AUGUST 17 - 30, 2018 • VOL. 12— NO. 17
FACEBOOK.COM/THEREPORTERNEWSPAPERS
Sandy Springs Reporter
►
TWITTER.COM/REPORTER_NEWS
reporternewspapers.net
Unitarian Universalist church proposes expansion as regional interest grows PAGE 4
► Exhibits mark 50 years of teaching art in Chastain Park PAGE 18
Opening acts launch city’s arts center
Fireworks permit proposal fizzles, revision ordered BY EVELYN ANDREWS evelyn@reporternewspapers.net
PHOTOS BY PHIL MOSIER
The Room to Move Dance group performs “Shouts and Murmurs” as part of “City Springs Day” on Aug. 11, a free day of performances and festivities to open the city’s new Performing Arts Center. Among the other groups performing were the Atlanta Ballet, the Atlanta Opera, the local Act3 Productions theater company, and Roswell Dance Theater. For more about the PAC’s opening season, see citysprings.com. More photos, page 15.►
EXCEPTIONAL EDUCATOR ESOL teacher wins award
OUT & ABOUT ‘HOT PURSUIT’ FOR CHRISTMAS GIFTS Page 16
I stay aware of my surroundings. I also think social media makes the fear worse than it should be. How are you changing your behavior because of fear of crime? See page 6
See COMMENTARY, page 10
SIGN UP TO RECEIVE DAILY & WEEKLY EMAILS WITH LOCAL NEWS @ REPORTERNEWSPAPERS.NET/SIGNUP
A state law intended to make it easier for cities to regulate fireworks noise has been anything but for Sandy Springs officials, who have struggled at the last two City Council meetings on whether it will work in practice. The law allows cities to restrict fireworks use under local noise ordinances and to create a permitting system to allow their use. But neither options are simple for Sandy Springs. Although council voted Aug. 7 to reenact the noise ordinance to include fireworks under the existing regulations, city officials are worried it will hard for police to enforce. City officials are pushing to create the new permitting system, but have yet to convince council members. The council opted at its Aug. 7 meeting to ask city staff to come back next time with a more fleshed-out proposal for requiring residents to obtain fireworks permits. See FIREWORKS on page 14
Council reappoints four judges BY EVELYN ANDREWS evelyn@reporternewspapers.net
The city reappointed four of the sitting Municipal Court judges at its Aug. 7 meeting, opting to not replace Sharon Dickson, a judge who asked not be reappointed to the court following a bias controversy. The other four judges who have sat on the bench were recommended by Paul and reappointed for another four years unanimously by the City Council. They are Candiss L. Howard, Donald Schaefer, Joseph F. Burford and Marcia M. Ernst. A new judge is not currently planned to be reappointed to replace Dickson. See COUNCIL on page 22