservation Trust and the Donaldson-Bannist er Farm.

DeKalb CEO touts Dunwoody unity in ‘State of County’ address

BY JOHN RUCH

johnruch@reporternewspapers.net

DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond touted unity as the force behind local resurgence, and cited his “odd couple” partnership with Dunwoody Mayor Denis Shortal as key bridge-building, in a special “State of the County” address to

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SECTION TWO

NATURE AND THEATER MERGE AT DUNWOODY’S PLAY-READING SERIES PAGE 26

PAGE 26

Spring 2019 | Where

brick-and-mortar retail

The PCIDs marks 20 years of shaping Perimeter Center

still works

MAY 2019

P. 36

BY JOHN RUCH

johnruch@reporternewspapers.net

Main photo, the diverging SPECIAL at Ashford-Dunwoody diamond interchange Road and I-285 as it looked shortly after opening in 2012. Inset, the Hammond FILE Drive Ga. 400 shortly after interchange with it opened in 2011.

An increasingly residential sector is part of Perimeter Center’s future, with

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business leaders April 25.

Adding to the symbolism, the event – hosted by the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce and the policy and lobby group the Council for Quality Growth – was not only held in Dunwoody, but in very same Crowne Plaza Ravinia hotel ballroom where the city’s own annual “state See DEKALB on page 10

Dunwoody’s old Austin Elementary School, which was expected to close once a new, 900-seat version debuts P16 open temporarily next year, may remain as DeKalb Schools searches for ways to alleviate overcrowding. Doing so would mean extending a lease agreement between the city and the school district, but officials are being tight-lipped about their discussions. COMMENTARY The city currently owns the old school at 5345 Roberts Drive, originally built in 1975, as part of a 2016 land swap deal with DeKalb Schools. The agreement included the city trading the former Dunwoody Senior Baseball fields for the school property and DeKalb Schools paying the city $3.6 million. DeKalb Schools P18 is building the new school on Roberts Drive on the site of the former baseball fields and adjacent to the NEST ROBIN’S Dunwoody Nature Center, less than a halfmile from the current AES. The city has not finalized what it wants to do with the old school property once it is vacated, but talks have generally focused on creating a park space. The new Austin Elementary School is being built using 2011 special local option salesP19 tax funding. As part of the 2016 agreement, the city agreed to lease the old school to DeKalb

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P. 36

BY JOHN

RUCH johnruch@repo rternewspapers. net After

20 years increasingly of scraper-sprou jammed a population highways boom, it may ting and skysound mega-develop about Perimeterquaint that ments, 1999. Mall trafficpeople worried But the way back provement Perimeter in Community of business Districts, property the self-taxing Imout of those concerns, owners that groups sons the why the local boom are among formed the traffic has to Perimeter isn’t even happened reaand get there worse. Center If you today, via one PCIDs of the you may go pushed ramps big projects well – like woody on Ga. 400 the Hammond the or the Drive change Road diverging Ashford-Dun touches at I-285 – diamond and you’ll interscaping they’re responsible see smaller and rush-hour for, like “They had a traffic landone, cleaning reputation cops. those for, number cosmeticthings up, providing used amenities to,” some we’ve the CIDs said Ann all becomeof Hanlon, resident form as a longtimewho watched director. and now serves Dunwoody as their lutionary,“At the time, that was executive that to pay for those a private group pretty revoamenities.” Back was willing day coverin 1999, the Perimeter three cities en, Dunwoody that toCenter not yet and – Brookhavits next exist. As the Sandy Springs – did sion on 20 years, it PCIDs looks has proposalstransportatio refocusedahead to n, leaving its missuch as ies. Transportatio park-building previous erything from n these days to the cittrail networks helping to build means evtoll lanes to multiuse and transitshaping That’s the future in PCIDs addition to on Ga. 400 and I-285.of currently some like sidewalks provides of the basics shuttles, the or coordinates, and crosswalks, rimeter traffic signal Connects timing commuter vice. commuter and the An increasingly advice Peserpart of Perimeter residential Center’s sector is CONTINU future, with ED

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• VOL. 13 —

Buckhead Reporter

After 20 years of a population boom, increasingly jammed highways and skyscraper-sprouting mega-developments, it may sound quaint that people worried about Perimeter Mall traffic way back in 1999. But the Perimeter Community Improvement Districts, the self-taxing groups of business property owners that formed out of those concerns, are among the reasons the local boom has happened and why the traffic isn’t even worse. If you go to Perimeter Center today, you may well get there via one of the big projects the PCIDs pushed – like the Hammond Drive ramps on Ga. 400 or the Ashford-Dunwoody Road diverging diamond interchange at I-285 – and you’ll touches they’re responsible see smaller for, like landscaping and rush-hour traffic cops. “They had a reputation for, number one, cleaning things up, providing some of those cosmetic amenities we’ve all become used to,” said Ann Hanlon, who watched the CIDs form as a longtime Dunwoody resident and now serves as their executive director. “At the time, that was pretty revolutionary, that a private group to pay for those amenities.” was willing Back in 1999, the three cities that today cover Perimeter Center – Brookhaven, Dunwoody and Sandy Springs – did not yet exist. As the PCIDs looks ahead to its next 20 years, it has refocused its mission on transportation, leaving proposals such as park-building previous to the cities. Transportation these days means everything from helping to build multiuse trail networks to shaping the future of toll lanes and transit on Ga. 400 and I-285. That’s in addition to some of PCIDs currently provides the basics the or like sidewalks and crosswalks,coordinates, commuter shuttles, traffic signal timing rimeter Connects commuter and the Peadvice service.

to remake Emory unveils $1B plan innovation district’ Executive Park as ‘health

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ROBIN’S NEST Residents near the intersection of Mount Paran and Powers Ferry roads have rallied against a roundabout expected to be built early next year. They argue the roundabout will mostly help commuters while negatively affecting their properties, including requiring demolition of a P19 once used as a nearly century-old building

4920 Roswell Road 404-255-6368

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P18 BY EVELYN ANDREWS

CongraCelebrate Memor tulatio ial Day ns to Let us feed and your family all the 2019 gradua Sandy Springs/Buckh Three & friends while

fishing regulations approved after heron’s death

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MAY 2019 • VOL. 11 —

SPECIAL diamond looked shortly Road and interchange I-285 as after opening it Inset, the in 2012. Hammond Ga. 400 Drive interchange FILE shortly after with it opened in 2011.

ersMill sidewalks HomeownTilly criticize spark right-of-way dispute ut roundabo threatening 1927 Take steps to protect buildingurban wildlife

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After 20 increasingly years of a population jammed boom, scraper-sprouting highways and skyit may sound mega-developments quaint that about Perimeter people worried, Mall traffic 1999. way back in But the provement Perimeter Community Districts, Imof business the self-taxing groups out of those property owners that formed concerns, sons the local boom are among the why the has happened reatraffic and to Perimeter isn’t even worse. If you Center today, get there you may go via well PCIDs pushed one of the big projects – like the ramps on Hammond the Ga. 400 Drive woody or the Ashford-DunRoad diverging change diamond at I-285 – and you’ll intertouches they’re responsible see smaller scaping and rush-hour for, like “They had traffic cops. landone, cleaning a reputation for, those cosmeticthings up, providing number some of amenities used to,” we’ve all said Ann become the CIDs Hanlon, who watched form as a longtime resident and now Dunwoody serves as director. their “At lutionary, the time, that was executive that a private pretty revoto pay for group was those amenities.” willing Back in day cover 1999, the three cities that Perimeter en, Dunwoody toCenter – Brookhavnot yet exist. and Sandy Springs As the – did its next 20 years, PCIDs looks ahead it has sion on transportation, refocused its to misproposals leaving such as park-building previous ies. Transportation erything these days to the citfrom trail networks helping to buildmeans evmultiuse to shaping toll lanes the and transit That’s in on Ga. 400 future of addition and I-285. PCIDs currently to some of the like sidewalks provides or basics the and crosswalks,coordinates, shuttles, traffic signal commuter rimeter timing and Connects the Pecommuter vice. advice serAn increasingly part of Perimeter residential sector Center’s is future, with CONTINUED

Main photo, the diverging at Ashford-Dunwoody

COMMUNITY

Main photo, the diverging SPECIAL at Ashford-Dunwoody diamond interchange Road and I-285 looked shortly as it after opening in 2012. Inset, the Hammond FILE Ga. 400 shortly Drive interchange with after it opened in 2011.

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EMORY UNIVERSITY

shows future of Executive Park it owns plan for the 60 acres and Musculoskeletal Emory University’s master colored in blue, including a new hospital and industrial. office medical and office buildings to rezone the property from retail to Center. Emory is seeking

300-plus properties could be affected ect by I-285 toll lanes proj AND JOHN RUCH BY DYANA BAGBY toll lanes on the The state’s plan to build impact a minimum of top end of I-285 could the corridor, rang300 properties all along easements to full ing from construction to city of Brookhavland takings, according en officials. City CouncilmemMayor John Ernst and about 50 people informed ber Linley Jones community meeting at attending an April 18

number they learned City Hall that was the with a Georgia Deafter a private meeting on project manpartment of Transportati did not know how ager. They also said they would be afmany Brookhaven properties

fected. affected on the The 300-plus properties located between Hentop end of I-285 are area in the east derson Road in the Tucker See 300 on page 23

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P18 revealed its $1 Emory University has Park, a “livebillion plan for Executive ROBIN’S that district” NEST work-play health innovation a hotel, multifamily includes a hospital, and office space. The housing and medical 15 years to build, but 60-acre plan will take center could start work on an orthopedic this year, Emory says. Park, a neighborLavista of Residents Park, are seekhood adjacent to Executive P19 Brookhaven, posing to be annexed into year, in part because sibly as soon as this a say in the developthey want to have

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ment. a say because this Check out our “It’s critical we have at ReporterNew podcasts d,” said Mispapers.net comes into our neighborhoo shortly before Emchael Lappin, speaking 22 See EMORY on page The Buck

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The PCID of shapings marks 20 year s Perimeter Center

Left, John Beach, presid which repute ent dly killed the of the Buckhead Herita holds what is said to be neighborhood’s names ge Society, holds the “Buckh the same firearm ake deer in an undate in 1838. Right, Jamesead Gun,” d photo. (John Whitle Ruch/Specia y l)

After 45 ye launches a ars, a nonprofit citizen inpureview of NPU t system

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The Neigh borhood Plann tem that ing Unit sysreviews plann ing, zonin other big g and issues ment is gettin for Atlanta city govern g a review downtown of its own. nonprofit A called the Civic Innov Center ation has begun a quiet, for but

potentially influential, series of meetin and survey s that aims to have reform gs ommendatio recns for the 45-year-old on the table system by March 2020. “There are things about tem] that [the NPU are amazi ng, and things syswe need to that have a lot more conve about,” said rsation CCI Execu tive Direct or Rohit See AFTER on page 14

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Business: PCIDs turns 20 ►Q+A with local couple behind Atlanta’s big anime convention

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The woode with age. The n stock is beige and battere metal plate decorated above the trigger d with a pair is of birds. The long, heavy barrel is and octago nal. It’s an old sure. It might muzzleloading firearm even be the , deer that gave one that killed for Buckhead the 1838. its curious name in John Beach, Heritage Society president of the Buckh ead , is still trying to figure that For more on out, partly by trackin g John Beach, see the tales surrou Around Town, nding another little-known page 20. piece of area history – an quietly surviv 1842 ed destruction log cabin that to a Buckh by being ead back yard. moved Beach gave In the meant the Report ime, er an exclus ive close-

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