9-29-16 Dunwoody Reporter by Reporter Newspapers

SEPT. 29 - OCT. 12, 2017 • VOL. 8— NO. 20

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► Perimeter Center office tower project seeks tax breaks PAGE 3 ► Several businesses hit with alcohol sales ban PAGE 22

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DUNWOODY ROCKS | P12

City OKs final transportation plan update BY DYANA BAGBY dyanabagby@reporternewspapers.net

The city’s new comprehensive transportation plan is officially in the books after a unanimous vote of approval from Dunwoody City Council. Earlier versions of the plan had raised concerns. Councilmembers worried over the definitions of “multi-modal” and “multi-use” and residents argued that proposed bike paths and trails would take out large swaths of people’s yards. Before the council voted on Sept. 18 to adopt the plan, resident Cheryl SumSee CITY on page 14 Leah May Kogon, 11, shares some love with her dog Buddy, a Shih Tzu poodle mix, at the second annual “Strut Your Mutt” event at Brook Run Park. Fourteen cities across the U.S. participated in the charity walk and festival hosted by Best Friends Animal Society. The Sept. 23 event at Brook Run Park featured dog friendly activities including dog yoga before and after the walk in the park with neighbors, supporters, and foster families. More photos, page 22. ►

EXCEPTIONAL EDUCATOR From math class to ‘Jeopardy!’ studio

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Police chief to cut a rug for good cause BY DYANA BAGBY dyanabagby@reporternewspapers.net Dunwoody Police Chief Billy Grogan loves to watch the popular “Dancing with the Stars” TV show, which features celebrities and professional dancers performing complicated choreography. Now, he gets his own chance to show off his fancy footwork. Well, maybe. “I have two left feet,” he said with a laugh after being congratulated on being selected to perform as part of the Oct. 14 “Dancing with DeKalb Stars” fundraiser. The event is hosted by DeKalb County Solicitor-General Donna Coleman-Stribling to See POLICE on page 15

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Community Briefs PEACHTR EE INDUS TR IA L G ETS $4 0 K S TUDY

The mayor and City Council voted unanimously Sept. 25 to award a $40,000 bid to TSW, an Atlanta-based planning firm, to develop a small-area study for the Peachtree Industrial Boulevard area between I-285 and Winters Chapel Road. The study area includes parts of Dunwoody, Doraville and Peachtree Corners, Community Development Director Richard McCleod said at the meeting. The area includes two large multi-family districts, he said. The purpose of the study is to determine redevelopment opportunities, landscaping improvements, urban design guidelines and transportation improvements. The city is seeking a representative from Doraville to be included in the study and Peachtree Corners has promised cooperation already, McCleod said.

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Police said a woman fell asleep at the wheel Sept. 20, causing her to crash into Crossroads Church of Dunwoody at the intersection of Tilly Mill Road and Peeler Road.

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A woman crashed her car into a Dunwoody church on Sept. 20 after apparently falling asleep at the wheel, according to police. The accident happened at about noon on Wednesday at Crossroads Church of Dunwoody, located at the busy intersection of Tilly Mill Road and Peeler Road. Dunwoody Lt. Mike Carlson said a 20-year-old woman fell asleep at the wheel. An ambulance was called to the scene but there were no injuries, he said. A police report was not immediately available. DeKalb Fire and Rescue responded to the scene due to a gas line break caused by the crash and the gas line was shut off, said Lead Pastor Chris Jordan. Students in the church’s academy had just returned to the building for lunch and were quickly evacuated after the crash, Jordan said. The car crashed into the worship part of the building, so there was no harm to where the students attend classes, he said. Jordan said numerous accidents happen at the busy intersection, including one on Thursday, Sept. 21, and he was surprised a car has not hit the church before. “It’s not uncommon to see wrecks. It’s extremely busy and everyone is interested in cutting through to avoid the backup from I-285,” he said. “And everyone’s trying to cut through that light.” Jordan said he talked to the woman who walked away from the crash. “The young lady ran the red light and said she blacked out and lost control,” he said. “We’re very thankful no one was hurt. God protected this young lady.”

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The Dunwoody Perimeter Chamber is hosting a series of community meetings to discuss “placemaking” strategies in the city as part of an effort to define ways to grow the city. The next meetings are scheduled for Oct. 12 and Oct. 26 at Maggiano’s Little Italy in Perimeter Mall as part of “Shape Dunwoody” breakfasts. All meetings begin at 7:30 a.m. The restaurant is located at 4400 Ashford-Dunwoody Road. The meetings are open to the public. Cost to attend is $20 per person and includes a breakfast prepared by Maggiano’s Little Italy. Because a quorum of Dunwoody City Council members likely will attend the meetings, the city has publicly stated there will be special called meetings on those dates. No city business will take place or votes taken. Placemaking investments may include additions such as multi-use trails, parks and green space, streetscaping, public art and wayfinding signage or enhancements to such things as community events, walkability, gathering places and local retail. Registration will end two days prior to the event; no walk-ins will be accepted and no refunds will be given. Payment is required by credit card at the time of registration. For more information, visit perimeterchamber.com. DUN

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Perimeter Center office tower project seeks tax breaks

CITY OF DUNWOODY

A rendering of the 16-story office tower shows a 10-story hotel tucked in behind it.

BY DYANA BAGBY dyanabagby@reporternewspapers.net

Developers for a proposed new office tower and hotel in Dunwoody’s Perimeter Center area are seeking a $130 million tax break from the Dunwoody Development Authority as they hope to begin construction early next year and open in 2020. Trammell Crow, the developers, must first get a special land use permit from the mayor and City Council to build a 16-story office tower and 10-story hotel at 1134 Hammond Drive, next to the Dunwoody MARTA station in a largely unused corner of the Perimeter Mall parking lot. The company plans to purchase the land from the mall. The hotel is not part of the tax break request, Starling said. The first reading of the special permit was at the Sept. 25 council meeting; the second and final vote is scheduled for Oct. 9. The Development Authority on Sept. 14 approved an inducement resolution with Trammell Crow for $130 million in revenue bonds over 10 years — the same deal that was approved a year ago for developer Transwestern. Transwestern, however, eventually dropped the project when the City Council rejected their request for a 20-story office tower and approved only 16 stories. “This inducement resolution is the first step in providing tax incentives,” Economic Development Director Michael Starling said. The resolution allows the developer and the development authority to enter into talks about specifics of the agreement, while also triggering a financial analysis, he said. “We expect them to come back to the authority next year as they close on purchasing the property,” Starling said. At that time, a memorandum of understanding would be negotiated, he said. Under such tax abatement deals, the authority would own the property and lease it back to the developers, who would pay much lower property taxes in the beginning and then gradually increase the amount over many years. Ownership would eventually switch back to the developers. DUN

The inducement resolution means a new financial analysis will be forthcoming to see what will be saved in property taxes from the city, DeKalb County and the DeKalb County School District. Starling said there will also be discussion on “clawback” provisions — setting out how the city would recoup the taxes should the project fail — in the agreement and on the number of jobs the new office building will bring to the city. Brandon Houston of Trammell Crow told the mayor and City Council at the Sept. 25 meeting that his company was in talks with a tenant that is seeking to locate

its headquarters at the building and that would take up 60 percent of the building. “They do not have a headquarters in Dunwoody now. This would be new for the city,” he said. Square footage of the office building is just under 350,000 square feet. The hotel will have 193 rooms. A pedestrian bridge would connect the MARTA station to the office tower and to the hotel. The location next to a MARTA station is a strong selling point for potential office tower tenants and also for the hotel, which would likely serve mainly business travelers, Houston said. Houston said the tenant he is in talks with plans to have at least 150 employees use MARTA. Attorney Jessica Hill said the proposed development would include a 0.1-acre pocket park adjacent to the office tower where people could sit and eat lunch. Resident Robert Wolford spoke in favor of the project, but urged the city to protect as many trees at the site as possible and to ensure the developer replaces trees that are cut down. There are 83 trees on the site and 40 are marked for removal, according to the city. Mayor Denis Shortal requested the developers find a way to add more public green space to the project, perhaps close to where the Chick-fil-A restaurant is lo-

cated at the site’s eastern end. Density and traffic concerns were raised citing the city’s analysis that traffic would increase by 7.1 percent in the area. Houston said a hotel does not typically check in guests during morning and evening peak driving times, which should offset congestion concerns in the busy Perimeter Center. Trammell Crow is also in talks to buy an existing MARTA parking garage for the tower’s use, the same plan that was initiated by Transwestern. The hotel would be tucked into a triangular area — also now a surface parking lot — behind the tower and right next to the mall’s massive parking garage. The hotel and the tower would have an elevated walkway and terrace connecting them. Hill has described the hotel as “screening” the parking garage from view. A resident told the Planning Commission, though, that the area is now screened by large trees that would be cut down for the project. Houston said there is no completed architectural design for the hotel and no hotel brand yet secured, although he said it would likely be a major brand name. He did say the hotel would have a fitness center, limited conference space and a roof-top bar and outdoor space.

4 | Community

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Big costs, and some lessons, from Irma storm response CITY OF SANDY SPRINGS

Two trees fell during Tropical Storm Irma on Montavallo Drive in Sandy Springs.

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Responding to Tropical Storm Irma on Sept. 11 and 12 left local cities with significant bills and such suggestions as better real-time power outage information, according to early government reports. In Dunwoody, See related Irma cleanup cost commentary the Public Works and reader and Parks and survey, page 10 Recreation departments alone an estimated $20,000 to $30,000, according to the city. In Sandy Springs, a rough estimate from City Manager John McDonough was that storm response cost the city “six figures plus.” Atlanta and Brookhaven did not have cost estimates available yet. “The city is currently reviewing costs associated with Hurricane Irma and will undergo a cost-reconciliation process,” said city of Atlanta spokesperson Jewanna Gaither. “We predict to have figures in the next few weeks.” Among Reporter Newspapers communities, Sandy Springs had the most detailed report available, as McDonough briefed the City Council on Sept. 19. The storm “reminds us, it humbles us, about the power of nature,” McDonough said. McDonough said the city began outlining emergency response plans even

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before Irma approached the U.S. mainland as a historically powerful Category 5 hurricane. Sandy Springs initially was watching Hurricane Harvey as it devastated Houston, Texas, with flooding. Among the local planning was monitoring the Lake Forrest Dam, a troubled structure under Lake Forrest Drive on the Atlanta-Sandy Springs border, on Sept. 1. Both city governments and a group of private residences are working on a plan to repair or replace that aging dam, which the state fears could collapse and flood in a major storm. As Irma approached, Sandy Springs’ first concern was the large number of evacuees heading to metro Atlanta, where they filled up hotels. Then Irma finally arrived here as a tropical storm. Sandy Springs got its first call about a fallen tree at 6:30 a.m. on Sept. 11, McDonough said. By the storm’s end, about 45 roads had been closed by fallen trees or electric lines, and a local resident was killed when a tree fell on his house — one of three people the storm killed in Georgia. Sandy Springs Police officers knocked on doors of homes near Nancy Creek to alert residents about possible flooding, and city officials checked on conditions at assisted living facilities after hearing what McDonough called “horror stories” of seniors dying in Florida blackouts. Irma affected the city’s Call Center, which handles any type of city services request. Providing through an outsourcing contract, the Call Center service is based in Orlando, Fla., and had to evacuate for the storm. Backup service was provided from a Virginia office, McDonough said. Officials say the Call Center handled 1,930 calls during and immediately after Irma, but received only one complaint for poor response. McDonough said Sandy Springs had generally good communications with

other governments and such private agencies as Georgia Power Co. While generally pleased with the storm response, McDonough had one recommendation: Better real-time information from Georgia Power on where its crews were working. As an example, McDonough said he had a tree removal crew on standby and had to send them home because he could not tell whether Georgia Power was working on fallen lines in the same area. Such information also could allow cities to use their own crews to do some basic electrical repairs, he suggested. “Let’s be transparent about those things for all of our communities,” he said. Sandy Springs also quickly reviewed city streets for “dangerous” trees that will be proactively “eliminated” so they don’t eventually fall onto power lines or structures, McDonough said. He estimated the list, which was not immediately available, at about 100 trees. City spokesperson Dan Coffer later said it is about 50 to 60 trees. All local cities activated their versions of an emergency response headquarters, where staff worked around the clock to monitor conditions and supervise response. For Brookhaven, it was the city’s first use of the “Emergency Operations Center,” and officials deemed it a success— especially because the government itself fell victim to a power outage. “We had most of our staff in 24-hour mode, either at work or on-call, throughout the duration of this event,” said Mayor John Ernst in a written statement. “The EOC was able to function and succeed even though City Hall was in a blackout like most of the rest of the city.” –Evelyn Andrews and Dyana Bagby contributed

LOCAL STO RM IMPACTS BY THE NUMBERS Here are some of the early numbers on the impact of and responses to Tropical Storm Irma provided by local cities.

BROOK H AVEN ■ City government handled 209 incident reports, including downed trees, blocked roads and traffic signal outages.

DUN WOODY ■ Approximately 25 trees removed from roads. ■ Four city crews of combined staff from Public Works and Parks and Recreation were dedicated to cleanup from Sept. 10 to 15 and logged 80 hours of overtime work.

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6 | Community

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Traveling exhibit celebrates the area’s Jewish community BY JACLYN TURNER Heritage Sandy Spring’s newest exhibit, “L’Chaim Sandy Springs,” celebrates Jewish participation in the community. “The Jewish community has been a significant part of the culture of Sandy Springs from its formation to now, and we wanted to highlight that contribution,” said Leslie Walden, an HSS board member. The exhibit’s title refers to a common celebratory toast that means “To life!” in Hebrew. The exhibit, consisting of images and comments from local leaders and community members arranged in a timeline, opened at the William-Payne Farmhouse on Sept. 23 during the Sandy Springs Festival and will remain there until Oct. 1. Next, the exhibit is scheduled to be displayed at Temple Sinai and The Weber School in Sandy Springs and the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta in Dunwoody. “The way this exhibit works, is if it travels to a school, the kids are really fa◄ Melissa Swindell, HSS’s director of historical resources, stands in front of the first panel of the “L’Chaim Sandy Springs” exhibit. PHOTOS BY JACLYN TURNER

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miliar with Instagram, so they will initially be attracted to it because it’s something they know,” said Melissa Swindell, HSS director of historical resources. “When it travels to a synagogue, the adults will say, ‘I remember when this happened,’ and be attracted to the photos and the art.” Each panel is themed, and focuses on Sandy Spring’s Jewish schools, synagogues, arts, food, media and the roots of Jewish participation in the city. Representatives of the Atlanta Jewish Academy, Chaya Mushka Children’s House, The Davis Academy, the Epstein School, and The Weber School explore their approaches to Judaism and education. Members of Congregation Beth Tefillah, Congregation B’nai Torah, Congregation Or Hadash, Temple Emanu-El, Temple Sinai, and The Kehilla discuss their histories and what makes them unique. HSS collects and manages information and documents related to the history of the community with archives going back to the Civil War, but this is the first time the organization has collected artifacts to document the Jewish community in Sandy Springs. “We wanted to represent the entire population of Sandy Springs, which the Jewish community is a large population, with a complete and thorough archive,” Swindell said. Swindell and Walden conducted more than 120 interviews and conversations to understand the oral histories of Judaism in Sandy Springs as well as current achievements. The two started with Temple Sinai congregant and Sandy Springs City Councilmember Andy Bauman and the synagogue’s history committee, who wanted to create an exhibit to commemorate Temple Sinai’s 50th anniversary in 2018. Their explorations spread from there. “Being able to just network with everybody; there was so much we didn’t know who to contact or how to get in contact with them ... but one person would point us to another,” Swindell said. While the city of Atlanta and the Southeast have the Breman Museum, which holds archives for Temple Sinai, several newer synagogues and schools haven’t processed archives. “Some of the information can be found on websites, but this is the first time [that information related to Sandy Springs] is being pulled together into one space,” Swindell said. The Dewald family, the first identified Jewish family in Sandy Springs, moved into the area in the 1930s. Robert Ney opened the first pharmacy in Sandy Springs in 1955. In 1968, Temple Sinai was formed in Sandy Springs with the blessing of The Temple in Atlanta, which was overcrowded.

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When metro Atlanta started booming, and people started moving to the suburbs, Sandy Springs gained its Jewish population, crediting medical complexes such as Northside Hospital, as drawing Jewish Atlantans north of the city and helping to create a community feeling. The medical community and especially the hospital chaplains helped initiate the religious integration of the city, according to Walden. The exhibit also pays tribute to the city’s first mayor, Eva Galambos. Her family, survivors of the Holocaust, helped make the decision to give a home to an exhibit based on the life of Holocaust victim Anne Frank. In 2016, the city formed a sister city relationship with the Western Galilee Cluster in Israel with the coordination of Mayor Rusty Paul. The Consul Gen-

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eral of Israel and Andrea Worthy, economic development director for the city of Sandy Springs, spoke about both cities’ unique and diverse populations and commitment to technology and medicine for the project. “It’s not just a Jewish community. It’s a place where Jews, Arabs, Druze, and Christians all live together. They take a lot of pride into that,” Worthy said. Swindell and Walden said the exhibit took more time to pull together than they originally had expected because they kept finding more to include. “It kept growing,” Walden said. “We first started with questions for schools and synagogues, we didn’t want to leave anything out and to be as thorough as possible.” For more information, see HeritageSandySprings.org.

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8 | Education

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Rand Wise, Marist School

ing at the private Brookhaven school in 2014. He teaches calculus, geometry and problem-solving for math competitions.

Why are you involved with the American Mathematics Competitions program? How do you think it helps your students?

Rand Wise was a runner-up contestant on NBC’s “Jeopardy!” in May.

Marist School teacher Rand Wise last month won an award for encouraging his students to participate in math competitions, and, in May, used his competition experience to become a runner-up contestant on NBC’s “Jeopardy!” Wise was awarded the Edyth May Sliffe Award in August for his work with American Mathematics Competitions, which have students complete examinations. They move on to harder rounds if they score high enough. Wise said they are an “incredible means of challenging students to go beyond the math they learn in the classroom.”

SPECIAL

The award is given annually by the Mathematical Association of America to approximately 20 teachers in the U.S. “who have done outstanding work in motivating students in mathematics through participation in one of the MAA American Mathematics Competitions,” according to the organization’s website. Wise also coaches the school’s academic and math competition teams, which compete in quiz games similar to “Jeopardy!” A teacher since 1991, Wise began teach-

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I think it is an incredible means of challenging students to go beyond the math they learn in the classroom, and to apply the math they do know in creative and challenging ways. No matter how much math you know, there is always more math and harder math out there. Working with students on AMC questions is a nice way to get outside of a fixed curriculum and explore. It is intellectually stimulating and great fun; there is no other feeling in the world quite like the feeling you get when you finally solve a

Exceptional

Educator

really tough problem.

Why did you choose to go on “Jeopardy!”? What was the experience like?

I have wanted to be on “Jeopardy!” ever since I watched with my family growing up. It was definitely a “bucket list” experience. I was disappointed in myself for coming in second, but the experience was amazing. Getting to see behind the scenes, meet the incredible crew, talk with Alex Trebek, and getting to share the experience with my wife and son were fantastic.

Q: What attracted you to teaching at

first?

I discovered even as a student that I was good at explaining things so that people could understand even complex topics. I enjoy learning and knowing things at a deep level, and setting out to teach challenges me to know things even more deeply than my students do.

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I enjoy teaching greatly. Also, it is very rewarding to hear from old students who have gone out into the world and done amazing things, and who have grown and matured into responsible adults who contribute to their communities.

What do you think makes a great teacher?

Someone who cares about helping people, who makes a personal connection with students, who knows their subject really well and fosters a love of

SPECIAL

Wise poses at one of his students’ math competitions.

that subject in their students, who is patient and forgiving, who can find a way to challenge each and every student to rise to their potential.

What do you want to see in your students?

I want my students to give 100 percent; to feel comfortable making mistakes and asking questions. I want my students to love mathematics, especially if they come to me having had bad experiences with math. I want to see my students grapple with the “why” of a process rather than simply memorizing a series of steps.

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

I have done some interesting projects over the years, but usually mix them up. I have had students build kaleidoscopes and produce geometrical art, and last year a fellow teacher and I had our students make geometry-inspired lanterns. We got the idea from the popular BeltLine Lantern Parade. In calculus, I have some favorite problems that I bring back every year, including designing things to optimize certain parameters.

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

My “trick” is simply a mixture of perseverance, humor and humanity. I try to make things student-centered as much as possible. Editor’s note: Through our “Exceptional Educator” articles, Reporter Newspapers showcases the work of some of the outstanding teachers and administrators at our local schools. If you would like to recommend a teacher or administrator to be the subject of an Exceptional Educator article, please email editor@ReporterNewspapers.net.

SEPT. 29 - OCT. 12. 2017 ■ www.ReporterNewspapers.net

Education Briefs N ATION A L SC H OL A R SHIP PR O G R AM N A MES SEMIFINALISTS

Students from local schools have qualified as semifinalists in the 63rd annual National Merit Scholarship Program. About 1 percent of high school seniors nationwide qualify as semifinalists. The students were chosen for their scores on qualifying tests, and now must submit letters of SPECIAL recommendation, college entrance exam scores and inforEthan Moon. mation about their leadership and community activities. Students then chosen as finalists receive a $2,500 scholarship. The Fulton County School District, Wesleyan School and Marist School sent out announcements on students who qualified. Fulton announced that 123 students qualified as semifinalists, including several students from Sandy Springs schools. North Springs Charter High School students Claudia Chu, Jared Coffsky, Daniel Lopez and Eric Miller and Riverwood International Charter School students Saya A. Abney and Lily Schneider qualified. Six Marist School students, Allison Hart, Jack Pantlin, Paul Plaia, Beatrice Russell, Conor Walsh and Benjamin Wise, qualified as semifinalists, the school announced. Ethan Moon, a student from Dunwoody who attends Wesleyan School in Peachtree Corners, qualified, the school said.

DEKA L B EXT EN D S SC H OOL DAY S DUE TO IR M A CLO SU R ES

DeKalb Schools will extend school days by 20 minutes from October to December to make up for days missed during Tropical Storm Irma. Every school day will be extended beginning on Oct. 2 and lasting through the end of the first semester on Dec. 20. DeKalb schools and offices will also remain open on Election Day on Nov. 7, according to the release. “We lost four days and we’re trying to be as creative and productive as we can about recapturing that time,” Superintendent and CEO R. Stephen Green said in a statement. DeKalb chose to extend schools days rather than shorten fall or winter breaks. The district did not want to use all of its allotted inclement weather days in case it needs them during the winter. Fulton County School District spokesperson Susan Hale said the district is discussing plans, but has made no decision yet. Atlanta Public Schools spokesperson Latisha Gray said the district has no plans to add any make-up days.

R I V ERWO OD STUDEN TS TA K E TRIP TO JAPAN

Five students and one teacher from Riverwood International Charter School, a Fulton public high school in Sandy Springs, traveled to Japan in June for a two-week language education program. Five of the school’s Japanese language students flew to Tokyo, where they visited museums and palaces before travelling to Shizuoka to attend Inatori High School. In addition to attending classes, the students learned about Japanese flower arranging, calligraphy and martial arts, and volunteered at a preschool. The students also visited Kyoto, where they visited temples, shrines and museums. In the past year, Riverwood sponsored student trips to Nicaragua, Spain and France as part of the school’s international studies program.

ST. J UD E C R E ATES N EW S OF T BA L L TEA M

St. Jude the Apostle Catholic School, a school in Sandy Springs, has created a new softball team that has won several of its first games. The team members all reside in Brookhaven, Dunwoody or Sandy Springs, and have won against the Roswell Junior Hornets, Epstein, Mt. Vernon Presbyterian, Galloway and FelSPECIAL lowship Christian, according to a press Front row, from left, St. Jude’s new softball release. team includes students Latifa Madesko, St. Francis and Marist have both deMary Grace Troncale, Riley King Walker, feated the team in recent games, ac- Nina Parker and Taylor Monaghan. Back row, from left, Megan Stewart, Amanda Hassler, cording to the release. Coach Jonathan Worrell, Meghan Hamrick, “I could not have asked for a better Katie Brandt Brawwell, Coach Scott Braswell, group of girls to coach for the first seaAshley Benson and Rachel Quinnelly. son of St. Jude softball. The girls are incredibly supportive of each other, have hit the ball well and have played great defense,” Jonathan Worrell, the head coach, said in a press release.

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10 | Commentary

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Commentary: A power-ful lesson from Irma Irma taught me something. I like electricity. Hurricane Irma wreaked horrible damage on the Caribbean and Florida. I don’t want to diminish that in any way. But when Irma blew through metro Atlanta, downgraded to a tropical storm, we thought we’d dodged the worst of it at our house. The winds blew, but they didn’t seem as bad around us as had been predicted. Rain fell, but it didn’t seem much worse than a usual rainstorm. Yet Irma managed to do something that we’d never seen at our house. Despite decades of keeping an eye on tornadoes, cooling it during snowstorms, waiting out downpours and fearfully watching windstorms, we’d never lost power for more than a few hours. Irma changed that. This time, we had no electricity for more than two days. And I discovered that I missed it. No, more than missed it. Electricity had become part of just about everything I do. Without realizing it, I had filled my days with electronic stuff. Electricity was everywhere and part of everything. We were never in any sort of danger, but without electricity, things changed. A lot. Without electricity, I couldn’t work. I couldn’t read the news on the internet, play solitaire on the computer, find real cards to play solitaire without the computer, listen to music, see the Braves play baseball or enjoy watching the detectives in some quaint English village solve a murder on TV. I fell way behind on my daily quota of outrage for the goings-on in Washington and lost track of what Irma was doing beyond my house. Without electricity, I couldn’t even make coffee. I couldn’t even grind the beans to make coffee.

Without electricity, I suddenly realized, life was boring. At first, I thought the absence of electricity would be no problem. After all, people lived happily for millennia before Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse came along. And we never had power during those camping trips I took with my sons during their Boy Scout days. We did just fine. It was kind of fun not having electricity. No music on the stereo? No problem, I thought. I’d just make my own. My son and I broke out our acoustic guitars and played together by candlelight. But in a half-hour, we’d run through every song I had memorized. We didn’t have enough light to read sheet music to other songs, so we gave up. I decided to fill the dark hours by reading a book or two. But after a couple of hours of enjoyable reading, my e-book ran out of power. I couldn’t plug it in for a re-charge. No problem, I thought. I’ll simply read a real book, one with pages and not digits. I have plenty in the house. I thought that given the circumstances, I’d try re-reading Thoreau. But then I realized that without lights, I’d never find my ancient copy of “Walden” buried away in darkened bookshelves. I settled on Twain, pulling out a dusty copy of “Roughing It” that had been stored closer to hand. But reading by candlelight proved more difficult than I had expected. I don’t know how Abraham Lincoln did it. To make out the words in tiny type, I had to move the candle dangerously close to the page. I suddenly envisioned a book aflame, followed by the sound of fire trucks. I gave up on reading. Finally, I decided to try a jigsaw puzzle. I like them and they take lots of time to complete.

Puzzling during daylight hours worked fine. As it grew darker, though, I found I had a hard time telling the pieces apart, I switched to a flashlight to spotlight the piecJoe Earle es. That meant I Editor-at-large at could only clearReporter Newspapers. ly see one piece at a time. It turns out, that’s a surprisingly frustrating way to do a jigsaw puzzle. I went to bed. I wondered, how did we keep from being bored on those scout camping trips? Then it hit me: We stayed busy staying busy. We had to build fires, pitch tents, tend fires, police camp, watch the fires burn just to make sure they didn’t burn the place down. The whole day was built around eating and sleeping and staying warm. My electric life takes care of just about all of that stuff. I thought to myself that I should learn from this experience and be better prepared for next time. I’d get bigger flashlights, more batteries, a radio that didn’t plug in, maybe even a battery-powered phone charger. I’ll get a new French press for coffee. I’ll figure out how to get by using less electric stuff. But now, the next morning, the power is back. I’m typing on my computer, drinking a freshly ground cup of coffee from my Mr. Coffee while listening to a new Randy Newman CD and trying to get the TV cable and internet to work again. There’s news to follow. And somewhere on Netflix, there’s a detective in a quaint English village with a murder to solve.

Community Survey: Planning for future storms Local residents say they’re happy with the local response to Tropical Storm Irma, though they had some ideas for better dealing with the next one. Respondents to the 1Q cellphone survey of 200 residents of communities served by Reporter Newspapers and Atlanta INtown generally gave local officials and utilities good marks for their handling of storm repairs. But some respondents offered suggestions on how to improve the response to future storms. “They did a fine job,” a 53-year-old Buckhead man commented. More than nine of 10 respondents said local governments and utilities responded either very well or OK in repairing damage from the storm. Only 9.5 percent rated the response as poor or terrible. Hurricane Irma, which inflicted extensive damage on the Caribbean and Florida, was downgraded to a tropical storm in Georgia, but it still brought high winds and rain and knocked out power, closed roads and downed trees across the state, including in metro Atlanta. More than half of Georgia Power Co.’s customers in DeKalb County lost power, according to media reports, and some local residents were without power for days.

Some called for better coordination. A 49-year-old Brookhaven man suggested officials “proactively communicate before, during, and after the storm of current and/or potential problems.” Others suggested preparing for the problem before it arrives by burying power lines or identifying trees likely to fall. “Bury Buckhead power lines!!!!! Too many trees,” a 48-year-old Buckhead man said. Other respondents called for better use of technology to communicate with residents about the storm cleanup. “They should use mobile websites to show consumers in detail where damage has occurred and which houses/businesses are off,” a 49-year-old Sandy Springs man noted. “Then show specifics about the progress -- known, dispatched, on-site, repairing, testing, etc.” A 36-year-old Atlanta woman thought it would help to have the information in one place. “When the power is out use of radio announcements are key! It would be great to have one website dedicated to when disasters happen,” she wrote. Not everyone was pleased with the response. One 20-year-old Brookhaven woman had a simple suggestion for bettering communications with the public: “Answer the phone.” DUN

SEPT. 29 - OCT. 12, 2017

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Commentary | 11

www.ReporterNewspapers.net

Compliments to the comma I confessed in a previous column, “Grammar Snob,” that I am, in fact, a Grammar Snob. I am one of those people (there are three of us) who find robust humor in Jack Sparrow’s use of parallel structure in “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,” where he states, “I think we’ve all arrived at a very special place. Spiritually, ecumenically, grammatically.” Ha! Ha! I’m giggling right now. But I reserve special affection for the comma. It is so often misused, unused, and underused, I feel that the least I can do is devote 675 words to the little guy. Honestly, the comma is an invention of our civilized world that is not unlike the zipper: Even though we might occasionally get hung up on it, it truly makes our lives easier. Ironically, another construct of our modern world is hastening the demise of our friend, comma. I am referring, of course, to texting. You can find a teenager at a Barry Manilow concert more often than you’ll find a comma in a text. My texts, however, will come to you

sional long, breezy and rhythmic, free-flowing sentence — not so free-flowing and stream–of-consciousness as James Joyce, per se, properly punctuated. but lengthy enough to cover the I can’t help it. lumpy parts and loose enough to be I take heart in the comfortable, like a swing top. fact that I’m in good But my editor doesn’t like long company regarding sentences. He likes them short. He my respect for the likes them punchy. He likes them comma, as there is short and punchy. He takes out an Oscar Wilde ancommas and puts in periods. ecdote that has been Robin Conte is a writer This brings me to another entertaining Gramand mother of four who comma entirely, which is the serimar Snobs for delives in Dunwoody. She al comma, a.k.a. the Oxford comcades. The story goes can be contacted at ma, my absolute favorite comma that when Wilde was robinjm@earthlink.net. of all. I think of it as a rare gem questioned smugly when I see it glowing brightly in about what kind of its perfect setting between the penulwork he did all day, he responded that timate word in a series and a conjunche spent most of the day putting in a tion. My editor, however, uses the Assocomma and the rest of the day taking ciated Press comma, which is invisible. it out. So I’ll write a phrase such as, “planes, Go, Oscar! I do, too! (Or is it, “Go Ostrains, and automobiles,” and as soon car; I do, too”?) as I pass it along to my editor, my attenAnyhoo, then my editor gets in the tively placed serial comma (the one afgame with me, because I’ll put a comma ter “trains”) will disappear like my kids in, and he’ll take it out. when it’s time to do yardwork. I happen to enjoy writing the occa-

Robin’s Nest

Letter to the Editor

DACA story needed more context I read your article in the Sept. 15 - 28, 2017, Vol. 8 No. 19 of the Dunwoody Reporter and I found that it is filled with false assumptions and misleading statements about President Trump’s pending repeal of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). The article was void of some facts that would make a more objective, educational and informative article. You failed to state that the implementation of DACA by President Obama was an overstep of presidential executive powers. The decision introduced by President

Obama’s executive order violated the separations of powers principle clearly outlined in the Constitution of the United States of America, Article 1, Article 2, and Article 3. The responsibilities of the three separate branches of our government are explicit and cannot be performed interchangeably. Thus, the Executive Branch cannot perform those tasks designated for the Legislative Branch. Had this been stated in the beginning of your article, your readers would make their conclusion via the prism of the U.S. Constitution. Per-

haps this would help balance the emotional response to the president’s intentions by framing the correct, factual environment in which it should be examined. President Trump wants to overturn President Obama’s illegal executive order. Issues regarding immigration are a responsibility of the Legislative Branch, i.e., Congress. Therefore it was illegal (as President Trump states) for President Obama to do what he did. It might help also if you note that President Obama said, on numerous occasions, he did not have the power to suspend immigration law, yet he disregarded the U.S. Constitution and did it anyway. President Trump’s objective is to provide an environment wherein the protection of DACA recipients can be perma-

I maintain that the conjunction is not enough. Imagine us walking through a garden, stopping along the way to smell the roses, as it were, and then when we near the end of our stroll, we are shoved right past the final bed of flowers. Well, that would be rude. It’s the same way with the written word. We walk along through a series, pausing politely after each word or phrase in it, and then we hit the no man’s land of comma blankage and stumble clumsily, head-first into the final word. It’s madness. My affection for the serial comma was rekindled several months ago when I learned about a court case in Maine that involved said comma; it had to do with dairy workers and the tasks they performed that would or would not garner them overtime pay. Without going into journalistic details, I will tell you that the final two items on the list of tasks ineligible for overtime pay were not separated by a comma. The judge stated, “For want of a comma, we have this case,” and, in fact, for want of a comma, the dairy workers won. The devil is in the details, and the clarity is in the comma.

nently legalized via the Legislative Branch. Thus, the six-month window proposed by President Trump gives the Legislature sufficient opportunity to show their will relative to DACA. Is your journalistic practice objective? If you omit facts that would ordinarily clarify the overall framework of an article written for public distribution, I contend you are not being as objective as you should be. Such omissions hint of deliberate deception. James Smith Jr. Sandy Springs

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12 | Community

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Nature Center rocks new public art trend BY DYANA BAGBY dyanabagby@reporternewspapers.net

The Dunwoody Nature Center is joining the painted rock trend sweeping the nation to bring public art to the city with its own “Dunwoody Rocks” event. “This event is for everyone,” Nature Center Executive Director Alan Mothner said. There will be several painting workshops leading up to the Oct. 28 event, at which people can paint their own designs on fairly large, heavy rocks that Mothner said will then be planted in the park for visitors to admire as they walk the trails. Mothner is hopeful that enough people will participate to decorate several hundred rocks to be collected and piled at locations in the park. “Ideally we will have rock islands in two or three spots in the park,” he said. Dunwoody’s rock painting venture will differ from those in many other cities where the goal is for people to paint rocks as insects, animals, or with inspirational words or even abstract designs, and then hide them at various spots for people to find later and share via social media. Mothner said the Nature Center is using larger, landscaping rocks for people

to paint to dissuade people from picking them up and taking them out of the park. “We are hoping that with the bigger rocks, they won’t ‘walk away’ as quickly as with smaller rocks, and that way more people can come to the park to enjoy seeing them in place,” he said. The Dunwoody Rocks project’s goal is to attract people to the Nature Center who may not ordinarily venture into a park setting, he said. The project follows last year’s “Hoos in the Forest,” in which an artist created several creatures made out of organic materials, such as sticks, and placed them throughout the park. “The city has begun its public arts initiative and we started ours last year ... and this is building on that,” Mothner said. “We plan to have a public art event every year.” On Oct. 28, people will go out and place painted rocks at the Nature Center and celebrate with a community picnic lunch. Because all paints and materials used are non-toxic and water- based, the plan is to allow them to remain in place until the elements eventually return the rocks to their natural state, Mothner said.

DUNWOODY NATURE CENTER

Plenty of rocks are at the Nature Center ready to be painted for the Dunwoody Rocks public art project to be unveiled Oct. 28.

RO C K PA I NT ING WO R KS HO P S

■ Saturday, Oct. 7, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Dunwoody Nature Center, 5343 Roberts Drive. ■ Saturday, Oct. 14, from 9 a.m. to noon as part of Dunwoody Volunteer Day at Brook Run Park, 4770 Peachtree Road. ■ Saturday, Oct. 21, from 10 a.m. to noon at Spruill Center for the Arts, 5339 Chamblee-Dunwoody Road.

D U NWO O DY R O C KS UNV EI L I NG

Saturday, Oct. 28, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Dunwoody Nature Center. dunwoodynature.org.

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SEPT. 29 - OCT. 12, 2017

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Community | 13

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City finalizes SPLOST projects list for Nov. 7 ballot BY DYANA BAGBY dyanabagby@reporternewspapers.net

Dunwoody voters go to the polls on Nov. 7 with a chance to approve a countywide special local option sales tax referendum that could bring in some $42 million over six years into the city’s coffers to pay for transportation and public safety projects. The mayor and City Council voted Sept. 18 to enter into an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with DeKalb CounCITY OF DUNWOODY ty to acquire funds raised from the penny tax increase, Mayor Denis Shortal said from 7 to 8 percent, if approved. The DeKalb County Commost of the money raised mission voted this month to put the measures on the ballot. from a penny cent tax increase would go toward Of the approximately $42 million the city would actransportation projects, quire from the penny sales tax increase, $36.8 million including road resurfacing. would go specifically to transportation improvement projects. Those include: road resurfacing, replacement and rehabilitation of bridges and drainage systems; pedestrian and bicycle path improvements, including the addition of sidewalks, streetscapes, bike lanes, and multi-use trails; congestion relief, such as intersection improvements, road widenings, traffic management and signal upgrades; safety and operational improvements, including addition or extension of turn lanes and elimination of sight distance problems, as well as widened lanes and shoulders. The city would put $6 million toward public facilities and related equipment, including the purchase of police vehicles; and another $1.2 million would go toward repairs of city facilities, such as parks. Finance Director Chris Pike explained that state law prohibits more than 15 percent of proceeds from going toward such repairs. DeKalb County is also asking the incorporated cities to kick in extra funding to cover Fire and Rescue Department costs. Mayor Denis Shortal said the city has not decided whether it would contribute more money and a decision does not have to be made before the vote. The council also approves as part of the IGA the ability to sell bonds if future councils decide to do so of up to $5 million over five years for a total of $25 million. Shortal asked that the amount be reduced to a total of $18 million over six years. “It seems like when politicians get some money they start using it in a less than conservative manner,” he said. “If we don’t bond anything, I’d be a happy camper.” Councilmembers Terry Nall and Doug Thompson disagreed and said it would not be fair to limit future councils, although they predicted the city would not sell bonds for future projects. “I don’t want to forestall an option,” Thompson said. Pike said he also did not expect the city to use bonds in the future but wanted the language included so that future councils may have the ability to bond projects. But before the SPLOST kicks in, voters must also approve another ballot measure that would replace the Homestead Option Sales Tax (HOST) with an Equalized Homestead Option Sales Tax (EHOST) to put all homeowners in cities and unincorporated DeKalb on equal footing, according to county officials. If the SPLOST is approved, DeKalb would receive $388 million over six years and nearly 60 percent of that total is slated to go toward transportation projects, with $151 million for road resurfacing, according to DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond. Money would also go toward new fire stations and police cars as well as renovations of parks, libraries, senior centers and health centers. “This is a transformational moment for DeKalb County,” Thurmond said in a prepared statement. “The county and its 12 cities are in agreement on a plan to work together for all of DeKalb citizens. With the support of the DeKalb legislative delegation which passed enabling SPLOST legislation earlier this year, we will be able to improve the quality of life for all residents.” State Sen. Fran Millar (R-Dunwoody) worked with Thurmond on the SPLOST bill so that the sales tax increase would not be tallied on food. Millar’s bill also prohibits any money going to MARTA.

S Senior Life enior Life At lan Get fresh at ta

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m 5| AtlantaSeniorLIFE.co MAY 2017 • Vol. 2 No. ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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Leng A Lifetime of Learni ss is more Lewis

Methodist Dunwoody United Gil Yates, about to begin at for his classmate Coast Indians was making a beeline A class on Pacific strode into the room, Church when a man OK.” approached. “Shuffling’sbuddy, who would not front row, center. said, as the man his “No running!” Yates is a year older than all in good fun. Yates The teasing was age: 91. with Perimeter Adults but did share his classes this spring reveal his name, 175 students taking The men are among most of whom (PALS). By Kathy for senior adults, Services education & Learning continuing the start.Dean year of providing been members from PALS is in its 25th need for of Dunwoody, have Wethe hear takes care of it all and his wife, Dot, and this kind of are 60-plus. Yates rings especially the time: less is more. The to help other people, phrase true for older “People our age want made lifelong friends.” adults who are empty nests and Yates said. “We have facing are4 ready to Continued on page fellowship,” Dot of their enjoy the lives. Intown and north metro second half many comforta Atlanta offer ble options for them. “Baby boomers have spent much working and of their lives building said Dawn Anderson their wealth for retiremen t,” , Realtor, Dorsey “As retiremen Alston Realtors. t becomes more of a reality, they plan their transition begin to to downsize. Ease and affordabil of life, proximity ity are certainly the downsizin goals of most g common boomers.” The trend of continues to grow, 55+ active adult commun ities Anderson said. well qualified “Baby boomers buyers and know are looking for.” exactly what they are Kim Isaacs, aged Avalon in Alpharett 58, said that her townhom e in a gives her everything they and her husband want. “We had home in Johns lived in our previous Creek for 19 years. left for college, When our last we child and really didn’t decided that we wanted a change need a large house of us,” she said. for just the two

ACTIVE OLDER ADULTS

DOWNSIZE TO ENJOY LIFE

Continued on

DUN

page 16

JUNE 2017 • Vol. 2 No. 6 | AtlantaSeniorLIFE .com

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By Donna Williams

Yoga to Fit Your Lifestyle

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14 | Community

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City OKs final transportation plan update Continued from page 1 mers, who lives on Tilly Mill Road, spoke out forcefully against two specific planned projects considered top priorities: a multimodal path on the north side of Peeler Road and Tilly Mill Road, from North Peachtree Road to Winters Chapel Road; and a multimodal facility on Tilly Mill Road from Mount Vernon Road to Womack Road. The plan originally stated these projects would be “multi-use” paths, requiring at least 10-foot-wide sidewalks. The plan approved by the mayor and council on Sept. 18 now describes the projects as “multi-modal,” a broader term that would allow painted bike lanes. Summers said a “minority group of citizens” wanted multi-use paths to allow cyclists to ride on a separate path, rather than on a busy road. And, she said, the plans would mean taking more than a dozen feet from her front yard. “Now you want to take 16 to 18 feet of my front yard at a minimum,” she said. “I don’t care if it’s legally the right-of-way. We are expected to maintain [the property] and we consider it our front yard. We don’t want that taken away so someone can put in an ugly 12-foot wide path. That belongs in the park. Not in my front yard.” City Councilmember Terry Nall, who objected to the words “multi-use paths” for the projects Summers mentioned, said he was pleased with the inclusion of “multi-modal” to describe these projects. He said that because of those words, when the actual projects come up for design and construction, they must go through community discussions and a council vote before anything can be built. The two Tilly Mill projects were also moved to the long-term project list, meaning the earliest they would be considered is in six years.

More than 20 projects are proposed in the updated plan. They are to be developed over 20 years. Mayor Denis Shortal raised concerns about the estimated costs of the projects, which range from tens of thousands of dollars to millions. “These are Monopoly numbers,” he said. “I mean, it’s nice to have a plan, but when you’re looking at these numbers, you’re looking at over $100 million. That just doesn’t make good common sense. We just don’t have that funding.”

The new approved intersection projects include: ► Improve the intersection of Chamblee-Dunwoody Road at Womack Road by adding westbound left and right turn lanes. ► Extend the dual eastbound left turn lanes at Meadow Lane at Ashford-Dunwoody Road. ► Construct an eastbound left turn lane within the median at the intersection of Meadow Lane and Ridgeview Road. ► Construct a westbound right turn lane on Peachford Road at North Shallowford Road. ► Construct left turn lanes on Mount Vernon Road at Dunwoody Station/Trailridge Drive. ► Roberts Drive Improvements for Austin Elementary School Relocation at Chamblee-Dunwoody Road to Dunwoody Knoll Road: Turn lanes and new signal at school entrance; incorporates bicycle and pedestrian improvements.

Other approved projects are intended to increase connectivity throughout the city include: ► Implement multi-modal enhancements on Ashford Center Parkway to combine pedestrian enhancements, such as midblock crossings. ► Construct a multi-modal path that connects North Peachtree Road and Winters Chapel Road via Peeler Road and Tilly Mill Road. ► Construct a multi-use trail system between the Withmere neighborhood, from Withan Drive, to Dunwoody Park and Austin Elementary School. ► Coordinate with the cities of Peachtree Corners and Doraville to construct multimodal improvements on the Ga. 141/Peachtree Industrial Boulevard frontage road. ► Construct a multi-modal facility on Tilly Mill Road between Womack Road and Mount Vernon Road.

The approved multi-modal design policy states it is the city’s desire to create a community wide pedestrian and bicycle network; establish programs and road standards to encourage use of the network; increase network connectivity; promote travel demand management; preserve the system through effective maintenance; and support regional efforts related to transit service.

“All of these efforts are to provide choice and increase mobility for all users,” the transportation plan document states. “Within this document, ‘multimodal’ projects are projects that intend to provide dedicated space for pedestrians and bicyclists (and other non-vehicular traffic) within the typical section. The types of facilities or dimensions will be defined during the concept development phase for each project.”

The minimum multi-modal design standards to be considered include: ► When adding or relocating curb and gutter on arterial and collector roads, projects should include a preferred lane width of 11 feet with 4-foot bike lanes. ► When restriping to accommodate bike lanes as part of a resurfacing project on arterial and collector roads, the preferred lane width is 11 feet with 4-feet bike lanes. ► Projects identified to include multi-modal elements along existing right-of-way are encouraged to incorporate pedestrian and bicycle facilities that are separated from vehicles by distance and/or physical barrier. The implementation of these preferred elements will be balanced with the constraints of the surrounding land use and environment.

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Community | 15

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SPECIAL

Police Chief Billy Grogan and Bridget Roosa practice some of their dance moves in preparation of the Oct. 14 “Dancing with DeKalb Stars” fundraiser.

Police chief to cut a rug for good cause Continued from page 1 raise money to fight domestic violence. “I don’t know if congratulations or condolences are in order,” he said. Grogan is one of several DeKalb County officials who will be partnered up with dance professionals for the event taking place at the Porter Sanford III Performing Arts and Community Center in Decatur. Money raised will go to the Women’s Resource Center to End Domestic Violence and The International Women’s House. “These two organizations work daily to assist those lost in the cycle of abuse and our office wants to assist these non-profits in their fundraising efforts,” ColemanStribling said in a prepared statement. “With the help of our ‘DeKalb Stars’ we hope to accomplish this goal and bring awareness to an issue that affects our community.” Other officials scheduled to cut a rug include DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond, DeKalb County Commissioner Kathie Gannon, DeKalb Fire and Rescue spokesperson Capt. Eric Jackson and former DeKalb Sheriff Thomas Brown. “This is the first time they’re having this event and I’m always a sucker for a good cause and this is definitely for a good cause,” Grogan said. Grogan’s dance partner is Bridget Roosa, associate professor of dance at Agnes Scott College. She disagrees with Grogan’s assessment of his dancing abilities. “I think it’s more of a confidence level. He’s picking up really well, especially for someone with no training,” she said. The two have been practicing together a couple of times a week for the past several weeks in “pretty rigorous” sessions, Grogan said. “I’m finding out how out of shape I am,” he said. Roose said the routine they are practicing is a “fast and furious” modern jazz piece that lasts two minutes and 40 seconds. The routine includes a desk and a lot of rolling and spinning in two office chairs. “You’re not going to see us in a sparkly dance costume,” she said. “We have been just having a lot of fun. “It’s really fast,” she added. “There’s a lot of running and spinning. By the end we’re both pretty worn out.” Grogan said he’s gotten some good-natured teasing from other officers at the police department and has even been caught practicing in the conference room. “That was a little awkward,” he said. But any embarrassment is worth it to raise money for the beneficiaries, he said. Roosa, who is also a strong proponent of raising awareness of domestic violence, said the event should be a good time for all. And, she said, the technique and discipline Grogan is learning on the dance floor should definitely help him in his role as top cop in Dunwoody. “Dancing is about focus and discipline and leadership ... and, of course, stamina. I think dance is more than just moving the body and applies to everybody in everyday life,” she said.

DA NC I N G WITH DEK A L B S TAR S Saturday, Oct. 14 Porter Sanford III Performing Arts and Community Center, 3181 Rainbow Drive, Decatur, GA 30034. A Resource Expo begins at 5 p.m. and the dance competition will begin at 6 p.m. Tickets start at $20 and can be purchased online at dancingwithdekalbstars.eventbrite.com DUN

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16 | Out & About

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GET INTO THE ARTS DUNWOODY FINE ARTS MONTH

Opening reception Wednesday, Oct. 4, 5 to 7 p.m.

BROOKHAVEN

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•

SANDY SPRINGS

GET ACTIVE

More than 30 businesses and 30 artists will showcase original paintings, drawings, collages, mixed media and photography for sale to the public throughout the month. A portion of proceeds from each sale will benefit the Dunwoody Arts Association and other organizations. The public is invited to the opening reception at Fidelity Bank, 2 Perimeter Center East at Ashford-Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody. Artwork locations and other info: dunwoodyfineart.org.

CERAMIC BOWL SALE

Friday, Oct. 6, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 7, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, Oct. 8, noon to 5 p.m.

DUNWOODY HOME TOUR

Wednesday, Oct. 4, 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Dunwoody Woman’s Club 45th annual Dunwoody Home Tour features four homes in Dunwoody and Sandy Springs. $25. Info: dunwoodywomansclub.com.

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The 16th annual Spruill Center for the Arts Ceramic Bowl Sale offers pieces created by students and instructors of the center’s Ceramics Department. All proceeds benefit the Ceramics Department. On Friday night, a variety of chilis can also be sampled. Free. Spruill Arts Education Center, 5339 Chamblee-Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody. Info: spruillarts.org.

FOOD FESTS BROOKHAVEN CHILI COOK OFF

Saturday, Oct. 7, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., VIP admission starts at noon.

Taste chili or Brunswick stew from more than 75 restaurant and amateur competition teams at this sixth annual event at Brookhaven Park. Live music, beer and wine, kids’ activity zone. A portion of proceeds benefit the Atlanta Fundraising Foundation and the Brookhaven Park Conservancy. Free parking behind MARTA’s Brookhaven/Oglethorpe Station and Brookhaven City Hall. 2660 Osborne Road, Brookhaven. Kids 12 and under free. General admission: $20-25; VIP: $56-60. Info: brookhavenchilicookoff.com.

ZYDECO CONCERT AND DANCE

Saturday, Oct. 7, 8 to 11 p.m. Free beginner dance lesson at 7 p.m.

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The Big Easy Playboys put on a Louisiana-style dance party at the Dorothy Benson Center in an event sponsored by the Atlanta Cajun Zydeco Association. Tickets: $18; $14 active military; $5 students. No partner necessary. All ages welcome. Cajun/Creole food for sale. 6500 Vernon Woods Drive, Sandy Springs. Info: aczadance.org or 877338-2420.

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Out & About | 17

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SUKKOT FARM-TO-TABLE FESTIVAL Sunday, Oct. 8, noon to 4 p.m.

Celebrate the Festival of Booths at this Jewish festival featuring chef demonstrations, garden workshops, craft beer garden, live music and kids’ activities. Free, and open to the community. Food available for purchase. Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta-Zaban Park, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody. Info: atlantajcc.org or Rabbi Glusman at 678-812-4161.

HARVEST ON THE HOOCH TASTE FEST

Sunday, Oct. 15, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., VIP event noon to 1 p.m.

The Chattahoochee Nature Center holds its sixth annual outdoor food, live bluegrass music, craft beer and wine event to raise funds for CNC’s Unity Garden, which supplies more than four tons of fresh produce annually to the North Fulton Community Charities food pantry. Garden tours and games. All ages. 9135 Willeo Road, Roswell. Ticket info: chattnaturecenter.org.

KIDS AND FAMILIES

LITTLE DIGGERS

Saturday, Oct. 14, 10 a.m. to noon.

Kids can learn about planting bulbs for spring and growing them in containers in sunny windows. Each participant takes home a container of bulbs planted in this family gardening program presented by Heritage Sandy Springs. Best suited for ages 6 to 10 with accompanying adult. Free. Heritage Sandy Springs Farmers Market, 6100 Lake Forrest Drive, Sandy Springs. Info: heritagesandysprings.org. Continued on page 18

18 | Out & About

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Continued from page 17

OCTOBER HEALTH FEST

Saturday, Oct. 14, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Meet local health and wellness providers at an event featuring fitness demos, health presentations, kids’ activities and healthy snacks. Free. Presented by Sandy Springs Perimeter Chamber’s Health & Well-Being Council. North Springs United Methodist Church, 7770 Roswell Road, Sandy Springs. Info: Sarah Galambos, sarahhmas@gmail.com.

SANDY SPRINGS READS: “ONE BOOK, ONE CITY” Throughout October

The “Sandy Springs Reads” program is gearing up for its sixth annual October event where residents are encouraged to read and discuss the same book. This year’s book is the 2013 bestseller “Gaining Ground: A Story of Farmers’ Markets, Local Food, and Saving the Family Farm,” a memoir by Virginia farmer Forrest Pritchard. The program’s companion book for young readers is “Fresh-Picked Poetry: A Day at the Farmers’ Market” (2017) by Michelle Schaub. Events revolving around the chosen books will be announced. “Sandy Springs Reads” is a collaborative program of Art Sandy Springs, the Sandy Springs Education Force, Friends of the Sandy Springs Library, Los Ninos Primero, Altrusa International, the Abernathy Arts Center and the Sandy Springs Branch of the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System. Info: artsandysprings.org.

ATLANTA WARBIRD WEEKEND

Saturday, Oct. 7 to Sunday, Oct. 8, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

See famous aircraft, take plane rides, meet World War II veterans and noted authors and visit with war reenactors in the fourth annual Atlanta Warbird Weekend at DeKalb-Peachtree Airport. The Weekend’s 2017 theme is African-American pilots from World War II to the present. Free. Parking: $15, cash only. On Saturday at 7 p.m., hear original Tuskegee Airmen veterans share their stories in a dinner event at the 57th Fighter Group restaurant. Dinner tickets: $149. 2000 Airport Road, Atlanta. Info: atlantawarbirdweekend.com or 404-913-2635.

LEARN SOMETHING TITLES @ TWILIGHT: “THE SWEETNESS AND THE PITS” Tuesday, Oct. 3, 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

DCGO EDU-SESSION: RAISED GARDEN BEDS

Atlanta native Lynne Bird discusses her memoir on being a “Georgia Peach” at Heritage Sandy Springs. Free. Garden Room at the Williams-Payne House, 6075 Sandy Springs Circle, Sandy Springs. Info: Melissa Swindell, mswindell@heritagesandysprings.org or 404-851-9111 x2.

Saturday, Oct. 14, 11 a.m. to noon.

Master Gardener Richard Osterholtz explains how to build and repair raised garden beds at the next Dunwoody Community Garden & Orchard edu-session at Brook Run Park. Free. Refreshments served. Meet at the DCGO greenhouse complex opposite the skate park at Brook Run, 4770 North Peachtree Road, Dunwoody. Info: dcgo.org.

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SEPT. 29 - OCT. 12. 2017

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Out & About | 19

DISCOVER NATURE LECTURE SERIES: BATS! Sunday, Oct. 15, 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Learn about bats common to this community and how you can help save them from a potentially extinction-causing disease. Bat box installation tips and sunset bat viewing over the gardens. Ages 6 and up. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Lost Corner Preserve, 7300 Brandon Mill Road, Sandy Springs. $5 individual; $10 family. Info: 770-206-2035 or registration.sandyspringsga.gov.

PARTIES WITH A PURPOSE

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

THE VINTAGE AFFAIR

Saturday, Oct. 7, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

The 14th annual Vintage Affair brings together top local restaurants, fine wines, music and live and silent auctions in the largest annual fundraiser for the Community Assistance Center, which has helped neighbors in need in Sandy Springs and Dunwoody since 1987. Holy Innocents’ Episcopal Church, 805 Mount Vernon Highway N.W., Sandy Springs. Ticket info: vintageaffair.org.

PEACHTREE ROAD FARMERS MARKET CELEBRATION Monday, Oct. 9, 6 p.m. to 6 p.m.

An evening of local food, live music and dancing observes the market’s 10th anniversary. All proceeds benefit the market, located at The Cathedral of St. Philip, in Buckhead. Hyatt Regency Atlanta, 265 Peachtree St. N.E., Atlanta. Ticket info: prfm10thanniversary. brownpapertickets.com.

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calendar@ReporterNewspapers.net

There’s a lot to do at The Piedmont Retirement Community — clubs, events, socializing, and more. So, go ahead and make your want-to-do list. But please don’t include a bunch of chores. We’ll take care of most of those for you. We invite you to see all that The Piedmont has to offer (including assisted living services if needed) at a complimentary lunch and tour. Please call 404.381.1743 to schedule.

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

20 | Community

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GPB CEO discusses education programs at Sandy Springs chamber

EVELYN ANDREWS

Left, Teya Ryan, CEO of Georgia Public Broadcasting, with Jan Paul, GPB board chairperson, executive director of Leadership Sandy Springs, and wife of Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul, at the Sandy Springs Perimeter Chamber luncheon Sept. 13.

BY EVELYN ANDREWS evelyn@reporternewspapers.net

As the Sandy Springs Perimeter Chamber of Commerce hosted representatives

from all public Sandy Springs schools at a Sept. 13 luncheon, Teya Ryan, CEO of Georgia Public Broadcasting, spoke about how GPB has furthered its “educational mission” in the last few years by producing

interactive textbooks and games. “I’m really honored to have so many educators here because what we do is really for you,” Ryan said. Educators and administrators from local public schools set up booths in the Westin Atlanta Perimeter North hotel, where the luncheon was held. Jan Paul, the GPB board chairperson, executive director of Leadership Sandy Springs and wife of Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul, introduced Ryan at the lunch. Jan Paul has served on GPB’s board of directors for 14 years and served on the search committee that hired Ryan as CEO. In introducing Ryan, Paul said GPB’s education division is what she is “most proud of.” Also at the luncheon, Tara McGee, principal of Woodland Elementary, spoke about her school becoming the 16th elementary school in the state to be designated a STEM school with the help of the Sandy Springs Education Force, a group that works to improve local public schools. While most people know GPB provides radio and television across the state, many are not aware it provides significant educational materials and programming to public schools, Ryan said. Since becoming CEO in 2009, Ryan has worked with her team at GPB to produce

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more educational materials, saying airing educational shows is not enough to further GPB’s education mission. One of those programs included a live-stream discussion with biologists at Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary on the Georgia coast. More than 45,000 students and teachers viewed the video and submitted over 1,000 questions, Ryan said. The audience included students and teachers from Ridgeview Charter Middle School in Sandy Springs. The live stream was planned to last half an hour, but was extended to an hour and a half due to the number of questions, Ryan said. “It was an astonishing experience,” she said. GPB’s educational efforts are provided through digital media because children have grown up with digital media, understand it and are motivated to use it, Ryan said. “Our children are digital media natives. They are completely absorbed, good or bad, in their digital world,” Ryan said. One of the first education projects GPB worked on was the production of the Georgia history books used by all eighth graders at public schools in the state. GPB transformed it into an interactive digital book with original videos, which schools in Fulton County use, she said. Printed copies of the book cost schools $100 each, but digital copies are made free to the public through federal funds and grants. When the book is updated, schools using the digital version only have to download a new version instead of buying new copies, Ryan said. “The beautiful part of this is it doesn’t take $100 a book to update it,” Ryan said. The use of the textbook initially stagnated, and Ryan found the release was “one step ahead” of digital media knowledge among teachers. “We assumed these very busy teachers had time to go and learn how to use digital media. We were wrong in that assumption,” Ryan said. GPB hired two educators and sent them across the state and to many metro Atlanta schools to educate teachers on using digital education tools. Since then, the use of the digital book has more than doubled, Ryan said. They will be visiting schools again this year to educate more teachers, she said. “The education side of what we do is now the highest-trafficked part of our website. It used to be TV, so it’s changed dramatically,” she said. GPB is considering producing university books because the cost of textbooks is often a barrier for students, she said. The education division at GPB has also created 40 “elaborate” interactive lessons, games and virtual “field trips” for free use by schools and the public. For more information visit gpb.org/education.

SEPT. 29 - OCT. 12. 2017

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Classifieds | 21

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Reporter Classifieds SERVICES AVAILABLE

LESSONS / TUTOR

Matthew’s Handy Services – Small jobs and chores are my specialties. Shelves, organizers, carpentry, drywall, painting, and plumbing. Member of BBB – 404-547-2079 Email: mwarren8328@gmail.com.

Piano Lessons – Looking for piano lessons? Affordable lessons for ages 4 & up. Serving Dunwoody, Roswell, and Sandy Springs. Call 770-367-0024. www.facebook. com/keys4soul

Driveways & Walkways – Replaced or repaired. Masonry, grading, foundations repaired, waterproofing and retaining walls. Call Joe Sullivan 770-616-0576.

Piano Lessons in Your Home – lessons for all ages, levels & styles. Call Kimberly Izor 404-444-8440 or www.pianolessonsforyou.net

Home Tending – Regular inspections of your unoccupied property…”0n market or just away”. Call Charles at 404-229-0490. Handyman Services – Moving and Delivery too! Local owner – call 803-6080792 Cornell Davis.

LOT FOR SALE Lovely, level Dunwoody Lot for Sale in “Sellars Farm”. 134’ frontage and 178’ deep. Call 770-512-3463 or 770-394-3604

Kebensa Math Tutoring – Honors Algebra, Honors Geometry, Honors Algebra 2, Trigonometry, Honors Pre-Cal or AP Cals AB/BC. Single & Group rates --- in-person or online. Better grades guaranteed! Call 678-641-8871 or email: keithsawyer@ bellsouth.net.

To Advertise, call 404-917-2200 ext 110

Drivers Wanted Senior Services North Fulton, a non-profit organization, has an opportunity for drivers in their transportation program. If you live in the Sandy Springs or Roswell area of north Fulton, would like to earn some extra money, set your own hours, like to drive, have a car, and like to be of service to seniors, please contact Mobility Manager at

YARD SALE Saturday, October 14 from 8 AM to 2 PM. Cross Creek Fall Yard Sale, 1221 Cross Creek Parkway, Atlanta 30327 in the Cafe parking lot.

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Arlington Memorial Park – 4 grave plots, Masonic Gardens section. Retail $24,000 – asking $17,000. Call 770-606-9886.

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Arlington – Sandy Springs – 1 lot, Garden of Cross. Retail $3,995 – asking $2,000. 4 lots, Section A w/2 vaults. Retail $19,000 – asking $10,000. 404-402-6253. Arlington Memorial Park – Sandy Springs - Beautiful, Pine crest section, Plots 11B, spaces 3 & 4. Arlington staff will be happy to show plots. Call 973-714-2499.

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22 | Community

Several businesses hit with alcohol sales ban

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‘Strut Your Mutt’ event draws crowds for charity

BY DYANA BAGBY dyanabagby@reporternewspapers.net

Several local businesses are being forced to suspend alcohol sales for one day after they were caught selling to minors during a police sting operation earlier this year. The punishment was handed down by the city’s Alcohol License Review Board during a special called meeting on Sept. 18. The first business to shut down sales was the BP Gas Station at 4485 Chamblee-Dunwoody Road on Sept. 25. Six businesses were cited in Februrary during an undercover operation in which officers used an underage teenager to make attempts to purchase alcohol at the businesses. At the Sept. 18 meeting, five of the six businesses agreed on negotiated terms with the city to prohibit alcohol sales for one day as their punishment. At the hearing, some of the businesses had their own attorney present and the city was represented by City Solicitor Bill Riley, who is also the city attorney. The businesses receiving punishment and the day they will suspend alcohol sales are: BP Gas Station, 4368 N. Peachtree Road — suspended alcohol sales Sept. 26. Outback Steakhouse, Ashford Crossing — suspend alcohol sales Oct. 31. Chuy’s Mexican Restaurant, 118 Perimeter Center West — suspend alcohol sales Oct. 31. Eclipse Di Luna, 4505 Ashford-Dunwoody Road — suspend alcohol sales Nov. 27. Total Wine & More is currently dealing with another case in Municipal Court and the date of their suspension was delayed. “Total Wine & More still has a case pending in Dunwoody Municipal Court and after that case is heard, the Alcohol License Review Board will then reconvene 30 days following to hear that case as well,” city spokesperson Bob Mullen said. The three restaurants among the six businesses were represented by attorney Michael Sard, who worked out the date to suspend sales with Riley, according to minutes of the meeting. The BP gas stations did not hire attorneys and were represented by the licensee and the son of the licensee. Both of them apologized to the board and said it was their first violation. Serving on the Alcohol License Review Board are Chair Bona Allen, Secretary Jim Roberts and member Bev Wingate.

Cascading bubbles herald the start of the second annual “Strut Your Mutt” walk [above] at Brook Run Park on Sept. 23. Fourteen cities across the U.S. participated in this charity walk and festival hosted by Best Friends Animal Society. Right, Gillian Budd, a yoga instructor, holds her dog Bohzie, a Peekapoo mix. Budd gave yoga lessons before and after the walk to participants and their dogs. Bottom, Rachel Bergman and her son Jonas Bergman, 10 months old, hang out with their foster dog Chloe before the walk. PHOTOS BY PHIL MOSIER

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SEPT. 29 - OCT. 12, 2017

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Public Safety | 23

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Police Blotter / Dunwoody From Dunwoody Police reports dated Sept. 17 through Sept. 24. The following information was pulled from Dunwoody’s Police-2-Citizen website.

LARCENY/ SHOPLIFTING/ THEFT 2200 block of North Forest Trail — On

Sept. 18, a man said someone entered his unlocked car during the night. 4400 block of Ashford-Dunwoody

Road — On Sept. 18, in the evening, employees of a computer store said a laptop was shoplifted. 4400 block of Ashford-Dunwoody Road

— On Sept. 18, in the evening, a woman entered a makeup store, where she allegedly concealed more than $500 of products without paying. She was arrested. 4400 block of Ashford-Dunwoody Road

— On Sept. 18, in the evening, a man was accused of trying to shoplift from a department store and was arrested. 10200 block of Madison Drive — On

Sept. 19, a man said someone stole his watch from his car during the night. 10200 block of Madison Drive — On

Sept. 19, a woman said someone took a makeup bag containing more than $200 in product from her car overnight. 2200 block of North Forest Trail — On

Sept. 19, a woman reported her laptop was stolen from her unlocked vehicle. 300 block of Perimeter Center North

— On Sept. 19, in the early morning, someone broke into a car and stole a wedding band and 15 bullets. 300 block of Perimeter Center North

Road — On Sept. 20, in the evening, a woman was arrested at a department store and accused of trying to steal costume jewelry. Road — On Sept. 21, overnight, someone broke into a car and stole sunglasses and $12 in change. 3300 block of Perimeter

Center Lofts — On Sept. 21, in the early morning, a man reported someone broke into his car.

4500

4700 block of Ashford-Dunwoody Road

4300 block of Dunwoody Park — On

— On Sept. 21, in the morning, a man was arrested for trying to steal brake fluid and a soda from a superstore.

Sept. 22, in the evening, a man was arrested and accused of simple assault and burglary.

4400

block of Ashford-Dunwoody Road — On Sept. 21, in the afternoon, a man and woman were caught on film doing something suspicious, and were arrested and accused of felony shoplifting charges in connection with the attempted theft of jeans and a designer coat. 4400

block of Ashford-Dunwoody Road — On Sept. 21, in the evening, a man was arrested and accused of shoplifting at a department store. 4300

block of Ashford-Dunwoody Road — On Sept. 21, in the evening, an unknown amount of clothing was stolen from a department store. That same evening, merchandise was recovered in a shoplifting attempt at a department store in the same block. 4700

4700

4700 block of Ashford-Dunwoody Road

4500 block of Ashford-Dunwoody Road

— On Sept. 19, around noon, a woman was arrested and accused of trying to steal a Polo hat from a department store. 4700

block of Ashford-Dunwoody Road — On Sept. 20, a man reported his Hyundai SUV had been stolen earlier in the morning. It has since been recovered. 5500 block of Chamblee-Dunwoody

Road — On Sept. 20, in the evening, a man said someone broke the rear passenger window of his car, which was parked outside a restaurant. 4400 block of Ashford-Dunwoody DUN

4600 block of Chardonnay Court — On Sept. 20, in the afternoon, the victim said he was performing utility work for the cable company and had dug into the suspect’s yard when the suspect told them he would shoot if they came onto his property.

4600 block of Ridgeview

— On Sept. 19, in the morning, three residents of the same apartment complex reported their cars had been broken into. block of Ashford-Dunwoody Road — On Sept. 19, in the morning, a man was arrested and accused of stealing various hair and makeup products from a superstore.

case has been cleared.

block of Ashford-Dunwoody Road — On Sept. 22, at noon, a woman was arrested and accused of shoplifting. — On Sept. 22, in the afternoon, a man was arrested and accused of shoplifting.

A S S AU LT 100 block of Perimeter Center East

— On Sept. 17, in the early morning, a woman reported a domestic dispute and the alleged aggressor was arrested. 2300 block of Charleston Place — On

Sept. 17, in the early morning, a domestic dispute was reported. A woman was arrested the following day on charges connected to the incident.

block of Ashford-Dunwoody Road — On Sept. 20, in the evening, a fight broke out at a department store.

ARRESTS I-285

/ Peachtree-Dunwoody Road — On Sept. 17, in the early morning, a man was pulled over for a tag light violation and arrested and accused of driving with a suspended license. I-285 / Ashford-Dunwoody Road — On

Sept. 17, in the morning, a man was arrested and accused of failing to appear. I-285/ Peachtree Road — On Sept. 17,

in the morning, a woman was arrested and accused of violating her probation. 4400

block of Ashford-Dunwoody Road — On Sept. 17, in the afternoon, a man was arrested and accused of disorderly conduct. 100 block of Perimeter Center East

— On Sept. 18, in the early morning, a woman was arrested and accused of violating probation. 4400 block of Tilly Mill Road — On

Sept. 19, in the morning, a man was arrested and accused of violating his probation. 4400 block of Ashford-Dunwoody

Road — On Sept. 19, in the afternoon, a woman was arrested and accused of failing to appear. 4400

block of Ashford-Dunwoody Road — On Sept. 19, in the afternoon, a man was arrested following a disturbance in a restaurant. Chamblee-Dunwoody Road/Womack

Road — On Sept. 20, after midnight, a woman was arrested and accused of driving without a license. 100 block of Peachford Circle — On

Sept. 20, in the morning, a man was arrested and accused of violating probation. 1900 block of Cotillion Drive — On Sept.

20, in the morning, a man was arrested and accused of violating probation. 4700 block of Ashford-Dunwoody Road

— On Sept. 21, in the morning, a man was arrested and accused of resisting and providing false information to an officer. Perimeter Center East — On Sept. 21, at

night, a man was pulled over for failing to maintain his lane, and arrested and accused of driving with a suspended license. 10000 block of Madison Drive — On

Sept. 22, in the early morning, a man was arrested and accused of marijuana possession and disorderly conduct. 100 block of Perimeter Center — On

2500 block of Stonington Road —

22, in the early morning, a man was arrested and accused of obstructing a criminal investigation.

On Sept. 18, in the morning, a man was pulled over for a no left turn violation and arrested and accused of driving without a license. 4600 block of Chamblee-Dunwoody

2200 block of Dunwoody Crossing

— On Sept. 18, in the early morning, a woman reported feeling intimidated.

I-285/Ashford-Dunwoody Road — On

On Sept. 19, in the afternoon, a woman reported a sexual assault at her home. The

I-285/Ashford-Dunwoody Road — On

Sept. 18, in the morning, a man was arrested and accused of driving without a driver’s license and disregarding a traffic control device.

Road — On Sept. 18, in the morning, a woman was arrested during a traffic stop and accused of driving with a suspended license, no insurance and an expired license plate.

2400 block of West Madison Drive —

garding his taillights. He was accused of multiple weapons, marijuana, and drug and narcotic equipment. He also allegedly gave false information to officers and was driving with a suspended license.

Sept. 18, a restaurant server was arrested in a traffic stop re-

Sept. 22, in the early morning, a man was arrested and accused of failing to appear. Ashford-Dunwoody Road — On Sept.

1200 block of Meadow Lane Road —

On Sept. 22, in the morning, a woman was arrested and accused of failing to use a turn signal. Peachtree-Industrial

Boulevard/ Greenhedge Way — On Sept. 22, in the evening, a woman was arrested and accused of violating probation.

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