07-11-2014 Dunwoody Reporter

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Dunwoody Reporter www.ReporterNewspapers.net

JULY 11 — JULY 24, 2014 • VOL. 5 — NO. 14

ROBIN’S NEST page 9

Proud of Old Glory Runoff election scheduled for July 22 COMMUNITY 2

Towering tall A 50-story ofﬁce building in Sandy Springs? COMMUNITY 4

Gotta stop DeKalb CEO puts foot down on ethics violations COMMENTARY 6

Close encounter What do you do when face-to-face with a snake? COMMUNITY 10

Really odd Stage Door Players put on Neil Simon classic OUT & ABOUT 14

Growth spurt New pastor has big plans for Primitive Baptist church FAITH 15

Dining out

PHIL MOSIER

Dunwoody High School senior Lewis Freeman, starting center this fall for the Dunwoody High School varsity football team, shows his patriotic side while helping carry the American flag during the Dunwoody Fourth of July parade. The parade featured Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal as grand marshal, as well as plenty of veterans groups, churches, marching bands, floats, politicans, clowns and local celebrities. More photos on pages 20-21.

Cities look to improve pedestrian safety, access BY ANN MARIE QUILL

Townhomes approved for Georgetown area BY JOE EARLE

Anis Cafe and Bistro transports you to France

A recent report by a group called Smart Growth America says Atlanta is the eighth deadliest city in the country for pedestrians. That’s why police and planners in Reporter Newspapers communities say they’re working to cut down on jaywalking as they try to make their streets more “walkable.” Their tactics recently have included pedestrian and driver education and enforcement, sidewalk and crosswalk improvements, and even an undercover sting. “It’s challenging in a suburban environment because infrastructure

The Dunwoody Planning Commission has approved a proposal to rezone about 6 acres in the Georgetown community to allow 55 townhomes to replace a declining office park. Brian Davison of Minerva Properties told the commissioners July 8 that his company plans to build three-story townhouses in a gated community in place of the offices. Minerva Properties is asking the city to rezone the property at 4330 Georgetown Square for residential use. The land, zoned for office-institutional uses, now is used for what Davison described as a 1960s-

RESTAURANTS 16

SEE CITIES, PAGE 22

SEE PLANNING, PAGE 5

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DeKalb County’s sheriff and a former county CEO meet in a runoff election July 22 to determine who will serve as the county’s next sheriff. Sheriff Jeff Mann, who took office earlier this year after the resignation of former sheriff Tom Brown, and former DeKalb CEO Vernon Jones, collected the largest number of votes in the eight-candidate field in the May 20 nonpartisan election for the office. Mann received about 40 percent of the votes cast, with 28,886. Jones received about 22 percent, with 16,124. In Georgia, a candidate must receive more than half the votes cast in an election to win, so the two will run head-to-head July 22 to determine the winner. Six other candidates split smaller fractions of the Jeff Mann May 20 vote: Dale Collins, 4 percent; Ted Golden, 4 percent; Tony Hughes, 6 percent; Melody Maddux, 7 percent; Melvin Mitchell, 14 percent; and LaSalle Smith Sr., 2 percent. Also on July 22, DeKalb Republicans will cast their ballots for the party’s nominees for two state-wide offices.

Jack Kingston and David Perdue seek the party’s nomination for the United States Senate. Michael L. “Mike” Buck and Richard L. Woods are in a runoff for the Republican nomination for State School Superintendent. In the Democratic Primary, Alisha Thomas Morgan faces Valarie D. Wilson in a runoff for their party’s nomination for State School Superintendent. Registered voters who did not Vernon Jones vote in the Democratic Primary on May 20 may vote in the Republican runoff, according to the Secretary of State’s office. Registered voters who did not vote in the Republican Primary may vote in the Democratic runoff. If you have questions about your eligibility to vote or where to vote, go to www.mvp.sos.ga.gov.

Teen power Amy Helman-Darley, right, teen community outreach director at the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta, with, from left, David Hoffman, Jacqueline Weiss, Katie Goldstein, Ted Grant, Sam Grant and Ross Brill on a recent service trip to New Orleans. Helman-Darley won the JCC Shark Tank, a national competition for innovation in Jewish teen engagement. MJCCA

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Dunwoody Government Calendar The Dunwoody City Council usually meets the second and fourth Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at Dunwoody City Hall located at 41 Perimeter Center East Suite No. 103. For a complete and up to date schedule of Dunwoody City meetings, visit http://www.dunwoodyga.gov/Residents/Calendar.aspx

JULY 11 – JULY 24, 2014 | www.ReporterNewspapers.net

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Rep. Mike Jacobs counseled homeowners on how to appeal county property tax assessments at a meeting on July 1.

Hundreds seek advice on challenging tax values

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More than 200 DeKalb and Fulton residents filled a Brookhaven church hall on July 1 to talk about challenging their new tax assessments. The standing-room-only crowd at Chamblee First United Methodist Church heard Reps. Mike Jacobs (R-Brookhaven), Scott Holcomb (D-Atlanta) and Sen. Fran Millar (RDunwoody) discuss how to appeal county assessments of home values. The deadline for most DeKalb County property assessment appeals is July 14, Jacobs said, while the deadline for most Fulton County appeals is July 21. B RIEFS After the 90-minute meeting, Jacobs said he wasn’t surprised by the size of the crowd. “Property values clearly have gone up across the country,” he said. “It logically follows that we’ll start seeing an increase in assessments.” That, he predict, will produce more appeals. “I think we’ll see more appeals this year than any year in recent memory,” he said. “The [DeKalb County] Board of Equalization is probably going to be swamped.”

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Groups backing cities of Lakeside, Briarcliff say they’ll work together The groups behind the proposed cities of Lakeside and Briarcliff have announced they plan to pursue city status together. “We are committed to working together because we agree on almost every issue except boundaries, and boundaries can be solved,” City of Briarcliff Initative President Allen Venet said in a statement released on the Lakeside YES Facebook page. “As we refine our map, we are soliciting neighborhood input, and we will work with state, county and local elected representatives of both major parties, and with the existing cities of DeKalb County.” Venet and Lakeside City Alliance Chairwoman Mary Kay Woodworth announced the joint effort July 2 during a meeting of the DeKalb County Operational Task Force. During the 2014 legislative session three groups – Briarcliff, Lakeside and Tucker – pushed for incorporation of new cities in north DeKalb County. The maps proposed by partisans of the cities overlapped, creating competition among the three groups. None won approval in the Legislature.

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Company will appeal Manget Way decision, lawyer says The California company that wants to operate a home in Dunwoody to treat teenage girls with eating disorders will appeal a city board’s decision against the project, the company’s lawyer says. “We are proceeding with an appeal,” lawyer Josh Belinfante said in an email. A divided Dunwoody Zoning Appeals Board voted June 16 that the city made a mistake when it said the home on Manget Way could be used for the program. The board voted 4-3 to sustain an appeal brought by residents of the street to overturn a city staﬀ member’s decision that the home, proposed by California-based Center for Discovery, could operate legally in an area of the city zoned for residences. Residents claim the home would be a medical treatment facility and not a personal care home. Personal care homes are allowed in a residential area under Dunwoody’s zoning rules, but medical treatment facilities are not. Appeals of the board’s decisions go to DeKalb Superior Court. DUN

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Developer proposes 50-story building in Sandy Springs BY ANN MARIE QUILL

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A Texas-based real estate developer seeks zoning that would allow it to build 500 new apartment units in Sandy Springs and a 50-story office building critics say would become the tallest building outside Atlanta’s Perimeter highway. John Heagy, senior managing director of Hines, the development company, says “the fact is, this is not just one building. It’s a village of buildings that we’re seeking final approval on.” Hines goes before Sandy Springs City Council on July 15 for a zoning change for its Northpark 100 development. The company wants to rezone the area at Peachtree Dunwoody and Abernathy roads from office to mixed use. That action would clear the way for the apartment, office tower, and hotel and retail space. While city staff has given its blessing for the project with some conditions, some neighbors worry the project will bring too much density and generate too many car trips in the area. “This exception to traditional zoning would be 16 stories taller than the King and Queen buildings, and would become the tallest suburban skyscraper in America at an intersection that already struggles mightily with traffic,” resident Brian

Eufinger said in a letter to the editor. “If approved, these buildings would bring 15,000 more cars down Mount Vernon, Peachtree Dunwoody, Barfield and other roads every day. Plus, the addition of 500 more apartments could severely impact local school capacity.” Eufinger said the zoning also would establish a precedent for taller buildings at a time when other high-profile properties in the Perimeter area also may seek rezoning. But Heagy says residents shouldn’t focus only on traffic, and that the site will eventually become a major hub for the area. “Don’t just focus on traffic counts,” Heagy said. “Think how it will be used five years from now, 10 years from now, 20 years from now.” Heagy said while no major tenants have been nailed down, he’s optimistic. “I do think as the market continues to tighten up, alternatives for bigger companies become fewer and fewer and fewer,” he said. As Hines seeks to add apartments to Northpark 100, other apartment projects are rising across the city. One new complex is being built on Allen Road off of Roswell Road and just north of I-285. Demolition of an early 1970s complex is underway at 180 Allen

Road to make room for The Cliftwood, a 248-unit project with two five-story buildings on either side of a parking deck. The joint venture between ECI Group and Arris Realty Partners will be available for occupancy next spring. Sidewalks will connect the complex to neighborhoods, parks, restaurants, shopping and entertainment, the developers say. “This corridor is a vital gateway to downtown Sandy Springs,” said Steven Cadranel, president of Arris Realty Partners. “My partner, Jim Woodcox and I, are natives and residents of this community, and for years I have driven by the former oﬃce park and imagined how much more it could be.” What developers Kaplan Residential and George S. Morgan describe as a “203unit luxury mid-rise, mixed use” community is coming to the empty lot at the corner of Roswell Road and Hammond Drive, with ground to be broken this summer. In addition to the apartments, the “One City Walk” development will include 8,000 square feet of retail space, and planners say it will complement Sandy Springs’ future city center. Further south on Roswell Road at Windsor, demolition of old apartments is complete for JLB Partner’s gateway project, which will bring a mixed-use development consisting of 630 upscale apart-

ments along with oﬃce and retail space. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Business Chronicle reports that plans are under way to redevelop an old apartment complex on Roswell Road just south of I-285. The Providence Group and The Worthing Cos. filed plans with the state for the project, which will include 173 townhomes and 368 apartments. Heagy says his and other developments are following a “high-end” trend. “In this market we can’t build a cheap product,” he said.

Northpark 100

This area might see a 50-story office tower

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Planning Commission approves Georgetown townhomes CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 adjacent neighborhoods,” according to a style office park. city zoning memo. “It’s a bunch of asphalt and bricks and If approved by Dunwoody City Counsticks whose time has passed,” said Comcil, the Minerva Properties townhomes missioner Tom Dwyer, who said he once will rise near the city’s own Project Released an office in the development. naissance, a redevelopment project adding Davison described the office park as homes, commercial spaces and parks. “a sea of asphalt” surrounded by trees. He Davison said his company is involved said the developers plan to keep many in redevelopment projects in several metof the existing trees and build the townro Atlanta communities and sees Dunhomes primarily on the area now occupied woody as an attractive market, especialby office buildings and parking. A plastic ly for young professionals. “You take surgery business now located in the office opportunities as they come,” Davison park will remain as part of the gated comsaid. “The opportunities to do something munity, he said. creative in Dunwoody are few and far Several residents who live close to the between.” proposed townhomes objected to the proDavison told the planning commisposal, saying the new development would sioners the company expects the towncreate unwanted traffic in the area and dehomes to attract either older residents stroy deer habitats. looking to downsize their homes or young “I am horrified,” resident Sandra professionals attracted to new jobs in the Blalock said. She said a family of deer live Dunwoody area. in nearby woods. “I don’t think this develThe planning commission approved oper did his homework as to how importhe rezoning 5-1, with Commissiontant this wildlife is.” er Heyward Wescott voting no. Wescott Margo Cuthbert, another neighbor, questioned whether the project would atexpressed concern about the number of tract families with school-age children. homes in the proposed development. “Our schools have always been slow to re“This is not a feasible plan,” she said. act to overcrowding,” he said. “Maybe if they put in 10 homes, not the But Davison said the planned town55 they’re putting in. I don’t think we can homes would not be designed to attract manage the traffic.” families with young children. “We don’t The proposed development, west of see this to be a draw for families,” DaviChamblee Dunwoody Road and south of son said. Old Spring House Lane, sits within the boundaries of an area the city has designated the “GeorgetownShallowford Road Character Area.” The city’s plans call for redevelopment projects that “demonstrate appropriate transiA developer plans 55 townhomes on this Georgetown tions between intense uses and site. For a larger version, go to ReporterNewspapers.net.

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Dunwoody, DeKalb to work together on key road, water projects City officials have reached an agreement with DeKalb County officials to cooperate on several critical road and water infrastructure projects. The agreement will help expedite construction of several large projects in the city and eliminate the potential for repeated disruption of roadways, city officials said in a press release. Under the terms of the agreement, city officials will bid, contract and manage the projects and pay for the paving, according to the press release. The county will oversee and pay for the work associated with the water main replacements, the city said. The agreement allows water main replacements and road repaving to be bid and contracted as one project, and includes work planned for Mount Vernon Road between Ashford Dunwoody Road and Vernon Oaks Drive, Chamblee Dunwoody Road between Roberts Drive and Cambridge Drive, and the Tilly Mill Road at North Peachtree Road intersection improvement project. “By working in tandem with the county, the city can efficiently complete these projects so the identified roads and intersections will not have to undergo repeated construction disruptions over the span of several infrastructure upgrade projects,” Dunwoody Public Works Director Michael Smith said. DUN

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DeKalb CEO on ethics changes: ‘We are putting our money where our mouth is’ Nearly a year ago, I was appointed to the office of DeKalb’s Chief Executive by the governor under some pretty bad circumstances. As everyone is aware, there was a cloud of suspicion, uncertainty and a perception of impropriety, if not actual wrongdoing. But before that, DeKalb County was in the news repeatedly with allegations and accusations. Certainly the suspended CEO captured most of the spotlight, but he was not alone. There were several employees at that time that had been caught taking or soliciting kickbacks. And over the past year, the hits just kept coming, including more allegations of potentially criminal wrongdoing and the whole Pcard [county-issued purchasing cards] fiasco. What is frustrating is that DeKalb County has more than 6,500 employees. If everyone who has been in the news is rightly accused, then only a small fraction of all employees have sullied and tarnished the good work of all the rest. It is incumbent upon us to turn this negative perception around. LEE As in every government body, we have mechanisms in place to properly adjudicate claims of wrongMAY doing. For example, our ethics board, which has one of the largest budgets, has the most resources and the most recourse to take action if it sees fit. GUEST COLUMN I am a firm believer in due process and allowing the issues that have been brought forth to run their legal course. Having said that, it’s the improper and possible illegal activity in DeKalb’s ranks that we don’t know about that keeps me awake at night. We need more tools in our toolbox of ensuring ethics and integrity in this county. This is why I announced an executive order that clearly defines what our ethics policy is. It compiles our ethics guidelines which can be found in the Organizational Act as it pertains to merit system employees, but this executive order will take it a step further. All employees under the supervision of the CEO are required to adhere to the ethics policy. Specific guidelines as it pertains to gifts, meals, travel and tickets are spelled out so there is no room for interpretation. No employee may receive a gift of more than $40 with a maximum of $120 per calendar year. It’s very simple, and the only exceptions are few and specific. The same applies to meals. Travel and event tickets, which should not happen very frequently, if at all, are only allowed for official government purposes, and strict limits apply. Also included in this executive order, I am recommending a budget adjustment to fund the creation of a fulltime Chief Integrity Officer, investigator and administrative assistant to serve the DeKalb County Ethics Board. These positions will be hired by, and report directly to, the Board of Ethics. I am recommending the Chief Integrity Officer be responsible for training all county employees and investigating all tips regarding unethical behavior. There will also be an ethics hotline and email account which will be monitored regularly. Most importantly, the Chief Integrity Officer will have the unilateral power and responsibility to bring any ethics concerns directly to the attention of the Ethics Board. I am serious about restoring ethics in DeKalb County Government. We will have the rules clearly spelled out, and an independent set of eyes and ears to ensure that the bad apples are dealt with expeditiously. This is all new to DeKalb County, but the time is now for us to take drastic steps to ensure integrity and ethics. This is not the end. Rather, this is one aspect of a comprehensive, holistic and ultimately aggressive approach to restore the public’s trust in DeKalb County. Over the next few weeks, I will be announcing additional initiatives that specifically address our Purchasing and Contracting department and a new division within our police department. The bottom line is this: Violations of ethics rules will not be tolerated by anyone, and we are putting our money where our mouth is. Lee May is the interim Chief Executive Officer of DeKalb County.

Ofﬁce Manager Deborah Davis deborahdavis@reporternewspapers.net

On the record

Contributors Jenna Goff, Art Huckabee, Phil Mosier

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Read these articles from our other editions online at ReporterNewspapers.net. “What that means is that us taxpayers here are buying that hole in the ground so that the developers who are developing in the new City Center site don’t have to spend the money on stormwater management. We are going to pay for it, and we get to pay for ongoing maintenance.” –Sandy Springs resident Patty Berkovitz on the city’s plans for a city flood-control project known as Marsh Creek Watershed Improvement Project “It could be gang initiation, could be the wrong house.” –Brookhaven Police Chief Gary Yandura on two recent drive-by shootings in the city’s Ashford Park neighborhood

JULY 11 – JULY 24, 2014 | www.ReporterNewspapers.net

“People leaving for work in my neighborhood need to get up 10 minutes earlier so they’re not breaking a landspeed record getting out of my neighborhood. . . I’m really getting fed up with it.” ” –Brookhaven resident Lissie Stahlman on speeding in her neighborhood “One hundred thousand people work in and around Buckhead. We’ve got a neighborhood the street grid doesn’t support. As the neighborhood grows, the traﬃc gets worse and worse, mostly caused by people who drive through here from [other areas].” –North Buckhead Civic Association president Gordon Certain, as the neighborhood develops its own community plan DUN

COMMENTARY

Some birds of a feather should not flock together I have a bit of a summertime routine. Each morning, as the humidity ripens and before it becomes oppressive, I go outside to my deck, drink a cup of coffee, wait for the Internet to connect, drink a cup of coffee, wait for my email to update, drink a cup of coffee, try to think of something to write, drink another cup of coffee, and thus ease into my day, all the while serenaded by a cacophony of tweets and trills from the backyard birds in my backyard aviary and distracted by their flights of color. They charm me. I had outwitted the squirrels and chipmunks that used to shimmy over the hanging rod and squeeze inside the feeder. Once I changed the feeder and the seed, those pesky varmints were dining elsewhere. Since then, birds have gathered at my feeder like commuters at a Starbucks. I have been getting house finches and goldfinches, chickadees and towhees. Sometimes I even get bluebirds and, as we all know, bluebirds are special. Their indigo blue and cherry red colors punctuated in white and black inspire me to think of them as God’s winged rainbows, sent to me as a fluttering promise that everything will be OK. The birds were happy, I was happy, life was grand. And then…and then everything went terribly wrong. I dashed to the wild bird store and started to explain: “I was getting all kinds of songbirds—finches and cardinals, and even bluebirds, and then…” “….and then the grackles came.” As he finished the sentence for me, I could hear ominous music swell up in the background. If you have a birdfeeder, you know about grackles. If you don’t, I will tell you: They are large, beady-eyed, sin-

ister-lookROBIN JEAN ing birds the color of old MARIE CONTE motor oil ROBIN’S NEST that travel in swarms and look as if, at any minute, they will perch on my deck railings and start cackling, “Nevermore.” I don’t like them one bit. Not only do they creep the daylights out of me, but they frighten away my pretty birds and devour my birdseed faster than it takes to say “Poe.” Plus, they make a mess and they don’t clean up after themselves, so they’re kind of like flying teenagers. I wanted God’s winged rainbows back, not God’s winged delinquents. Birdseed Man said the best thing to do was to remove the seed until the dreaded grackles went away. So I removed the seed, and the grackles would squawk and crow and swoop by and leave their droppings all over my outdoor furniture in revenge, while my timid songbirds would hop around in forlorn curiosity, wondering what happened to their free lunch. Finally, after the grackles tired of their retaliatory bombings and moved along, I would put out the birdfeeder and the lovely red and purple and gold finches would return to charm me until the word spread through the grackle grapevine, and they’d be back again, in droves. I finally appealed to the Internet and discovered an entire community of bird-loving bloggers who were posting helpful suggestions under the headings, “bully birds,” “gangs of greedy grackles” and, “unwanted birdfeeder pests.” We might love birds, but there is a limit to our birdseed benevolence. The truth is, grackles are no more welcome at our feeders than rats are at an animal shelter. One blogging birder recommended using safflower seed because grackles don’t like it. So I tried that, and lo and behold, it is working. It has the same effect of announcing to my kids that we’re cleaning out the garage— it makes them disappear. This morning I’m on my deck drinking coffee, admiring my birdfeeder that is once again covered with finches and towhees and cardinals. And I’m waiting for bluebirds. Robin Conte is a writer and mother of four who lives in Dunwoody. She can SPECIAL be contacted at robinjm@ earthlink.net. Robin with her bags of bird seed.

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BY JENNA GOFF A sculpture of a door hangs in Miriam We really saw a change.” Saul’s Sandy Springs home. Painted vividShe founded Friends of Jewish Cuba ly in blues and reds, the door was a gift in 2006 with the same goal of helping the from Temple Sinai to Saul for their trip to Cuban Jewish community. But she soon Cuba that she organized. Now, the door yearned to introduce others to the beauty stands out among Saul’s extensive collecof her home. “You can only travel for hution of Cuban art. manitarian, religious or people-to-people “I love it because reasons. You have to it reminds me of the qualify under OFAC Do you know an organization or doors that Cuba has [Office of Foreign Asindividual making a difference opened for me,” she sets Control] rules,” in our community? Email said. she said. “Others had editor@reporternewspapers.net Saul is a Cubanthe licensing, I had the American who left following.” Cuba during that So along with her country’s revolution, when she was 11. Affriend Marla Whitesman, Saul founded ter an eight month separation from her Other Cuban Journeys. The two were able parents, her family moved into a small to get a People-to-People License from apartment in Atlanta. “I vividly remember OFAC that allows more varied groups to my father saying, ‘We’re not looking backtravel to Cuba. ward, we’re going forward,’” she said. “Our trips focus on interactions with That is exactly what Saul did. For althe plain Cuban,” Saul said. “Cubans are most 40 years, she severed all relations she such remarkable people, and we want to had with Cuba. “I had no memories of my get an insight into their lives.” life there,” she said. “I didn’t identify.” The interactions with Cubans on her It wasn’t until she turned 50 that she trips range from talking to workers at a started thinking about her home councigar factory to prominent artists. They try. So in 2000, she organized a trip to go touch on politics, economics, art, music, back. religion and more. “Every stop we make “I started having little flashes of memhas an element of learning,” said Saul. “We ory there,” she said. “And when I left, I learn from them, and they learn from us. started crying at the airport and didn’t Travelers say it’s the most complete trip stop. It was the start of a breakdown or a they’ve ever taken.” healing.” Susanne Katz, a local curator, photogIt was also the beginning of countless rapher and writer, has taken a number of trips to Cuba. But what started out as a trips with Saul. She agrees that the journey personal journey quickly grew larger. “I is quite something. discovered a very needy Jewish communi“They are worthwhile trips,” she said. ty in Cuba,” said Saul. “We bring all this aid, and just seeing In 2002, she began a community projwhere that goes and who it serves is pheect with the Marcus Jewish Community nomenal. But the blend of history and culCenter of Atlanta (MJCCA). The Interture that you get is what keeps me comnational Community Builders – Project ing back. It’s not at all what you’d expect.” Cuba gathered a large amount of donaBut even after affecting lives like Katz’s tions such as clothing, toys and medicine and the Cuban community, Saul still conto bring to Cuba. siders her trips to be personal. “You can’t get a lot of basic supplies “I’ve done things for people, but they there and you can’t ship things in,” said have done things for me,” she said. “I am Saul. “For six years, we carried supplies in. healed now.”

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Miriam Saul and her group at Fuster’s Folk Art Garden in Cuba.

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Randell Frostig and his dog, Allie, recently spotted a copperhead in the backyard of Frostig’s Buckhead home.

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Randell Frostig’s dogs noticed the intruder first. “They were staring at something,” Frostig remembers. “They were just trying to figure it out.” When Frostig checked around the fence behind his Buckhead home to see what had drawn his dogs’ attention, he was surprised to discover that a snake, a venomous copperhead, had slithered into his yard. “We were kind of startled,” he said. “We didn’t know what to do.” Frostig grabbed his iPhone and shot a photo while he debated what to do next. He didn’t want to kill the snake, he said, but he didn’t want it around. “I hate snakes,” he said as he recalled his copperhead confrontation a few weeks later. Luckily, the snake quickly moved on, heading back under the fence toward a neighbor’s yard. Frostig warned his neighbor about the snake, which got away. Spotting a venomous snake in the backyard may come as a surprise, but finding them in metro Atlanta suburbs shouldn’t. Snake sightings are common in the Reporter Newspapers communities of Buckhead, Dunwoody, Sandy Springs and Brookhaven, just as they are across Georgia. The warm days of spring and summer set snakes on the move, which means the scaly and sometimes scary reptiles are slithering through backyards, public parks and just about anywhere else you might want to be as the daily temperature rises. The Dunwoody Nature Center gets a couple of calls a week from homeowners who encounter unwanted snakes, executive director Alan Mothner said. City

officials say they have gotten calls about snakes in city parks and residents’ backyards. Georgia Department of Natural Resources snake expert John Jensen says he gets 20 calls or emails a week and estimates the department could get as many as 50 a week altogether asking what to do about snakes. And Matthew Field, who owns All Wildlife Control in Roswell and removes snakes when homeowners call for help, said he gets a few calls a day. Steve Wallace was unsure just what to do when, one Saturday in late May, he found a two-foot-long copperhead in his backyard in Dunwoody. He pinned the animal with a hoe, but because the snake was on soft ground, Wallace couldn’t manage to kill it at first. His wife called 911. “I thought they’d come out and shoot it,” he said. But police usually don’t make snake calls. Wallace was referred to DNR, but the agency’s offices were closed for the weekend. He contacted wildlife removal expert Field, who headed to Dunwoody to deal with the snake. But by the time Field arrived at Wallace’s home, Wallace had managed to kill the copperhead with the hoe. Wallace emailed Dunwoody city officials suggesting they publicize what homeowners should do upon confronting a snake. “After our copperhead experience this weekend, talking with friends, neighbors, folks at Publix, etc., we’re finding out how common these dangerous snakes are here,” he said. “With a lot of people relocating here from the north, a little Dunwoody, Georgia, wildlife education for

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JULY 11 – JULY 24, 2014 | www.ReporterNewspapers.net

COMMUNITY them, and their families, and for their pets would be a good thing.” In response, city officials in June posted a statement on the city website titled simply “Snakes in Dunwoody.” It tells homeowners to watch out for snakes around piles of brush or firewood and near crawl spaces beneath homes, and to call a private wildlife removal expert to deal with venomous snakes. DNR officials advise homeowners to ignore most snakes. “My recommendation is to leave it alone,” Jensen said. The first thing to do is to try to identify the snake, Jensen said. Suburban backyards and forests contain many types of snakes, including rat snakes, water snakes, garter snakes and others. They kill rodents and keep to themselves, he said. “There’s no reason to fear a non-venomous snake any more than a songbird,” he said. Is it OK to kill one? “All non-venomous snakes are protected by state law. There’s

no reason to kill them anyway. They’re completely harmless...” Jensen said. Venomous snakes are a different story. “If it’s a venomous snake, you have the legal right [to kill it]. But the safest thing is to leave it alone.” A person trying to kill a copperhead is as likely to hurt himself or herself as the snake. And backing a snake into a corner could convince it to strike to defend itself, Jensen said. “Snakes won’t come after you,” he said. “They don’t want to use their venom in defense. The safest thing is to just walk around them and leave them alone.” Some homeowners who encounter venomous snakes find it difficult to walk away - even after the snake is long gone. They see their backyards in a different way. “Now when I go out into my backyard, I can’t help but think it’s coming back, or there’s another one,” Frostig said. “You see it once and that’s all it takes.”

Identifying Snakes The Georgia Department of Natural Resources suggests homeowners first try and identify a snake before trying to kill it. It is legal to kill venomous snakes, but illegal to kill most non-venomous ones, the DNR says. Here is a website DNR officials say should help identify snakes. http://georgiawildlife.com/node/497

DNR’s advice to homeowners on what to do when you see a snake in your yard: •Never attempt to handle any kind of snake. If you are unsure of the snake’s identification, keep your distance. •A venomous snake will most often have a triangular-shaped head as well as elliptical pupils similar to cats’ eyes, rather than round ones. •Snakes are important predators that feed on rodents, insects and even

other snakes. There is no need to fear a snake in your yard. Simply give them the space they need. •Despite the relatively low level of danger posed by venomous snakes, many people consider their fear justification for killing snakes. In Georgia it is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $1,000 fine and a year in jail to possess or kill many nongame wildlife species, including non-venomous snakes (O.C.G.A. §27-1-28). Source: Georgia Department of Natural Resources

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High Voltage!

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Wednesday, July 16, 10-11:30 a.m. Get a first-hand look at the electron tossing power of voltage, the withering heat of current, the essentials of electrical safety, and the most common techniques for generating electricity. Open to rising middle school and high school youth. Free. Open to all. Registration required by calling 404-303-6130 or emailing: marlan.brinkley@fultoncountyga.gov. Sandy Springs Branch Library, 395 Mount Vernon Highway, Sandy Springs, 30328. The Buckhead Library also holds the class on Thursday, July 17, 2-3 p.m. Register by calling 404-814-3500 or emailing: amy.alexander@fultoncountyga.gov. 269 Buckhead Ave., NE, Atlanta, 30305.

Wednesday, July 23, 10:30-11:30 a.m. In this hands-on workshop, students explore the challenges engineers face when designing dive suits that keep divers protected, warm and mobile in the ocean. Registration required and started July 10. For ages 4-12. Free and open to the public. Call the Children’s Dept. at 404-303-6130 to sign up and with questions. Sandy Springs Branch Library, 395 Mount Vernon Highway, Sandy Springs, 30328. Email: comments@ co.fulton.ga.us for information.

Betsy Doty Wednesday, July 16, 10:30-11 a.m. Betsy captures your imagination with her magical storytelling skills! Here folktales full of rhythm, motion and multiple voices from around the world. Free, and open to the community. For ages 3 and up. Sandy Springs Branch Library, 395 Mount Vernon Highway, Sandy Springs, 30328. Call 404303-6130 or email: comments@co.fulton. ga.us for details.

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Reporter Newspapers 12

JULY 11 – JULY 24, 2014 | www.ReporterNewspapers.net

Thursday, July 17, 10:30-11:15 a.m. Meet dogs and learn the different kinds of jobs dogs can have and how they help people. There will be time to pet them! For ages 5-12. Registration required by calling 404-814-3500. The age requirement will be enforced. Free. Open to the community. Buckhead Branch Library, 269 Buckhead Ave., NE, Atlanta, 30305. Email: comments@co.fulton. ga.us to learn more.

Water Works Monday, July 21, 3-3:45 p.m. The Fulton County Department of Water Resources presents an environmental craft relating to the Chattahoochee River and the fish that live in it. Also, learn about the ancient Japanese art form Gyotaku (fish printing). Free. Open to everyone. For ages 6-8. Reservations required by calling 404-814-3508. Northside Branch Library, 3295 Northside Parkway, NW, Atlanta, 30327. Email: comments@co.fulton.ga.us with questions.

Marshmallow Bridges Monday, July 21, 4-5 p.m. Kids, learn about engineering by making marshmallow bridges! Open to the first 30 participants. For ages 4-14. Free and open to the community. Call 770-512-4640 or visit the Dunwoody Branch Library to register. 5339 Chamblee Dunwoody Rd., Dunwoody, 30338.

Reptiles Wednesday, July 23, 2-3 p.m. Participants will touch a live snake, learn what makes a reptile a reptile, and discover those you might encounter in your neighborhood. Free. All are welcome. For ages 4-12. Reservations required by calling 404-814-3508. Northside Branch Library, 3295 Northside Parkway, NW, Atlanta, 30327. Email: comments@co.fulton.ga.us for details.

Fizz, Boom, Cupcake Wednesday, July 23, 2:30-4 p.m. Check out cupcake decorating presented by professional cake decorator and sugar artist Sari McIntyre. Free. For ages 10-12; all are welcome. Open to the first 12 participants; registration began July 7. Call 404-848-7140 or visit the Brookhaven Branch Library to sign up. 1242 N. Druid Hills Rd., NE, Brookhaven, 30319.

Geology Fun Thursday, July 24, 10:30-11:15 a.m. Learn about the rocks and minerals of Georgia, led by Bill Waggener, president of the Georgia Mineral Society. Session 1, for ages 5-7, at 10:30 a.m.; Session 2, for ages 8-12, at 11:45 a.m. Come handle some rock specimens! Free. Open to the public. Registration required by calling 404-814-3500 or emailing: comments@co.fulton.ga.us. Buckhead Branch Library, 269 Buckhead Ave., NE, Atlanta, 30305.

LET’S LEARN

Hot Flashes Tuesday, July 22, 6-8 p.m. Yoga to the rescue! Learn techniques using awareness, breath and yoga poses that help deal with hot flashes. Discover skills to help your reaction and decrease physical sensations. Free. For members of the Cancer Support Community. RSVP to 404-843-1880. Cancer Support Community Atlanta, 5775 Peachtree Dunwoody Rd., Suite C-225, Atlanta, 30342. To find out more, visit: www. cscatlanta.org.

What the Yankees Did Thursday, July 24, 7-8:30 p.m. Historian Steve Davis takes a nearly street-bystreet inventory of Civil War Atlanta and explains what was destroyed by the Union Army, what was destroyed by the Confederate Army, and what was destroyed as a result of looting or rioting. Free; donations welcome. Open to the public. Heritage Hall, lower level of Heritage Sandy Springs, 6110 Bluestone Rd., Sandy Springs, 30328. For more information, visit www.heritagesandysprings.org or call 404-851-9111.

Women & Money Saturday, July 26, 4-5 p.m. More women are responsible for their financial well-being. So, no matter what life stage they’re in, women should know how to save, invest and plan for their future. Session includes free workbook. No specific insurance or investment products will be discussed. Free; for adult audiences. Registration required by calling

Car Show Thursday, July 17, 6-9 p.m. Check out the next Dunwoody Driving Club Car event, this time at Brook Run Park. Enjoy vintage cars along with food trucks and live music. Free. All are welcome. 4770 North Peachtree Rd., Dunwoody, 30338. Call David Andersen at 404-514-0424 with questions. Go to: www.dunwoodydrivingclub. com to find out more about the club.

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Friday, July 18, 8 p.m. Storyteller Dolores Hydock and music historian Bobby Horton perform in “A Sweet Strangeness Thrills My Heart: The World of Sallie Independence Foster, 1861-1887.” Based on Sallie’s diaries, papers and letters from her brothers off at the Civil War, the act features camp songs, period favorites and original tunes, creating a world of innocence turned upside-down. $15 for Atlanta History Center members; $20 for non-members. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit: www.atlantahistorycenter.com or call 404-814-4000. 130 West Paces Ferry Rd., NW, Atlanta, 30305.

Chamber Music Thursday, July 24, 10:30 a.m. Enjoy many well-known classic favorites during this Franklin Pond Chamber Music student outreach concert. Free. Appropriate for all ages. Sandy Springs Branch Library, 395 Mount Vernon Highway, Sandy Springs, 30328. Call 404-3036130 or email: comments@co.fulton. ga.us for details. Visit: http://franklinpond.org to find out more about the group.

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Thursday, July 24, 2:30-3:30 p.m. From writing a script to preproduction planning to shooting a film through to post-production, teens learn about filmmaking. Suitable for ages 12-18. Limited to the first 20 participants. Registration required by emailing: amy.alexander@ fultoncountyga.gov or calling 404-8143500. Buckhead Branch Library, 269 Buckhead Ave., NE, Atlanta, 30305.

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JULY 11 – JULY 24, 2014 | 13

out & about

Local artist’s work featured at Blue Heron Nature Preserve BY JENNA GOFF Kerry Butler started painting when he was a boy. “I was always drawing in class, starting at the age of 5,” said the Peachtree Hills artist. “So my parents gave me a paint-bynumbers kit and then a paint set, and it only progressed from there.” While pursuing other jobs and moving around the East Coast, Butler consistently painted. “Whatever I was into, I was still doing art,” he said. Now, Butler’s passion has produced over 300 paintings. Many are being showcased at the Blue Heron Nature Preserve Art Gallery until Aug. 29. His work is fitting for such a gallery.

“I’ve always believed that I was reincarnated from a tree, because I love trees,” Butler said. “So naturally my work features a lot of trees, landscapes and nature scenes.” Butler’s depiction of animals attracted people at the gallery to his artwork. “Many of the paintings we’re exhibiting have animals in them that you can find here at the preserve,” said Nancy Jones, Blue Heron director. While Butler is mainly moved by nature, he also finds inspiration from his extensive collection of used books. He will often find a photograph that he likes and create a painting off of it. “I take bits and pieces from photo-

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graphs and then add what I see is missing,” Butler said. “The paintings then just kind of come together.” In one such piece, he painted a sunstreaked evening sky from one photograph, and then added details such as a church from other photographs. The end result was entirely Butler’s own. “I want to be in most of my good paintings,” he said. Over the years, Butler has experimented with a range of different mediums. “I first fell in love with oils,” he said. “But I’ve also been into acrylic and watercolors.” No matter the medium, Butler’s

paintings show his attention to detail. “I love the way he blends colors,” Jones said. “All of his work is colorful and realistic.” Butler said that most of this technique comes intuitively. “I knew things about painting without being taught,” he said. He explained his motivation to paint in a similar way. Even with the many that come from work, family and other hobbies, Butler said has always found himself drawn to painting. “I can’t explain it so much in words,” he said. “It’s just something I’m driven to do.”

Butler’s artwork is on display now until Aug. 29 at the Blue Heron Nature Preserve. Visit www.bhnp.org for more information. Where: Blue Heron Nature Preserve 4055 Roswell Rd., Buckhead When: Through August 29 How much: Free For more info: 404-345-1008, www.bhnp.org

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Kerry Butler’s work features trees, landscapes and nature scenes.

JULY 11 – JULY 24, 2014 | www.ReporterNewspapers.net

Stage Door Players announce new season BY JENNA GOFF

Dunwoody’s Stage Door Players have announced their 2014-2015 season, but first they conclude their 40th anniversary season this month with Neil Simon’s comedy “The Odd Couple.” “This show was chosen as our yearly gift to our audiences,” said Robert Egizio, the artistic director of Stage Door Players. “A classic comedy is a perfect way to end the season.” “The Odd Couple” presents two drastically different men who decide to room together with disastrous, but comic, results. “It’s a great show with history and familiarity,” said Egizio. The 2014-2015 season promises a variety of types of shows. “We have two regional premieres of new comedies that I think the audience will really respond to,” Egizio said.

The comedy “I Do, I Do, I Do” runs from September through October of this year. It follows the misadventures of a bride who finds herself engaged to three ideal men, and she can only marry one. The “Rabbit Hole” follows in November. The show is a tragic look at the life of a couple after a life-shattering accident. “Private Lives,” a comedy about two ex-lovers honeymooning in the same location, brings in the new year, followed by “Rounding Third,” the story of two dissimilar Little League coaches, in March and April of 2015. The romantic comedy “Sylvia,” about the impact of a stray dog on a couple, opens in May 2015. “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” closes out the season next July.

What: Stage Door Players’ production of The Odd Couple Where: 5339 Chamblee Dunwoody Rd., Dunwoody, 30338 When: July 11 – August 3. Regular performances are on Friday and Saturday evenings at 8 p.m., with a Sunday matinee at 2:30 p.m. There will be an additional performance on Thursday, July 31 at 8 p.m. How much: $27 for adults; $25 for seniors; $22 for students; $12 for youth 12 and under For more info: 770-396-1726; www.stagedoorplayers.net

FAITH

New pastor aims to make old church ‘blossom’

Brookhaven

BY JENNA GOFF Over the course of a few days, membership at Ebenezer Primitive Baptist Church jumped from one to 27. And the new pastor, Gus Harter, believes they’re only getting started. After over 30 years as pastor of Bethany Primitive Baptist Church in Suwanee and eight years serving in the Philippines, Harter found himself called to the church in Sandy Springs. “I came here to make this historic church work,” he said. “I don’t want to see it die.” Ebenezer Primitive Baptist Church has fallen on hard times. First established in 1829, it sits on the corner of Roberts and Spalding Drives. But whereas it had over 1,000 people attend service in 1928, its membership dropped to an all-time low this spring. “When I came, Edward Cagle [the previous pastor] was the only active member of the church,” Harter said. “But 27 people joined with me so we’ve got a basic start.” Patsy Froy is one of the members who moved with Harter from Bethany Primitive Baptist Church to Ebenezer. “I’ve known him my whole life, basically,” she said. “He’s been there for funerals, babies being born, weddings. He’s a very influential person in my life.” Harter plans on renovating the church as his first order of business. The current brick building stands across the street from the original church, which Harter said was taken apart by Union soldiers during the Civil War. The building as it is now is the church’s fourth reconstruction. “I want to dress it up, but I don’t want to lose the antiquity of it,” said Harter. “It’s a beautiful church.” He thinks that this beauty alone, coupled with the improvements, will help attract new members. But Harter also believes that the church offers something different.

“We are not contemporary, but we are unique,” he said. “Every service has 30 minutes of a capella singing, and about 45 minutes to an hour of expository preaching. And we have a potluck lunch after church.” Primitive Baptists are known for the simplicity of their worship. No musical instruments are allowed in church, so members engage in Sacred Harp singing, a tradition where singers use their voices as instruments in four-part harmony. There are also no divisions by age or gender. This means that children attend services and are encouraged to participate in all activities. Although this is different than many, more modern, churches, Froy is certain that membership will increase. “We have really great services,” she said. “And Brother Harter is such an inspiration.” Harter’s track record backs Froy’s confidence. He previously assisted in helping Bethany Primitive Baptist Church build their new building, which he claims is the largest Primitive Baptist church in the nation. And during his years in the Philippines from 2000 to 2008, he built 100 churches, he says, and started a clinic and an orphanage along with his wife, Betty Jo. “I’m anxious to get in there and rebuild this church,” Harter said. For now, he plans to keep holding services on Sunday mornings starting at 10:30 a.m. But if membership continues to grow, he has other ideas. “If we get membership in Dunwoody, I’ll add an afternoon service,” he said. “And we have over 5 acres. If I need to, I’ll build another, larger, church.” But no matter what the future holds for Ebenezer Primitive Baptist Church, Harter will remain positive. “I want to see this church blossom,” he said. “And I believe that it will.”

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Ebenezer Primitive Baptist Church’s new pastor Gus Harter has big plans to make the church, established in 1829, “blossom” and grow.

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JULY 11 – JULY 24, 2014 | 15

rant Re

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Bonjour, mes ami! I’m dining at this quaint and charming café and bistro called Anis. Wish you were here! But… don’t buy an airline ticket because I’m speaking French; this place is closer than you might think. Anis Café and Bistro occupies a converted house on a side street in the Garden Hills neighborhood of Buckhead, not the south of France. It’s full of personality and busting at the seams after enjoying over 20 years of awardwinning success.

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Mussels Marinieres

Anis does both “café” and “bistro” quite well. Sit outside under the covered patio and have a glass of Gousseaume Sauvignon Blanc and a plate of Mussels Marinieres, with white wine, garlic, parsley and cream. The mussels are tender, and you’ll want to sop up the garlicky broth with a hunk of crusty French bread. Or order a Kronenbourg beer and a plate of Calamari Frit, nicely cooked and corn-meal dusted, with a Harissa remoulade providing a spicy kick. Yes, close your eyes and be transported to Provence. C’est si bon! The popularity of Anis has not only caused it to physically expand to its limits with a variety of inside and outside dining options, along with a funky little bar, but also to expand its menu to dishes and price points that stretch the casualness and more forgiving atmosphere of a café/bistro. Several of the dishes we tried were underdone and underseasoned, not befitting of a kitchen whose dinner menu “Plats Principaux” range from $21-$33 an entrée. The service, while also suited for a casual environ, stumbled with the finer points. Orders were served in “roll call” style fashion: “Alright, who had the chicken and who had the fish?” and additional glasses of wine, refills on water and additional utensils took repeated queries. The Boeuf au Poivre, ordered by two at our table, was a fine piece of beef but both servings were undercooked, medium rare being rare, and medium being medium rare. The accompany-

ing cognac peppercorn sauce added a peppery heat but otherwise had little flavor. The Lyonnaise potatoes, roasted portabello mushrooms and sweet onions were a nice accompaniment, but a meager portion for a dinner entree. The Poulet Roti, thyme roasted, free-range chicken, was moist but needed seasoning, and lacked a nicely browned and well-rendered skin. The kitchen actually prepares “poisson” quite well, and it was the highlight of our meal. The Truite Meuniere, a pan-roasted trout with wilted greens, marinated artichokes and capers in a lemon brown butter was perfectly done, the fish flakey and firm. The Loup de Mer, the literal translation being “Wolf of the Sea”, but really a European version of sea bass, was nicely cooked and perched atop a concoction of leeks, potatoes and a saffron nage, a poaching liquid thickened with flour and butter. It was a comforting dish but light enough to still enjoy in the warmer weather. The dessert offerings were the usual French suspects. We opted for the profiteroles and the crème brulee; both were faithful “examples” of each. Several of our diners’ preferences would have been that the caramel on the brulee be torch-fired just prior to serving so that it was not only crispy but warm as well.

Creme Brulee

A quick check of a favorite local airline produced round-trip ticket prices from Atlanta to France of over $2,000. So save your Euros and visit Anis Café and Bistro. You’ll have a “bon moment” if you let it show you its more casual roots. Anis Café and Bistro is located at 2974 Grandview Avenue, Atlanta, 30305, 404-233-9889. It can be found online at anisbistro.com. Art Huckabee is one of Yelp’s Elite Reviewers, as well as a pilot, gourmet cook and food lover. Send feedback to atlantafoodwriter@gmail.com

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Grace Guynn, rising junior St. Pius X Catholic School Though Grace Guynn has always had a love for service, she recently found a conduit for cultivating her passion. Ever since she was young, Grace’s mother, the founder of a nonprofit, has instilled in her a love of serving the less fortunate. But when Grace joined the GivingPoint Institute, she discovered a way to nurture her love of volunteering while also building her own name in the world of philanthropy. The institute is a nationwide youth development nonprofit that provides young people with tools to build effective projects based on their social causes. In the past year that Grace has worked with the institute, she has worked on constructing a curriculum for preschool children to teach them what volunteerism means and how to become a volunteer. Grace plans to include three main aspects of community service in her curriculum: helping sick children, hungry children and animals. Grace says the end goal of her project is to “build a new generation of teens and young adults who have a passion for service, so it comes as second nature to them.” One of the key aspects of being a member of the institute is the mentorship. Grace is paired with Adam Ross of Social Vest, an Atlanta-based shopping website that allows customers to direct a portion of purchases of specific brands to charity. He has been her mentor since the launch of her project, and is able to guide her from the perspective of someone who has successfully turned his passion into a prosper-

ous company. “She could have chosen a wide variety of ways to make the world a better place, but by choosing to teach small children about volunteering, she’s connecting with them at an age where she can really impact how they view service,” Ross said. Through her experience with GivingPoint, Grace says she has learned skills that will lead her to achieving success in this project and future ventures. One of the greatest skills she has learned, she says, is how to effectively communicate her ideas to ultimately convince people to take her and her project seriously. When Grace is not busy with her service work, she is a dedicated student, having achieved honor roll in each semester. She also plays for the junior varsity volleyball team at St. Pius, and is a team captain for a club volleyball team.

What’s Next: Grace will work through the GivingPoint Institute again for the 201415 school year. –This article was reported and written by Elizabeth Harvey, a student at The Westminster Schools.

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Reporter Newspapers

PUBLIC SAFETY

Police Blotter

 300 block of Perimeter Center North – Simple assault/battery was reported on July 2.

From police reports dated through July 3.

 2300 block of Dunwoody Crossing – Simple assault/battery was reported on July 2.

The following information was pulled from Dunwoody’s Police-to-Citizen Portal Event Search website and is presumed to be accurate.

 4400 block of Ashford Dunwoody Road – Family battery /simple battery was reported on July 3.

ROBBERY  4500 block of Ashford Dunwoody Road – A robbery in the street using a gun was reported on June 26.

BURGLA RY  4900 block of Glaze Drive – A burglary to a residence, without using forced entry, resulted in the theft of $11,000 in cash, and was reported on June 21.

 2100 block of Foxboro Lane – A runaway juvenile was reported on June 22.

2100 block of Peachford Road – Harassing communi-



cations were reported on June 22.

 1800 block of Cotillion Drive – A noise violation was reported on June 23.  6600 block of Peachtree Industrial Boulevard – Ha-

idence, without using forced entry, was reported on June 24.

 4500 block of Olde Perimeter Way – A burglary to a residence, without using forced entry, was reported on June 25; a burglary to a residence, using forced entry, resulted in the left of two iPads, and was reported on June 25.

A S S AULT  6600 block of Peachtree Industrial Boulevard – Family battery /simple battery was reported on June 21.  1st block of Peachford Circle – Family battery /simple battery was reported on June 25; family battery /simple battery was reported on July 3.  2900 block of Winterhaven Court – Family battery /simple battery was reported on June 27.  4900 block of Parliament Way – Simple assault/battery was reported on June 29.  1500 block of Mount Vernon Road – Simple assault/battery was reported on June 29.  1st block of Perimeter Center East – Family battery /simple battery was reported on July 1.  5200 block of Seaton Drive – Simple assault/battery was reported on July 1.  4400 block of N. Peachtree Road – Assault through intimidation was reported on July 2. DUN

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O T H ER  200 block of Perimeter Center Parkway – Harassing communications were reported on June 20.

 2100 block of Peachford Circle – A burglary to a res-

forced entry, resulted in the theft of cash, and was reported on June 24; a burglary to a residence, using forced entry, resulted in damage to the front door, and was reported on June 24; a burglary to a residence, using forced entry, resulted in theft of a laptop and a $2,000 watch, and was reported on June 24; a burglary to a residence, using forced entry, resulted in theft of a laptop, and was reported on June 24.

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 6700 block of Peachtree Industrial Boulevard – Family battery /simple battery was reported on July 3.

 1st block of Perimeter Center East – A burglary to a residence, without using forced entry, resulted in the theft of jewelry, purses and checks, and was reported on June 21.

 1st block of Perimeter Center Place – A burglary to a residence, using

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rassing communications were reported on June 25.

 4500 block of Olde Perimeter Way – A loitering violation was reported on June 25.  300 block of Perimeter Center North – Harassing communications were reported on June 26.  4600 block of Perimeter Place Parkway – Child neglect was reported on June 26.  500 block of Ashwood Parkway – A civil dispute was reported on June 26.  4300 block of Stonington Circle – Criminal trespass was reported on June 27.  2800 block of Winter Rose Court – A civil dispute was reported on June 27.  5500 block of Redbark Way – Aggravated stalking was reported on June 27.  4500 block of Ashford Dunwoody Road – Disorderly conduct was reported on June 28.  5000 block of Tilly Mill Road – Harassing communications were reported on June 29.  6700 block of Peachtree Industrial Boulevard – Disorderly conduct was reported on June 30.

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Have a Voice The Chamber Represents YOU. We advocate for the success of local business and issues that affect you. 2. Engage Dunwoody Join the Dunwoody Chamber and City of Dunwoody to encourage long term sustainability by connecting our corporate partners to form bonds with local organizations and complete community projects. 3. Be Visible Market and promote your company through our website, ribbon cuttings, social media, volunteer work, and by attending events.

 2400 block of Kingsland Drive – Harassing communications were reported on June 30.  4500 block of Kingsgate Drive – Damage to business property was reported on July 1.  2300 block of Brookhurst Drive – Criminal trespass was reported on July 1.  4800 block of Lakeside Drive – A runaway juvenile was reported on July 1.  4700 block of N. Peachtree Road – A suicide threat was reported on July 2.

Tell them you saw it in Reporter Newspapers

 1st block of Perimeter Center East – Prostitution was reported on July 3.

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JULY 11 – JULY 24, 2014 | 19

COMMUNITY

Holiday tradition: Thousands show the colors in Dunwoody BY JOE EARLE

joeearle@reporternewspaper.net

Howard Kornfield says he’s been on hand to watch Dunwoody’s Fourth of July parades since they began. This year, Kornfield and his 13-year-old granddaughter staked out seats front and center so they could catch the action up close. “I live about a mile from here,” Kornfield said. “It just seems like I’ve got to come. I asked my granddaughter if she wanted to come and she said, ‘Are you kidding? It’s a tradition.’” His granddaughter, Maria Rodriguez, lives in Fulton County now, but said she didn’t want to miss the annual parade. “We started coming when I was

8,” she said. “I’m 13 now. It’s a tradition. We do it every year.” They were among tens of thousands who lined Mount Vernon Road on July 4 to watch as everyone from the governor to a group of self-styled pirates paraded through Dunwoody. The Dunwoody Homeowners Association’s annual Independence Day parade, which the DHA claims is the largest in Georgia, featured politicians, girl and boy scouts, displays from churches and businesses, marching bands, a potato as big as a yacht and sheep. Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal, the parade’s grand marshal, rode in a convert-

ible at the head of the two-hour parade. Members of the Atlanta Pirates and Wenches Guild followed, most of them walking, about an hour later. Parade participants negotiated Mount Vernon Road on horseback, on foot, in antique cars, in electric cars, on bicycles, in fire trucks, in ambulances and other emergency vehicles, in go karts, in decorated golf carts, in a truck towing a boat and in garbage trucks. The Dunwoody High cheerleaders cheered, and the school’s volleyball team played volleyball, complete with a truck-towed net, as they marched down Mount Vernon. Members of the crowd wore clothes bearing images of the U.S. flag, or clothes colored red, white and blue,

or waved small American flags as they cheered the paraders. Some marchers handed out candy or water to the crowd. The DHA held its first parade in 1976 and continued for five years, the organization says on its website. The parade started again in 1991 and has continued as an annual event since, the DHA says. Like many other members of the crowd – which DHA board member Bill Grossman estimated this year would top 30,000 – Michelle Carden of Brookhaven and her children were decked out in red, white and blue. Carden said she brings her young daughters to watch the parade every year. “The kids love it,” she said. “And the candy. They love the candy.”

PHOTOS BY JOE EARLE

We’re ready An eager crowd filled the streets of Dunwoody for the city’s annual Fourth of July parade and festivities. Above, left, front, Kate Marvel, 4, and Karoline Lucas, 3, watch the parade go by, as does Camron Carden, his daughter Abigail, 2, on his lap, Sophie, 6, and Michelle Carden, right. Above, right, from left, clockwise, Emma Goodrich, 11, Logan, 13, father Glenn, mother Jill, Lily, 8, and Becca, 6, are dressed for parade success. Far left, Stephanie Hudkins, behind wagon, and husband Joe, right, enjoy the action passing by with their children, from left, Evelyn, 6 months, Clara, 3, Emma Elizabeth, 9, William, 4, and Creighton, 7. Left, the Central Georgia Mounted Color Guard struts their stuff. Bottom, far left, Howard Kornfield, right, and his granddaughter Maria Rodriguez, 13, share parade stories. Left, the 116th Army band from Marietta wows the crowd.

JULY 11 – JULY 24, 2014 | www.ReporterNewspapers.net

DUN

COMMUNITY

PHOTOS BY PHIL MOSIER

Celebrating in style Above, left, Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal, waving to the large crowd, served as grand marshal of the Dunwoody Fourth of July parade, and led the festivities riding in a convertible. Above, right, Keith Dyche and his daughter Audrey, 5, members of “Bike Walk Dunwoody,” rode their bikes to, and in, the parade. Right, the event featured veterans groups, local churches, marching bands, floats, clowns, antique cars and local celebrities, and even the Wells Fargo Stage Coach. Below, right, the parade attracted local residents as well as visitors, such as, from left, Paula Gonzalez, sister Maria, their father Peter, and mother Gladys from Tampa, FL. Below, left, the Atlanta First Baptist Church’s float goes by, expressing support for U.S. troops.

DUN

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JULY 11 – JULY 24, 2014 | 21

COMMUNITY

Cities look to improve pedestrian safety, access CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

is more car-oriented, but we’re trying to be proactive to make it better for pedestrians,” said Dunwoody Public Works Director Michael Smith. Local officials are trying a variety of ways to address pedestrian problems. “It’s a constant battle,” said Sandy Springs Police Officer Brandon Smith. He says his department tries to educate pedestrians breaking the rules by stopping and talking to them when violations occur. Smith said the problem occurs more in areas with apartment complexes located across the street from convenience and grocery stores. He said the fact that the city is installing more visible crosswalks and medians is encouraging. The medians “give pedestrians a safe haven once they get half way,” he said. Dunwoody Police Officer Tim Fecht says he recently acted as “pedestrian bait” to nab drivers who failed to yield when he attempted to walk across Mount Vernon Road. “We’ve had several people complain about Mount Vernon traffic failing to yield to pedestrians,” he said, explaining that it’s state law for drivers to stop if they see a pedestrian approaching or crossing at a crosswalk. During the undercover “sting,” nine violators were caught, Fecht said, with six citations handed out in an hour and a half. “It was more than we expected,” he said. Drivers also were given educational safety pamphlets. Fecht said that since the sting was made public, the Dunwoody Police Department has received citizen requests to conduct more such operations.

Fecht said Dunwoody hasn’t seen any major pedestrian accidents. “Fortunately, our pedestrians are pretty defensive,” he said, “and we’ve only had a couple of minor bumps.” In Brookhaven, jaywalkers haven’t been so lucky. The report by Smart Growth America, a Washington, D.C.,-based group that advocates ways to defeat sprawl, said Buford Highway topped the metro Atlanta list of the worst roads to cross with 22 fatalities recorded in nine years. That’s why Brookhaven police want to teach some residents how to properly and safely cross a busy street. Officer Carlos Nino, who conducts community outreach for the Brookhaven department, said his division is reaching out to pedestrians on Buford Highway by holding safety classes at apartment communities. Nino said pedestrians often opt to jaywalk because of the way Buford Highway is laid out. Pedestrians don’t want to walk hundreds of feet to a crosswalk just to cross the street, and then have to walk all the way back, he said. “There’s just so much distance between one traffic light and another, sometimes there can be a mile, or half a mile,” Nino said. So officials have added pedestrian “islands” in some places to give walkers a place to pause halfway across. Crossing a street at an inappropriate location, walking just outside a crosswalk, and not waiting for the correct signal can lead to jaywalkers receiving citations. He thinks the situation has improved since Brookhaven became a city. “I’m proud to say that since we started we really haven’t had the quantity of incidents that DeKalb County had,” he said, attributing

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the improvement to more manpower and police presence. “If you drive up and down Buford Highway you will see construction now in some pedestrian crosswalks.” Another part of DUNWOODY PD Brookhaven where Dunwoody Officer Tim Fecht was “pedestrian bait.” officers are focusing on enforcing pedestrian laws is the Dresden Drive is adjacent to apartments and office buildarea near the MARTA station. Like Buings. Also, a new traffic signal with crossford Highway, the area has a lot of pedeswalks was activated on July 3 at Johnson trians crossing the road away from the trafFerry and Wright roads. fic signal, and also leaving bars intoxicated. In Dunwoody, Michael Smith says that Better street and sidewalk planning also fi ve miles of new sidewalk have been addis part of the process for other cities. ed since that community became a city Sandy Springs is in the midst of planfi ve years ago. “The goal of the city is to ning its City Center, a mixed-use develeventually have sidewalks on both sides of opment where citizens should be able to the street on major roads,” he said, includsafely walk between home, shopping and ing roads with schools or walking routes offices. Sandy Springs city officials budto schools. geted $13.5 million to spend on the City He said that in the city’s second year it Center in the 2014-15 budget, $8.7 milwon an award from PEDS, a pedestrian lion for transportation improvements and advocacy group in the Atlanta metro area. $500,000 for its sidewalk program. He said that Dunwoody has a list of priCity officials also are setting up special oritized projects to start funding over the pedestrian crossings on busy streets in othnext few years. er parts of town. Citizens can visit the city of Dun“The city recently installed a pedestriwoody’s website for information on its an safety traffic signal on Roswell Road besidewalk improvement program and a petween Long Island Drive and West Belle destrian safety action plan. Isle Road,” Dan Coffer, Sandy Springs “I think the city’s been pretty proactive spokesman, said in an email. and aggressive in trying to create a better He said the signal is located just south environment for pedestrians,” he said. of the Fountain Oaks shopping center and

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COMMUNITY

Not chilly out here Brook Run Park, the city of Dunwoody and B98.5 FM joined forces to present the movie “Frozen” to a large crowd June 28. Right, children in attendance play “Simon Says” before the movie starts. Below, left, Victoria Semanduyeva, 5, left, and London Sabree, 4, spend time with hula hoops while waiting for the film to begin. Below, right, Ava White, 6, shows she’s not part of the crowd, displaying a different Simon Says move from the rest. Bottom, right, the “unofficial” winners of the “traveled the farthest to see the movie” award, Mary Bank, right, and daughter Victoria King, 8, who came from Conyers. They both wear promotional headgear from the movie “Maleficent.” Below, left, actors and sisters Allisa Wiley, left, and Savannah, right, pose with Dunwoody residents Megan Wiley, center, and her daughter Piper, 6, front. PHOTOS BY PHIL MOSIER

JULY 11 – JULY 24, 2014 | www.ReporterNewspapers.net

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