10-16-2015 Buckhead Reporter

Inside

Buckhead Reporter

Spooktacular!

Need ‘bold change’ APS superintendent speaks frankly COMMUNITY 2

Water hazard

www.ReporterNewspapers.net

Are local dams safe? COMMUNITY 12-15

OCT. 16 — OCT. 29, 2015 • VOL. 9 — NO. 21

Going batty

COMMUNITY 9-11

Residents give GDOT engineer earful over Peachtree bike lanes plan BY COLLIN KELLEY

Buckhead residents angered by a state plan to add bike lanes along a portion of Peachtree Road are continuing their efforts to convince state officials to put on the brakes. Georgia’s state traffic engineer got an earful at a Buckhead Council of Neighborhoods meeting Oct. 8 as a standing-room-only crowd at times booed and jeered his presentation of a proposal to add bike lanes to Peachtree. The residents said state officials should come up State transportation with an alternaofficials scheduled a tive plan. town hall meeting on BCN PresOct. 29 to discuss ident Tom plans for Peachtree Tidwell quesRoad. The meeting at tioned whether the Shepherd Center, the GDOT was “pandering to 2020 Peachtree Road, begins at 5 p.m. the bike lobby,” while other residents blamed the Buckhead Community Improvement District for pushing the bike lane option despite community opinion. Georgia Department of Transportation state traffic engineer Andrew Heath said state officials looked at a number of plans and even built a computer simulation of Peachtree to monitor traffic flow before arriving at the current proposed plan, called the Peachtree Battle Hybrid Alternative. Under this plan, there would two traffic lanes north and south, a center turn lane and bike lanes on either side from I-85 to Peachtree Battle. Beyond that point, the road would shift to three southbound lanes, two northbound lanes and a center turn lane to Maple Drive. Heath said traffic models showed removing the bike lanes at Peachtree Battle would help improve traffic flow while giving cyclists access to the nearby Atlanta BeltLine trail. He said a similar “road diet” on Ponce de Leon Avenue had seen a 25 percent decrease in accidents in the past year. Heath said adding the turn lanes on Peachtree Road would decrease crashes by up to 20 percent. GDOT officials have scheduled a town hall meeting on Oct. 29 to discuss the plan.

Bike lanes town hall

William Swann, 6, tries his hand at snagging a bat in the Bat Cave during the 52nd annual Pace Academy Fall Fair on Oct. 10. The event featured carnival rides, a candy castle, inflatables and a street market. See additional photos on page 7.

PHIL MOSIER

Some want streetcar project to hit the skids BY COLLIN KELLEY North Buckhead Civic Association President Gordon Certain wants to stop Atlanta’s streetcar from rolling through much of Buckhead. Although the streetcar now is limited to a 2.7-mile loop in downtown Atlanta, long-range plans call for a 50mile system of streetcars crisscrossing the city. The tracks would follow the 22-mile Atlanta BeltLine loop and run along Peachtree from the Buckhead MARTA station to Fort McPherson. “Wouldn’t streetcars be a charming addition to our future?” Certain asked in an editorial in the October edition of the NBCA’s monthly newsletter. “Actually, no.” Certain expounded on the editorial at the Buckhead Council of Neighborhoods meeting on Oct. 8. He framed his opposition to the streetcar line with the controversial plan to add bike lanes to part of busy Peachtree Road. “I want to stop the plan to build the streetcar on Peachtree,” Certain said. Besides the projected cost of $375 million to build the

13-mile line, Certain said the Peachtree line was untenable because there is no room for a dedicated travel lane for the streetcars. He said streetcars traveling in traffic lanes and stopping for signals and at stations would cause chaos. Certain pointed out that MARTA rail already runs along the Peachtree corridor, and suggested that if the city was determined to add streetcars, maybe it should build underground tunnels or elevated platforms for them. Certain said he and his wife went downtown last week to ride the 2.7-mile streetcar loop that runs from Centennial Olympic Park to the King Center. He wasn’t impressed with it. “We rode the entire loop and it took half an hour,” he said. “There were hardly any riders at all. And it smelled.” At-Large City Councilmember Mary Norwood said the discussion of a streetcar line on Peachtree had been ongoing since around 2006. “I was opposed to it then and I’m SEE SOME, PAGE 5

SEE RESIDENTS, PAGE 6

COMMUNITY

APS superintendent calls for bold change, and now BY COLLIN KELLEY Atlanta Public Schools Superintendent Meria Carstarphen used the gymnasium at the disused David T. Howard High School as the backdrop for her State of the School System address on Oct. 8, which focused heavily on the immediate need for action and transformation. Carstarphen said reopening the historic Howard building – which saw Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., former Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson and NBA star Walt Frazier in its classrooms – as a new middle school was a metaphor for the serious work that needs to be done to reinvent the school system. Carstarphen was frank about a potential state takeover of APS schools, if voters pass the Opportunity School District referendum next year. Under current data, 26 schools would be at risk for state takeover for chronically low performance, another 18 would be close to failing and 10 more would face some level of risk. “We will soon get new data from test scores and anticipate seeing a similar trend of at-risk schools,” Carstarphen said. Under the theme “Grow, Lead and Transform,” Carstarphen touched on what she called APS’s “beleaguered his-

tory” with the standardized test cheating scandal, the need for new infrastructure and what some will consider controversial solutions, including replacing principals and bringing in private organizations to operate some of APS’s underperforming schools. “I want every child to have a sense of pride when they say I’m a graduate of APS,” Carstarphen said. “To do that, we are going to have to move from an adult-centered agenda to child-centered behavior.” Carstarphen said there are clusters of schools all over the district that are underperforming below grade level and state and national norms. “That is why we have to make a change,” she said. “We owe it to the children so they can have a choicefilled life. We can help break the cycle of poverty, ignorance, corruption and violence, and give our children skills so they can make their choices come to life.” The superintendent said she spent much of her first year as head of APS “putting out fires, dealing with political agendas, snuffing out corruption and other distractions.” But she’s still excited about APS and its future, even leading the audi-

SPECIAL

Atlanta Public Schools Superintendent Meria Carstarphen delivers the State of APS address at the old Howard High School gymnasium.

ence in several cheers. The cheerleading was tempered with the warning that transforming APS was not going to be popular and was sure to make some uncomfortable. She specifically talked about “targeted interventions” for the Douglas and Carver clusters. Carstarphen likened APS’s rebuilding to the transformation of Grady

Hospital, the East Lake Community and the quick efforts put into place by local and state officials after last year’s snow and ice storm caught the region off guard. “This kind of bold change is going to be hard on people, staff and school communities,” Carstarphen said, “but we are out of time -- and have been.”

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Three years after settling a parking dispute that exploded into a freedomof-religion lawsuit, the Church of Scientology of Georgia is finally preparing its new church just north of Buckhead. Heavy interior and exterior work has been underway since the summer on the mansion-like former real estate office at 5395 Roswell Road at the intersection with Glenridge Drive. The Church of Scientology of Georgia, currently based in Doraville, did not respond to questions about an opening date, but a person answering its phone said the church still plans to move in. The church bought the property around 2005, but first sought rezoning for use as a place of worship in 2009. The church, then based in Dunwoody, proposed a $3 million renovation and said it had about 100 active members. Many area neighborhood associations opposed the move, citing traffic and parking concerns, especially since the church sought to reduce the number of parking spaces. The Sandy Springs City Council heard the matter at least four times over several months before deciding to approve the rezoning—but without the parking reduction. The church then sued the city, claiming the decision violated the First Amendment’s guarantee

of freedom of religion. The case spent years inching through the legal system while any rehab remained on hold. Finally, a court ordered

JOHN RUCH

Interior and exterior work is now underway at the Church of Scientology of Georgia.

a settlement via mediation in 2012. In that successful settlement, the church was allowed to expand the building and to meet the parking requirement by sharing spaces at the adjacent post office. It appears the church and the city are getting along better, with the church granting a piece of the property’s frontage to the city for $1 for road improvements. BH

COMMUNITY

Marsh Creek stormwater facility and park is in the works

BY JOHN RUCH

johnruch@reporternewspapers.net

of the Chattahoochee River, city officials say. City Springs will have on-site stormwater containment as well, city spokeswoman Sharon Kraun said. The facility will serve two main functions: containing stormwater runoff and scrubbing some of its pollutants outâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; especially fecal coliform bacteria, according to EPD. The city estimates the facility can hold about 90 percent of runoff from normal rains and 50 percent from heavy storms. A large pond will detain water and will have a fountain to aerate it. The â&#x20AC;&#x153;bio-retentionâ&#x20AC;? part means the water first flows through an area where soils and selected plants can pick up pollutants. There is a long list of potential plantings, including variety of trees, grasses, plants and ground covers. They range from magnolias and cypress to sunflowers and Black-Eyed Susans. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our goal is to remove 20 percent of the pollutants,â&#x20AC;? Izzo said. How well it really works, and how much maintenance is required, they will only know when it is operational, she said. EPD will monitor it and compile the data as an example. An observation deck will overlook the bio-retention area, Izzo said. The plans also include five parking spaces. If the facility works well, the city has two similar facilities sketched into its 2012 City Center Master Plan -- one on Boylston Drive behind the Northside Tower and the other at Cliftwood Drive and Sandy Springs Circle. There is no timeline for building them. Another controversy with the Marsh Creek plan was the eminent domain used to take properties for its site. Land acquisition is one reason the cost is $1.1 million higher than originally announced, Kraun said.

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An experimental pond and wetland that will capture and treat stormwater runoffâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and double as a new city parkâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;is now under construction on Johnson Ferry Road just north of Sandy Springs Circle. Work should finish by next June. For residents, the 2-acre Marsh Creek Headwaters Bio-Retention facility will include a fountain, benches and educational displays. For the Georgia Environmental Protection Division, which contributed a $388,000 grant to the total $4.6 million cost, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a pilot project for the state. Small bio-retention facilities, which use trees and plants to suck up pollutants, are fairly common in medians and parking lots. But, says Sharon Izzo, the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stormwater services manager, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Doing it on this scale is unusual. Doing it as this scale is kind of visionary.â&#x20AC;? Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also controversial to the Watershed Alliance of Sandy Springs. That environmental groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s founder, Patty Berkovitz, has criticized the project since it was announced last year as a subsidy for developers who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t contain their own stormwater and as a possible source of pollution itself through fertilizers or similar park-use impacts. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We hope that it works, but there are some aspects of it that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not comfortable with,â&#x20AC;? Berkovitz said, adding that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;not a well-thought-out, good example of an environmental project.â&#x20AC;? The city dismisses the criticisms as incorrect. Izzo says the project wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t use fertilizers and got reviews from the state and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. And while it will handle runoff from 30 acres, including the new City Springs city center and shopping centers, that water already flows into the area, causing flooding, erosion and eventual pollution

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The 2-acre Marsh Creek Headwaters Bio-Retention facility will contain a fountain, benches and educational displays. The facility will serve two main functions: containing stormwater runoff and scrubbing some of its pollutants out. To see a larger version, go to ReporterNewspapers.net. BH

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COMMUNITY NPU-B seeking nominations for business representatives

Livable Buckhead holds contest for best photo of fall colors on PATH400

Neighborhood Planning Unit B (NPU-B) is seeking nominations for business representatives to its board. The NPU-B board includes representatives of local businesses and local homeowners associations. In order to be eligible to serve as a business representative, a nominee must be an employee, owner or partner in the business, have a primary workplace in NPU-B and live within the city of Atlanta. Business constituents must conduct business or own commercial property within NPU-B and the business must be registered with the city finance department or the Georgia Secretary of State’s office. B RIEFS A total of 12 representatives will be elected to the board. Board elections will be held on Nov. 5, from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m., at the Cathedral of St. Philip, 2744 Peachtree Road NW. If you would like to nominate someone to be included on the ballot for NPU-B business representatives or nominate yourself to be on the ballot for election, notify NPU-B Business Coordinator Mark Tiller at marktiller@me.com or the NPU-B Chair Andrea Bennett at andrea0599@gmail.com no later than Oct. 25.

Livable Buckhead calls PATH400 a “greenway,” but the nonprofit is holding a contest for photos that show off fall colors along the new trail. Livable Buckhead plans to use the best image it can find of PATH400 in its annual holiday cards. Images by finalists in the competition will be displayed at Lenox Square during the holidays, the nonprofit said in a press release. “Everyone loves of the vibrancy of the changing of the seasons and what better way to highlight the natural beauty along the PATH400 greenway than through the lens of photography,” said Denise Starling, executive director of Livable Buckhead, the nonprofit that says it strives to ensure the long-term viability and prosperity of Buckhead. “Everyone from the amateur with an iPhone in their pocket to the professional is welcome. We look forward to seeing this community asset through their eyes.” The photo contest is open to all. Abstract and literal images are encouraged. Photos must be taken along the greenway and no religious, political, derogatory or otherwise offensive content will be permitted. All entries must include the photographer’s name. They must be high resolution digital files and must be submitted by Nov. 1 at 5 p.m. Email entries to scott@livablebuckhead.org.

With the inﬂux of millennials to Buckhead, increase in apartment construction continues The number of apartments in Buckhead has increased by more than 100 percent over the past 3 ½ years, according to the Buckhead Coalition. The coalition says more than 13,190 new apartments have been built or an-

nounced since January 2012, when the organization started keeping a roster of new apartment buildings planned for Buckhead. When the organization started its list, there were 12,704 apartments in the community, the coalition said in a press release.

The coalition says the growth in the number of apartments shows “the changed profile of Buckhead residents to the millennials, who want this flexibility to go with the flow, with the prediction many will walk to work and ride bikes for surround-

UNITS

STATUS

Unnamed

East Paces Ferry & Maple

Unnamed

100 West Paces Ferry

706

Proposed

Unnamed

3380 Stratford Road

Unnamed

Piedmont & Lenox Roads

702

Announced

Domain at Phipps

East Paces Ferry [@ Around Lenox]

440

Proposed

3005 Peachtree @ Pharr

400

Announced

PROJECT

Lenox Towers

ADDRESS

Phase II

Modera AMLI CityPlace A

ing amenities.” The coalition recently released a list of the projects it has recorded over the past few years. Here are the projects, by address, that the coalition listed. 327

Announced

est 323

Proposed

705 Phipps Plaza Boulevard

319

Under Construction

Unnamed

2965-2975 Peachtree

314

Proposed

Unnamed

3356 Peachtree/Tower Place Dr.

297

Announced

3201 Downwood Circle

280

Under Construction

265 Colonial Homes Drive

280

Renting Renting

East Paces Ferry & Roxboro

395

Under Construction

Solis Downwood

Unnamed

3372 Peachtree Road

386

Proposed

The Jane

Camden Paces

77 East Andrews Drive

379

Renting

Berkshire Howell Mill

1950 Howell Mill

256

Hanover Park Place

475 Buckhead Avenue

375

Under Construction

Broadstone Court

3097 Maple Drive

250

Renting

Piedmont Heights

2323 Piedmont Road

375

Under Construction

Brookwood Square

2140 Peachtree Road

249

Under Construction

East Paces Ferry [@ Around Lenox]

374

Planning

Unnamed Site D

Lenox Square Apartments – Phase I Elle Buckhead

235 Pharr Road

373

Renting

the RESIDENCE

N. Fulton Drive

370

Renting

SkyHouse Buckhead

3390 Stratford Road

364

Renting

Elan Lindbergh

741 Morosgo Drive

358

Renting

3292 Peachtree [@ Highland]

355

Renting

3116 Roswell Road to Irby

353

Under Construction

Wright Avenue

352

Announced

1888 Emery Street

345

Under Construction

Post Alexander

600 Phipps Boulevard

340

Renting

Cyan on Peachtree

3380 Peachtree Road

329

Renting

Berkshire Terminus Hanover Buckhead Village Crescent Lenox Millworks

Roxboro & East Paces Ferry

245

Under Construction

Alexan

375 Pharr @ Grandview

244

Announced

Rocca Villas

3280 Northside Parkway

234

Renting

Phipps Boulevard

224

Announced Renting

1000 Park Avenue The Monroe

Colonial Homes Drive

217

92 West Paces

92 W. Paces Ferry Road

210

Renting

Buckhead Place

3316 Piedmont Road, NE

190

Announced

Lindbergh Park

Announced

Piedmont @ Morosgo & Lindbergh

190

The Haynes House

2420 Peachtree Road

186

Renting

Ardmore & 28th

306 Ardmore Circle

165

Renting

Residences @ Chastain

4011 Roswell Road

TOTAL:

119

Renting

13,190

As of 10/8/15

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OCT. 16 – OCT. 29, 2015 | www.ReporterNewspapers.net

EVENTS

Are

COMMUNITY

Dental Implants

Children’s Healthcare plans 8-story Brookhaven center BY JOHN RUCH

johnruch@reporternewspapers.net

Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta plans to build an 8-story ambulatory care center at I-85 and N. Druid Hills Road in Brookhaven. Construction would begin next year and continue through 2107. “It will be one of the only centers of its kind in Georgia and will attract patients from all around the state,” said Children’s spokeswoman Patty Gregory, adding that an estimated 300,000 annual patient visits are expected. “We have engaged a traffic consultant, and we are working to develop plans,” Gregory said of possible traffic impacts. The 300,000-square-foot facility would “provide outpatient clinic services for kids with chronic and complex diseases,” Gregory said. It would have about 900 employees, though it has not been determined how many would be new jobs and how many

would transfer from other Children’s locations. The facility would go on the site of the 19-story Executive Park Motor Hotel, which Children’s demolished last year. The site is adjacent to an existing Children’s office complex on Tullie Road. The area was annexed by the city of Brookhaven last year at Children’s Healthcare’s request. Children’s was concerned about the area becoming part of one of the new cities proposed by some activists in unincorporated DeKalb County. Children’s Healthcare is in an expansion mode. Last month, it filed for a 60bed expansion of its Scottish Rite hospital on Sandy Springs’ Pill Hill. The Pill Hill medical center area is drawing new attention from both Sandy Springs and Brookhaven for surprise redevelopment and traffic jams.

Some hope streetcar plan goes off the rails

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completely opposed to it now,” she said. Norwood recounted a visit by streetcar experts from the U.S., France and Canada during the early talk of a streetcar line. She bundled the experts into her car and drove them from downtown to Buckhead and asked if a streetcar would work along Peachtree. “They all said it wouldn’t work and we didn’t need it,” Norwood said. Certain encouraged residents to take the survey posted at the NBCA website to offer their feedback on the streetcar plan. You can take the survey and find out more information at www. nbca.org/sc/.

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The 13-mile streetcar line would run between the MARTA stations at Lenox Square and Fort McPherson along Peachtree, West Peachtree, Peters and Lee streets. Stops would include the Fox Theatre, Woodruff Arts Center and Piedmont Hospital. To see a larger version, go to ReporterNewspapers.net.

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OCT. 16 – OCT. 29, 2015 | 5

COMMUNITY

Residents give GDOT engineer an earful over bike lanes dian and turn lanes rather than bike lanes. Others said they were concerned about how narrow Peachtree is and the fact that there would be no dividers between the traffic and bike lanes. District 8 City Councilmember Yolanda Adrean said she believed GDOT needed to go back to the drawing board and find another solution, while At-Large Councilmember Mary Norwood said she believed there needed to be more focus on wider pedestrian sidewalks than bike lanes. Another audience member called for a show of hands from residents in attendance who did not want bike lanes on Peachtree Road. The majority of the room raised their hands. Heath encouraged the residents to attend the Oct. 29 town hall meeting and bring their concerns about the bike lanes.

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The meeting at the Shepherd Center is scheduled from 5 to 7 p.m. Residents at the BCN meeting welcomed the turn lanes, but the conversation kept returning to the bike lanes. One resident said she was concerned about making right turns for fear she would hit a cyclist. “How many people check their right side mirror when making a right? Who has the right of way in that situation?” “If there is a bike lane, then cyclists would have the right of way,” Heath responded to jeers and boos from the audience. Another resident who lives in a Peachtree Road condo and who also described himself as a cyclist said he didn’t believe bike lanes were right for the corridor either. He suggested installing a center me-

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State transportation officials are considering reconfiguring the traffic lanes along Peachtree Road by drawing lanes in a new way after repaving the road from Dearing to Pharr roads. Peachtree now is six lanes, three headed north and three south. Restriping Peachtree would add a central left turn lane and add bicycle lanes along the portion south of Peachtree Battle Avenue. North of Peachtree Battle (shown in yellow above), the road would have three car lanes headed south and two headed north. South of Peachtree Battle (shown in purple above) the road would have two car lanes headed north and two south.

COMMUNITY

Serious fun at Pace Academy’s annual fall fair

Above, wearing plastic armor, Morgan Payne, left, and Bridges Spencer, right, engage in a jousting battle with Ian Graves, 10, back right, and Collier Smith, 10, back left.

PHOTOS BY PHIL MOSIER

Above, Emily Kate Chacon, 2, gets a ride on dad Christian’s lap, while mom Heather watches.

Left, Ian Graves, 10, left, and Collier Smith, 10, give one of the carnival games a try.

Right, the 52nd annual Pace Academy Fall Fair on Oct. 10 featured carnival rides, inflatables, food vendors and a street marketplace.

Left, sisters Leighton Stump, 6, right, and Brooke, 3, navigate the climbing wall.

www.ReporterNewspapers.net |

OCT. 16 – OCT. 29, 2015 | 7

COMMENTARY Reporter Newspapers Our mission is to provide our readers with fresh and engaging information about life in their communities. Published by Springs Publishing LLC 6065 Roswell Road, Suite 225 Sandy Springs, GA 30328 Phone: 404-917-2200 • Fax: 404-917-2201 Brookhaven Reporter | Buckhead Reporter Dunwoody Reporter | Sandy Springs Reporter www.ReporterNewspapers.net Atlanta INtown www.AtlantaINtownPaper.com

CONTACT US Founder & Publisher Steve Levene stevelevene@reporternewspapers.net Editorial Managing Editor Joe Earle joeearle@reporternewspapers.net Associate Editor: John Ruch Intown Editor: Collin Kelley Staff Writer: Ellen Eldridge Copy Editor: Diane L. Wynocker Creative and Production Creative Director: Rico Figliolini Graphic Designer: Isadora Pennington

Not entire story To the editor: The recent Buckhead Reporter article on the “Champion Tree Walk” in Atlanta Memorial Park (the area along Peachtree Creek to the West of Northside Drive) [“Rain doesn’t deter those seeking ‘champion’ trees,” Buckhead Reporter, Oct. 2-Oct. 15] doesn’t tell the whole story. While the Atlanta Memorial Park Conservancy’s plans seem appealing on the surface, care should be taken to ensure that this park, which is a great asset to Buckhead and the city, remains in its natural state. The conservancy, with the apparent support of the Atlanta Parks Department, has determined that “improvements” need to be made to the park, including: new trails and modification (including possible paving) of existing natural trails around and through the park; removal of “invasive species,” and trees which are not perfectly healthy or are in the way of existing or planned trails; clearing of vegetation along the banks of Peachtree Creek (thus increasing the risk of erosion); and removal of low tree limbs to “improve sight lines.” All of these are destructive, and fly in the face of efforts by people in surrounding neighborhoods to maintain the natural environment of the park as envisioned by the city when it was created in the 1930s. We are indeed fortunate to

have such a wonderful natural area in100-year flood plain) and should be left side the city for everyone to enjoy, and alone. it should be protected, not developed or We need to band together to make “enhanced.” certain this park, which is Accordingly, I have a haven for birds and other asked the city Parks wildlife, survives in its natLETTERS TO Department to desigural state not only for ourTHE E DIT OR nate Atlanta Memoselves but for those who E-mail letters to rial Park as “protectcome after us. ed green space,” which editor@reporternewspapers.net would mean mainteJohn Whitney nance only. The park floods regularly (it is entirely within the SPECIAL

The Atlanta Memorial Park Conservancy is planning new trails and other improvements for the park. To see a larger version, go to ReporterNewspapers.net.

Advertising Director of Sales Development Amy Arno amyarno@reporternewspapers.net

AP History biased

Senior Account Executives Jeff Kremer Janet Porter

To the editor: [Re: ‘Who decides what should be taught in U.S. history?’ Reporter Newspapers Education Guide, Sept. 18-Oct. 1)]. The bias in the AP History curriculum is easily provable by a simple review of the key concepts that are taught. In the 2011 AP study guide (edited by Stephen Armstrong), I reviewed the section labeled “Prosperity in a New World Order (1988-2000).” The first thing you note is that the title of this section gives away a secular agenda – only the Left promotes the notion of a world order that is governed by people that share their views. (Hint: the elite

Account Executives Susan Lesesne Jim Speakman Ofﬁce Manager Deborah Davis deborahdavis@reporternewspapers.net Contributors Phil Mosier, Megan Volpert

Free Home Delivery 65,000 copies of Reporter Newspapers are delivered by carriers to homes in ZIP codes 30305, 30319, 30326, 30327, 30328, 30338, 30342 and 30350 and to more than 500 business/retail locations. For locations, check “Where To Find Us” at www.ReporterNewspapers.net For delivery requests, please email delivery@reporternewspapers.net. © 2015 With all rights reserved Publisher reserves the right to refuse editorial or advertising for any reason. Publisher assumes no responsibility for information contained in advertising. Any opinions expressed in print or online do not necessarily represent the views of Reporter Newspapers or Springs Publishing, LLC.

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leaders are not conservatives.) In the review section at the end of the chapter there are five multiple choice questions. Three questions concern Clinton and two on George Bush. Of the Clinton questions, it is clear that the intent is to have students think of Bill Clinton in a positive light and Bush in the negative. For example, Question 1 discusses the “defining characteristic” of the Clinton presidency. Not one of the five choices refers to impeachment, which any objective historian would at least provide as a possible answer. The “correct” answer is B – pragmatic policy making. As for Bush – all questions promote negative views. Question 2 begins with the statement “George Bush alienated

many conservatives by …”. Question 3 begins “Critics accuse Bush of lacking vision because…”. The chapter also emphasizes Clinton’s success in the economic arena, when in fact he simply presided over an economy that was in the midst of the Internet revolution – a trained monkey could have been president during the Clinton years and (incorrectly) gotten the same credit. It is clear that the people that create American History curriculum are predominantly liberal (as polls consistently show) and you have to look no further than the study guides to confirm this fact. Rob Branson

D o you ha ve some t hing t o s ay ? Send your letters to editor@reporternewspapers.net

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Kate Burke grew up in Kentucky, where her mother made every Halloween costume she ever wore, she said. “We wouldn’t dream of buying a storebought costume,” Burke said. Burke, her husband, Wells, and her two kids, Owen, 5, and Margaret, 3, live in the Margaret Mitchell neighborhood in Buckhead, where every year her neighbors gather for a Halloween party before the kids head out to trick-ortreat. She said they love the festivities so much that Burke’s mother comes to visit so someone is home to hand out treats. “I want to do it all, so I have to have my mom man the door,” she said. Suburban Atlantans go crazy for Halloween. Families in neighborhoods spread from south Buckhead to Dunwoody North get into the spirit of the Halloween holiday. They celebrate with friends, organize cul-de-sac parties, bring in food trucks, and plan parades to supplement their trick-or-treating. In Brookhaven, the Redding Road neighborhood has someone who organizes a donation collection to help residents buy candy every year, nearby resident Sonja Greeley said. “They have the street shut down, and last year a person took charge of soliciting candy donations because so many people come to Redding. It was a polite gesture so everyone who lives there doesn’t go broke handing out candy,” Greeley said. And in Dunwoody, the Briers North neighborhood has become so well known for its Halloween celebration that the neighbors close subdivision streets from 5:45 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and won’t let cars inside. Drivers park at a nearby church that collects donations to benefit its school. Briers North resident Joe Bowen said he’s been decorating for more than 15 years and he’s flattered when people

comment favorably about the neighborhood’s celebration, but he’s nervous about attracting more attention. “The problem is that the number of visitors is at critical mass. That is not an exaggeration,” Bowen said. “The streets are so crowded (5,000 plus based on candy count) that it is difficult for volunteers to walk the streets.” Karen Siegel, who organizes the event and handles media requests, said Halloween has become increasingly stressful for the homeowners. “We are now at a critical juncture as the number of visitors is continuing to rise and is overwhelming our subdivision and stressing out many of our homeowners,” Siegel said. “Even with hiring three off-duty Dunwoody police officers to handle the outside traffic and over two dozen resident volunteers handling the inside visitors/children, many in our small neighborhood think it’s simply gotten too large.” Bowen said the neighborhood spends several thousand dollars for candy, and even more for decorations. Others see Halloween as a chance to raise money for charity. In Sandy Springs, Jeff Marcus erects an extravagant yard display to raise awareness of autism, a developmental disorder characterized by emotional detachment and impaired communication. He collects donations from passersby as well as online at Scareawayautism.com. He said last year he raised almost $20,000 for the cause. “It kind of just evolved because my daughter, who’s autistic, loves Halloween,” Marcus said. “My wife says it got out of hand.” Burke’s Buckhead neighbors start their party with food trucks at the nearby school, she said. CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

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Halloween means decorations, candy and... beer? CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

“The Morris Brandon Primary Center is right down the street so the entire neighborhood congregates there,” Burke said. “It’s a do-not-miss event in our neighborhood.” Burke said her house has become popular with neighbors because of the goodies for kids and their parents, she said. “We have a bucket of beer for the dads,” Burke said. “You’ll see people who don’t know us as well and kids will say, ‘My dad wants to know if he can have a beer.’” Marsha Sims gets ready for fall with her 11-year-old triplets, Olivia, Jack and Nicholas Schramkowski, by decorating the yard in the Argonne Forest neigborhood in Buckhead. Sims said she grew up on the other side of town and went to Druid Hills High School. “We always went trick-or-treating,” she said. “Neighborhoods got all decked out for Halloween.” But Sims said the gatherings weren’t as big back then. Her daughter said on

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Halloween the neighborhood gathers at the Chateau Drive cul-de-sac, with a food truck from the Varsity that opens at about 5:30 p.m. “We go and eat and then while the adults are eating—because adults normally talk—the kids trick-or-treat on the street and little by little everyone starts migrating around the neighborhood,” Olivia Schramkowski said. Though Olivia said she normally climbs into her pajamas and eats chocolate with her friend after about an hour of collecting candy, her brother, Jack, stays out late to reap the late-night rewards. “Sometimes, we knock on people’s doors and they’re watching something and say, ‘You’re our lucky winners’ and the guy comes with two huge bowls of candy and gives one to my brother and one to me,” Jack Schramkowski said. He added that he might go as a baseball player this year and he’s almost as excited to watch sports before the neighborhood gathers and the kids get candy.

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Buckhead residents Marsha Sims, center, with two of her children, Jack Schramkowski, left, and Olivia Schramkowski, decorate their yard for Halloween. They also take advantage of a Varsity food truck that parks in their neighborhood during the evening of Oct. 31.

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It’s time for tasty treats, spooky fun and crazy costumes BY ISADORA PENNINGTON Whether you’re in it for the costumes, the parties or the candy, there’s something for everyone to look forward to on Halloween. We compiled a list of some of our favorite events in our communities to share with you and yours this season. Have a spooky good time! Haunted Halloween at the Atlanta History Center Friday, Oct. 23, 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. Get ready to be scared at Atlanta History Center’s newest after dark program. The center’s historic houses are transformed into fictional haunted experiences. Festivities include classic Halloween movie screenings, costumed character photo ops, Monster Mash and Thriller dance lessons, and lots of history mixed in with the haunted home displays. Snacks, beer, wine and specialty cocktails available for purchase. Tickets are $10 for members, $15 for nonmembers, and $8 for children. 130 West Paces Ferry Rd., NW, Atlanta, 30305. To buy tickets and learn more, go to atlantahistorycenter.com/family or call 404814-4000. Chattahoochee Nature Center Halloween Hikes Friday, Oct. 23, Saturday, Oct. 24, and Friday, Oct. 30, 7 - 10 p.m. If you have been searching for a non-scary alternative to traditional Halloween festivities, check out the Chattahoochee Nature Center’s evening Halloween Hikes. This well-lit tour of the trails includes entertainment and education relating to the woodland creatures that live at the center. Groups of 2025 will walk the trails that last roughly 45 minutes. Campfires, s’mores, world music and crafts also available during the event. Admission is $9; free for kids 2 and under. Ticket sales are available from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. each night. CNC members can purchase their tickets in advance at the Visitor Services Desk in the Discovery Center. Please leave pets at home for this event. Bring cash for snacks. 9135 Willeo Rd, Roswell, 30075. Visist chattnaturecenter.org or call 770992-2055 for more information. Haunted Farm Tour & Festival Saturday, Oct. 24, 3 - 9 p.m. Boy Scout Troop 477 hosts its annual Haunted Farm Tour and Festival at the Donaldson-Bannister Farm House. This family-friendly event features a haunted tour, games, live music, s’mores and snacks. Recommended for kids elementary school age and younger. Free parking at Independence Square (corner of Chamblee-Dunwoody at Peeler) with regular shuttle bus service to the property. Additional parking can be found at the Vermack Swim Tennis Center. This fundraiser

helps send boys to summer camp who might otherwise not be able to afford the experience. 4831 Chamblee Dunwoody Rd., Dunwoody, 30338. Questions? Call 770-451-5180. Chamblee Halloween Spooktacular Saturday, Oct. 24, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Get a head start on Halloween with this outdoor event at Keswick Park. Visitors will enjoy a spooky fun house, hay rides, pumpkin painting, pony rides, a free costume contest at 1 p.m., food, music, face painting, bounce houses and a cupcake walk. Costumes are encouraged. Event suitable for all ages. Free and open to the public. Keswick Park, 3496 Keswick Dr., Chamblee, 30341. To learn more or to get involved, contact Chris Madden at cmadden@chambleega.gov or call 770-986-5016. Halloween Hunt Monday, Oct. 26, 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. School-age kids are invited to the Brookhaven Library for a Halloween scavenger hunt. Equipped with a scavenger hunt sheet from the circulation desk, kids will solve puzzles and search for clues throughout the library, and winners will receive a prize. Recommended for ages 3 to 12 years. Free and open to the public. 1242 N. Druid Hills Rd., Brookhaven, 30319. Go online to dekalblibrary.org or call 404-848-7140 for additional details. Haunted Sandy Springs Friday, Oct. 30, 6 - 7:30 p.m. and 8 - 9:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 31, 1 2:30 p.m. Take a walk through historic Sandy Springs with a spooky twist. The tour begins at the Williams-Payne House, where you can enjoy hot apple cider, light snacks and scary stories. Tour guides then lead participants to the original spring site and over to the Sandy Springs United Methodist Church Cemetery. Tours last approximately an hour and a half. Tickets are $15 each and tours are limited to 20 people per group. Must be 15 years or older to participate. Go online to heritagesandysprings.org to purchase tickets. 6075 Sandy Springs Circle, Sandy Springs, 30328. Have questions? Call 404-851-9111, extension 2.

GA Peach Trick or Treat Saturday, Oct. 31, 2 - 4 p.m. Join the GA Peach Authors for a literary costume event at the Buckhead Library. Authors Marissa Monteilh, Norlita Brown, Jade Jones and Marlon McCaulsky will be featured, and visitors can participate in a costume contest, enjoy trick-or-treat goodies and enjoy readings during the afternoon. All ages welcome. Free and open to the public. 269 Buckhead Ave., NE, Atlanta, GA 30305. Find out more at afpls.org or by calling 404-814-3500. Halloween Storytime Saturday, Oct. 31, 3 - 4 p.m. Ms. Leah presents a fun seasonal story time with related activities for the whole family. Registration is required and space is limited, so stop by the library during normal hours, email leah.germon@fultoncountyga.gov or call 404303-6130 to sign up. Recommended for kids aged 3-7; free and open to all. Sandy Springs Branch Library, 395 Mount Vernon Hwy., Sandy Springs, 30328. Halloween at Briers North Saturday, Oct. 31, 6 - 9 p.m. Looking for a fun spot to bring your kids and go trick-or-treating? Look no further than Briers North, a quiet Dunwoody neighborhood that goes all out on Halloween. decorations. Rain or

shine. Free and open to the community. Suitable for all ages. Pets not allowed. Candy will be distributed from 6-9 p.m.; no admission to the subdivision after 8:30 p.m. No parking inside the subdivision, so participants are encouraged to find suitable street parking nearby. Brier North Road (off Tilly Mill Road), Dunwoody, 30338. Go online to briersnorth.org for more information and to see pictures from previous years. A Social Mess Halloween Party Saturday, Oct. 31, 8 p.m. - 2:30 a.m. Costumes, drinking and partying - oh my! The popular Social Mess Halloween Party returns for its sixth year to the Buckhead Theatre. This event draws thousands of partiers and promises an evening of top-rated DJs and adult beverages. 21+ only; no refunds. General admission tickets are $23 each.Group tickets can be purchased for $20 each, minimum 10 guests. 3110 Roswell Rd., NE, Atlanta, 30305. Go online to asocialmess. com to buy tickets and learn more. Monster Bash 2015 Saturday, Oct. 31, 8 p.m. Join the celebration at a Latin and international Halloween party at Eclipse di Luna in Dunwoody. Returning for its 17th year, this party offers Latin and international music, a costume contest with $2,000 in cash prizes, drink specials and other giveaways. Ladies must be 18+ for this event; guys must be 21+ to attend. Costumes required. Admission is free until 10 p.m. 4505 Ashford Dunwoody Rd., Atlanta, 30346. Find out more by visiting monsterbashatl. com.

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These 11 dams could cause extensive damage should they fail The following list shows the current conditions of the 11 local “highhazard” dams as reported in state Safe Dams Program files. Unless otherwise noted, the owners of record did not respond to questions. Capital City Country Club Lake Dam, W. Brookhaven Drive, Buckhead Built 1925. Latest inspection information from 2014 indicates it is in good condition. Cherokee Country Club Lake Dam (middle lake), Hightower Trail, Sandy Springs Built 1966. Latest inspection information from 2013 reported some erosion that needed to be repaired. A 2010 inspection found erosion that “should be closely monitored.” Dunwoody Club Crossing Dam, Dunwoody Club Crossing, Dunwoody Built 1988. No clear inspection information on file. Lake Forrest Dam, Lake Forrest Drive, Sandy Springs Built circa 1945-1950. The city of Sandy Springs is in the process of examining its condition. Charles Wilson of Schnabel Engineering previously expressed concerns about signs of a leaking pipe within the dam, but a formal exam was still pending. Murphey Candler Lake Dam, W. Nancy Creek Drive in Murphey Candler Park, Brookhaven Built 1953. Latest report is from 2012, reporting relatively minor maintenance issues, when DeKalb County still owned the park and lake. The city of Brookhaven did not have an immediate report on its current condition. Lake Northridge Dam, Northridge Road, Sandy Springs Built 1970. Latest inspection report from 2014 said the main dam parts are in “excellent” condition. The homeowners association said the dam is regularly

inspected by its engineer. Peppertree Lake Dam, Dunwoody Springs Drive, Sandy Springs Built 1939. Trees and brush removed this year from the spillway. A follow-up state report in July said the tree stumps should be removed and noted an unmarked and submerged drain. The report also advised against a request to place park benches in the spillway. Powers Lake Dam, Powers Lake Drive, Sandy Springs Construction date unknown. A 2014 report shows trees and brush were removed and an animal hole filled in. “To my knowledge, according to the state, our dam is in excellent shape,” said Donald Dutson Jr., the owner of record. Scott Candler Reservoir Dam, Peeler Road, Dunwoody Two reservoirs built: one in 1942; the other in 1953; dam expanded 2004. Latest reported information from 2012 called for relatively minor repairs and maintenance issues. DeKalb County did not respond to questions.

Buckhead

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Eleven dams in the Buckhead, Dunwoody, Sandy Springs and Brookhaven areas have been classified as “high hazard” in the Safe Dams Program files.

Silver Lake Dam, off Ragley Hall Road, Brookhaven Originally built in 1911 and rebuilt since then. An inspection in May by Piedmont Geotechnical found some minor maintenance issues. Regular inspections say the dam is in “very good condition, according to James Gallo of the Silver Lake Civic Association. The state reported concerns about a “bolt-

ed cover” on an drainpipe, but Gallo says the pipe was never intended as an emergency drain and appears to be an old construction artifact. Tera Lake Dam, Burdette Road, Sandy Springs Built circa 1958. Latest inspection information on file showed issues of

“seepage” and a spillway in a “deteriorated condition.” Safe Dams Program spokesman Kevin Chambers said the owners’ engineers “have met with our office, but no further progress.” Mike Johnson and Mark Pollack of Pollack Shores Real Estate Group are among its owners, the state says. Neither responded to phone calls.

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OCT. 16 – OCT. 29, 2015 | www.ReporterNewspapers.net

COMMUNITY

State monitors ‘high-hazard’ dams BY JOHN RUCH

johnruch@reporternewspapers.net

When record-breaking rains hit South Carolina earlier this month, the deadly floods were made worse by the failure of little-known dams on privately owned lakes. Many were built decades ago with dubious engineering and were monitored by an underfunded state agency that sometimes struggled to identify the dams’ current owners to order repairs, according to local media reports. Georgia dodged the historic rains, but has similar challenges with more than 4,200 dams. The state Safe Dams Program lists more than 40 dams in Brookhaven, Buckhead, Dunwoody and Sandy Springs, most built decades ago during a boom in suburban leisure lakes and still the responsibility of private owners. The state categorizes 11 of those local dams as “high hazard,” meaning that if they were to fail, the flood likely would kill people downstream. The “high-hazard” category is based on the size and location of the dam, not its current condition. Statewide, 474 dams are currently categorized as high-hazard. Some of the local highhazard dams are well-known and publicly owned, like the lake in Brookhaven’s Murphey Candler Park. But many dams impound private lakes hidden behind backyards and possibly unknown to neighbors living downstream. When the state categorizes a dam as high hazard, the owners have 180 days to get an operating permit, which includes filing an assessment of the dam’s condition. But in reality, determining the ownership and condition of such dams can be tough. The Lake Forrest Dam on the Buckhead/Sandy Springs border is a classic example. The tree-covered dam is easy to miss even though Lake Forrest Drive runs right atop it. The state declared it high hazard six years ago, only to discover the dam’s complicated ownership tangle involving a homeowners association and the cities of Sandy Springs and Atlanta. Sandy Springs agreed to take the lead on assessing the dam’s condition and any repairs, which has turned out to be a slow and labor-intensive process. Currently, the lake above the dam is half-drained, with some fish removed by boat, which in turn required lopping down many trees. There is still no final report on the dam’s integrity. “It’s just kind of sitting on hold,” said Hansell Roddenbery, president of the Three Lakes Corporation, the local homeowners association. “We’re just not real sure what’s going on.” Sometimes, the state can’t find any owner at all. In other cases, local homeowners are entirely on the hook and can be taken to court by the state if they don’t properly maintain their dams. State records show homeowners actively

monitoring many of the local dams, but often at great effort and expense. Lake Northridge on Northridge Road in Sandy Springs is one example. Gordon Elkins, president of Lake Northridge Inc., the local homeowners association, said he was pleasantly surprised when he moved into his home to learn of the beautiful, well-hidden, 88-foot-deep former quarry turned into a recreational lake in 1970. “I was shocked because I had no idea…this thing was even here,” Elkins said. A far less pleasant surprise was the maintenance duties of dealing with “beavers, geese and a Class I [high-hazard] dam…It comes with a lot of responsibility, too.” The homeowners association contracts with a private engineer who inspects the dam three or four times a year, Elkins said. Inspection reports are posted on the association website, lakenorthridge.com. The latest, from November 2014, reports the dam’s main parts in “excellent” shape. State records on the 11 local highhazard dams show only one safety issue presented as significant, and it may not

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The city of Sandy Springs is assessing the condition of Lake Forrest Dam, built circa 1945-1950.

Well-known dams on list CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13

be a real issue. A “bolted cover” on an emergency drainpipe on Brookhaven’s Silver Lake Dam could have “catastrophic consequences,” according to an engineer’s report dated in May of this year. But James Gallo of the Silver Lake Civic Association, which maintains the 27acre lake, said that pipe appears to be a non-functional leftover from 1980s dam reconstruction and was “never intended as emergency relief.” Regular state and private inspections show the dam is in “very good condition,” Gallo said. While state records do not show significant issues with most other dams, the records range from formal engineering reports to personal emails. For some, the most recent information dates to 2012. Some files show the state cajoling owners for years to conduct maintenance. The management company responsible for the 76-year-old Peppertree Lake, which is tucked behind apartments off Peachtree-Dunwoody Road in Perimeter Center, recently removed trees that could have blocked an emergency flow of water from its dam. Re-

cords show a state engineer wrote it took more than a decade for the trees to be removed, and that the stumps still have to go as well. That company, Working Solutions, did not respond to a phone call. While the maintenance issues can be minor, the stakes can be high. The Safe Dams Program was created after a 1977 dam failure in Toccoa, Ga., killed 39 people. In 1978, state inspectors found Silver Lake Dam to be so unsafe that the governor declared it “a real and immediate threat of a disaster.” The lake was drained and the dam demolished. The civic association restored it in the 1980s. The local dams withstood metro Atlanta’s historic rainfalls and floods of 2009—in some cases with significant damage—but that doesn’t mean they will survive the next disaster. Georgia’s Safe Dams Program faces staffing shortages and budget cuts, according to damsafety.org, an informational website run by the Kentucky-based Association of Dam Safety Officials. In South Carolina, there is talk of requiring reinforcement of old earthen dams and boosting the state inspection program.

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The last report on Murphey Candler Lake Dam, built in 1953, outlined relatively minor maintenance issues.

COMMUNITY

Other local dams on state inventory The following is a list of other local dams that are on the state’s Safe Dams Program inventory.

Brookhaven

D’Youville Lake Dam, D’Youville Trace

Buckhead

IBM Lake Dam, North Atlanta High School, Northside Parkway Lake Moore Dam, Rickenbacker Drive Reeder Lake Dam, Rilman Lake Court Rivermeade Dam, Rivermeade Drive Stern and Early Pond, Harris Valley Road

Dunwoody

Brooke Farm Lake Dam, Brooke Farm Drive Fountain Square Lake Dam, Peachford Road Kingsley Lake Dam, N. Peachtree Road Meadowlake at Dunwoody Dam, Lakesprings Way Meadowlake Dam, Meadowlake Lane Mill Glen Lake Dam, Mill Glen

Read all of our editions online

Drive Zaban Park Lake Dam, Womack Road

Sandy Springs

Arlington Memorial Park Dam, Arlington Cemetery on Mount Vernon Highway Carroll Manor Lake Dam, Carroll Manor Drive Century Springs Lake Dam, Hammond Drive Cherokee Country Club Lake East and West Dams, Hightower Trail Dunwoody Country Club Lake Dam, Dunwoody Club Drive Glen Errol Lake Dam, Glen Errol Road Glenlake Dam Nov. 2, Abernathy Road at Glenlake Parkway Hartrampf Lake Dam, Huntingdon Trail Huntcliff Lake Dam, Huntcliff Trace Huntingdon Lake Dam, Huntingdon Trail Innsbruck Lake Dam, Innsbruck Drive Lake North Dam, Colquitt Road Laubman Lake Dam, Powers Lake Drive Mission-Sandy Springs Lake Dam, Roswell Road

ELLEN ELDRIDGE

A dam at Arlington Memorial Park in Sandy Springs is among dozens in local neighborhoods included on the state’s Safe Dams Program list.

Natures Acre Lake Dam, Byrnwycke Road Orkin Lake Dam, Monterey Parkway Small Pond Dam No. 1, Powers Chase Circle

RECYCLE

Spalding Lake Dam, Spalding Lake Court Turners Lake Dam, Long Island Drive Wildercliff Dam, Wilderlake Court

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out& about

BROOKHAVEN • BUCKHEAD • DUNWOODY • SANDY SPRINGS

FOR KIDS & FAMILIES

‘Lions in Illyria’ Thursday, Oct. 22 and Friday, Oct. 23, 7 p.m. – Separated from her brother after a storm at

sea, Violet, a young lioness, must brave an unknown country all alone. This family-friendly, one hour show is a re-imagining of Shakespeare’s 12th Night told through animals, humor and music. Tickets are $5 each and support the MVPS Arts program. Black Box Theater, 510 Mount Vernon Hwy., NE, Sandy Springs, 30328. To purchase tickets in advance and for more information, go to mountvernonschool. org or call 404-250-5880.

Family Movie Night Friday, Oct. 23, 6:30 p.m. – The All Saints Catholic Church in Dunwoody presents a screening of the popular classic “The Wizard of Oz” in the Social Hall. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the movie starts at 7 p.m. This event will be Chastain style; guests are encouraged to bring a blanket and food, and watch the movie. 2443 Mount Vernon Rd., Dunwoody, 30338. Go to allsaints.us or call 770393-3255 for additional details.

Blue Heron Birthday Saturday, Oct. 24, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. –

Come out and learn about the Blue Heron Na-

ture Preserve’s 30-acre property nestled in the heart of the city during this fall festival that celebrates the Preserve’s 15th birthday. Participants will enjoy interpretive walks of the grounds and exhibits, plus first-hand knowledge about the preserve’s stewardship of the environment, conservation and educational initiatives. The event feature sfood and cake, scavenger hunts for kids, honey bee demonstration with a local beekeeper, live plant seed harvesting, music, rescued urban animals with AWARE, bird walks with the Atlanta Audobon, a ribbon cutting and historical data from Buckhead Heritage. Free and suitable for all ages. 4055 Roswell Rd., NE, Atlanta, 30342. Find out more by going to bhnp.org or by calling 404-345-1008.

Seussical the Musical Friday, Oct. 30 and Saturday, Oct. 31, 7 p.m., and Nov. 1, 3 p.m. – The Dun-

woody United Methodist Church presents an all-ages musical adaptation of Dr. Seuss’ stories. The skits pull from the “Cat in the Hat,” “Horton Hears a Who!” and other well-loved stories. General admission tickets are $20 each. Student tickets are $10 when purchased at the door. Show up in costume for half-price tickets. 1548 Mount Vernon Rd., Dunwoody, 30338. Go online to dunwoodyumc.org or call 770394-0675 with questions.

GIVING BACK

Great Day of Service

Volunteer Day

Saturday, Oct. 24, 9 a.m. – The Dunwoody

Saturday, Oct. 24, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. –

United Methodist Church Great Day of Service provides opportunities to participate in one of over 40 projects at the church or in the community. Start the day with a breakfast followed by a variety of projects to get behind, including Stop Hunger NOW! food packing, Potato Drop for the Atlanta Community Food Bank, make blankets for Project Linus, and much more. Off-site service projects like yard work and home repair also available. Lunch provided afterward. Free and open to the public. 1548 Mount Vernon Rd., Dunwoody, 30338. Go to dunwoodyumc.org for more details.

Come out for a morning of giving back at Brook Run Park. Volunteers will be working with Trees Atlanta to plant new trees in the park as part of Dunwoody’s Volunteer Day. Free and open to the public. Brook Run Park, 4770 N. Peachtree Rd., Dunwoody, 30338. To find out more information and to register as a volunteer go to treesatlanta.org.

LECTURES

Fast Forward

Ovarian Cancer

Wednesday, Oct. 21, 7 p.m. – Martin Ford,

Thursday, Oct. 29, 7 p.m. – The Ovarian

author of the best-seller “Rise of the Robots,” Trung Le, a designer of learning ecologies, and screenwriter and educator Joe Conway headline Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School’s speaker series at the Atlanta History Center. The evening also includes Larry Friel from the FIDO Project, an ongoing research project at Georgia Tech’s Animal Computer Interaction Lab, that researches ways to improve communication between working dogs and the humans they assist. Tickets are $25 each and can be purchased online at hispeakerseries.org/tickets. Atlanta History Center, 130 West Paces Ferry Rd., NW, Atlanta, 30305.

Cancer Institute hosts “A Modern Approach to Ovarian Cancer” event at B’nai Torah. Lecture by Dr. Benedict Benigno, founder and CEO of The Ovarian Cancer Institute and Northside Hospital’s Director of Gynecologic Oncology. Q&A and panel follow presentation. Free and open to the public. Donations appreciated. RSVP at kharper@ovariancancerinstitute. org or 404-300-2997. B’nai Torah, 700 Mount Vernon Hwy. NE, Sandy Springs, 30328. Need more details? Go online to ovariancancerinstitute.org.

out & about

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FESTIVALS

Apple Cider Days

Wednesday, Oct. 21 through Sunday, Oct. 25, hours vary. – Bring the whole fam-

ily out for carnival rides, amusements, food and vendors. This annual fall fundraising event is hosted by Dunwoody Preservation Trust. Free to attend; bring cash for rides and snacks. Perimeter Mall, 4400 Ashford-Dunwoody Rd., Dunwoody, 30346. Find out more by going online to appleciderdays.org.

Fall Festival Saturday, Oct. 24, 1 - 5 p.m. – Enjoy the crisp weather at Lynwood Park with a fall-themed get-together for the entire family. The event will have food, a bounce house and other activities. Free and open to the public. Lynwood Park, 3360 Osborne Rd., Brookhaven, 30319. Go to brookhavenga.gov to learn more.

the school. For more information, email harvestfestival@hfeeaglealliance.org. Heards Ferry Elementary School, 6151 Powers Ferry Rd., Sandy Springs, 30339.

Ashford Park Fall Fair Saturday, Oct. 24, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m –The Ashford Park School Fall Fair is a community tradition that helps support on-going professional development for teachers, STEM classroom and student enrichment programs, and special events throughout the year. Activities include a rock wall, inflatables, festival games, sand art cart, petting zoo, food trucks, raffle prizes, craft vendors and School of Rock. Free and open to the community. All-inclusive wristbands are $15; purchase by Oct. 20 and pay only $12. Adults do not need a wristband. Children 2 and under play for free. 2968 Cravenridge Dr., Brookhaven, 30319. Go to ashfordparkschool. com or call 678-676-6702 to learn more.

Dia De Los Muertos

Harvest Festival Saturday, Oct. 24, 11 a.m. –

3 p.m. – The 2nd annual Heards Ferry Harvest Festival includes carnival games, interactive attractions, a rock wall, arts and crafts, a school-wide pumpkin auction, holiday cake auction, cupcake walk, a live DJ and several local food vendors. Wristbands provide unlimited access to most of the activities, and are $25 for children over five and $15 for children under five. Tickets also be available in $10 increments for individual games and attractions. Parking available at the Fulton County Office building next door to

Sunday, Nov. 1, 12 - 5 p.m. –

Visitors of all ages are invited to learn about and experience a Day of the Dead Festival at the Atlanta History Center. The event features storytelling, crafts, authentic Mexican food and entertainment, plus a display of altars honoring lost family and friends that are decorated with flowers, favorite foods and beverages. This event takes place on free admission day, and is open to all ages. 130 West Paces Ferry Rd., NW, Atlanta, 30305. Call 404-814-4000 or go online to atlantahistorycenter. com for more details.

St. Martin in the Fields Episcopal Church invites you to join us at our new adult Sunday School Class, Church in Today’s World, a weekly speaker series from 10:10 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings. October 25, 2015 – Rev. Stefanie Taylor and Arthur Taylor, Ph.D. will discuss Virtuous Living in a Post-Globalized World. November 8, 2015 – Carl McColman, a contemplative writer, speaker, retreat leader, spiritual companion and author of several books, including Befriending Silence, Answering the Contemplative Call, and The Big Book of Christian Mysticism, will discuss “Christianity and the Nones”. November 15, 2015 – Sean McConnell, National Director of Engagement for the Episcopal Relief & Development Fund (“ER&D”), will discuss how ER&D is creating deep and lasting transformation in the lives of the people it serves.

3110 Ashford Dunwoody • Atlanta, 093015_Gillys_Layout 1 9/28/15 4:15 Rd PM Page 1

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Sunday, Oct. 25, 1 - 4 p.m. – Calling all artists! The city of Brookhaven hosts an afternoon of art in Blackburn Park. The day features art contests, treats and a bounce house for the kids. Artists of all ages are encouraged to participate. Paper and art supplies provided. Winning entries will be displayed at City Hall. Free and open to the public. Blackburn Park, 3493 Ashford-Dunwoody Rd., Brookhaven, 30319. For more information, go to brookhavenga.gov. To sign up as a judge or to inquire further about the event, email news@brookhavenga.gov or call 404-637-0508.

Rivers Shivers 5k Saturday, Oct. 31, 8 a.m. – Get active and sup-

port the students at E. Rivers Elementary School in this 5K along Peachtree Battle Avenue. Race proceeds benefit the E. Rivers PTA. Race day check-in and same day registration opens at 7 a.m. and closes at 7:30 a.m. Tickets start at $30 each for 5K participation and $15 for the 100-yard run. E. Rivers Elementary School, 8 Peachtree Battle Ave., NW, Atlanta, 30305. Find out more at eriverselementary. com or by calling 404-802-7050.

Duck Duck Goose 5K Saturday, Oct. 24, 9 a.m. – The Murphey

Candler Park Conservancy presents the second annual Duck Duck Goose 5K and one-mile fun run. This fundraiser supports the conservancy and their efforts to maintain and promote the park. Online registration is $30 for the 5K and $20 for the one mile until Oct. 21. Runners are encouraged to arrive by 8:45 a.m. 1662 West Nancy Creek Dr., Brookhaven, 30319. More information? Go to murpheycandlerpark.org.

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Garden Talk & Tour Saturday Oct. 24, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. – The

Dunwoody Community Garden at Brook Run Park hosts a DeKalb County Master Gardener seminar, plant sale and garden tour. Visitors will have a chance to learn about “Square Foot Gardening” and “Nature-based Play,” followed by a plant sale and an outing to the nearby garden. Pre-registration is recommended by going online to dcgo.org. Tickets are $20 until October 23; $25 at the door. Brook Run Park, 4770 North Peachtree Rd., Dunwoody, 30338. To learn more about this event, go to cvbdunwoody.com.

Party with the Past Thursday, Oct. 29, 6:30 - 9 p.m. – The At-

lanta History Center hosts a program designed to introduce Atlanta’s young professionals to the history of Atlanta. This free history series takes place at different historically significant spots all around the city. Every Party With the Past features a free history lesson from a guest speaker, a cash bar and food for purchase, as well as activities and prizes. Bring a blanket and have a picnic on the main quad. Costumes encouraged. Food and beverages are available for purchase. Oglethorpe University, 4484 Peachtree Rd., Brookhaven, 30319. Learn more at atlantahistorycenter.com.

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Lisa Bartlett offers a simple reason she agreed to provide a booth for the first Elegant Elf marketplace: the mayor asked her. Bartlett, who owns a Sandy Springs landscaping and decorating shop called Gramma B’s, recalls when Sandy Springs’ former mayor, the late Eva Galambos, dropped by the shop to talk up the new holiday marketplace, a fundraiser for the Sandy Springs Society. Galambos’ sales pitch worked. “I’ve had a booth since Year One,” Bartlett said. “And we expand every year.” This year, the Elegant Elf ’s fifth, Bartlett again is expanding her presentation as the market tries something new. The two-day holiday market is offering live performances for the first time, and Bartlett is scheduled to take to the stage for about an hour to demonstrate how to make holiday decorations such as wreaths or “winterscapes” encased in apothecary bottles. “It’s kind of do-it-yourself [displays], anything you can do at home with your girlfriends or with children,” she said.

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Her appearance is one of more than a dozen performances scheduled during the marketplace, which takes place Nov. 7 and Nov. 8 at Lake Forest Elementary School, 5920 Sandy Springs Circle. The committee that puts together the annual market decided to add live performances this year to “enhance the excitement of the market,” said Valerie Love, past presValerie Love ident and advisor to the Elegant Elf. “I call it the ‘sparkle,’” Love said. “That’s what the holidays are all about.” Performers other than Bartlett who are scheduled to take part range from dancers to choral singers to Patricia Barnes, the Elegant Elf ’s honorary chair, who’s known for her Sister Schubert Homemade Rolls and is scheduled to demonstrate cinnamon bread pudding. Others on the schedule: string players from Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School; the Mount Vernon Upper School Chamber Winds; actors from Act3 Productions; the Ridgeview Singers; the Weber Chorus; the Highland Dancers; Chef Jamie Adams, who will provide a cooking demonstration and tasting; and Atlanta author Mary Kay Andrews, who will sign books. During a brainstorming discussion after last year’s market about how to expand, someone suggested using the stage in the Lake Forest cafeteria for performers. The idea quickly caught on, Love said. “It just kind of kept snowballing,” she said. “Everybody we approached in the community was excited to be part of this.”

The Elegant Elf Holiday Gift Market When: 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Nov. 7; 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. Nov. 8

Where: Lake Forest

Elementary School, 5920 Sandy Springs Circle

Admission: $5 For more:

sandyspringsociety.org/ elegant-elf.html

out & about Money raised through the marketplace goes to the Sandy Springs Society, a 27-yearold nonprofit that provides grants to support other local charities in Sandy Springs. The Society says it has raised and distributed more than $3 million. “We love the idea of pulling everyone in from the community,” Love said. “There is something gratifying about getting our community to come together to support this ‘shopping for a cause.’ We just think we have amazing talent here in Sandy Springs. The goal from the start was to bring in the best of local and national vendors.” In addition to the live performers, more than 80 vendors are scheduled to show and sell their wares during the marketplace, Love said. Bartlett plans to be back with her holiday display, which she said now

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Our team has grown... thanks to you! Above, Lisa Bartlett, owner of a landscaping and decorating shop in Sandy Springs called Gramma B’s, has had a booth at the Elegant Elf marketplace since its first year. This year the marketplace is offering live performances, and Bartlett will take to the stage to demonstrate holiday wreath decorations. PHOTOS BY JOE EARLE

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OK Café has reopened at the corner of Northside Parkway and West Paces Ferry in Buckhead after a fire damaged much of the interior nearly a year ago. Taka Sushi and Passion is reopening in Sandy Springs next year after closing its Pharr Road location in Buckhead. Tomorrow’s News Today reports that the restaurant will open in the Gateway mixed-use development, which is also home to Sprouts Famers Market. Here to Serve Restaurant Group has closed all 10 of its restaurants, including Smash Kitchen & Bar and Noche in Brookhaven and Twist and Prime in Buckhead. The company, which also recently shuttered Aja in Buckhead and Goldfish at Perimeter Mall, said it is looking for investors to help re-launch in the future. Petite Auberge, 2935 North Druid Hills Road, will host its annual Oktoberfest Party on Oct. 24 from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. The event will feature a buffet with all-you-can-eat traditional German and Bavarian cuisine. The cost is $40 person and includes coffee, tea, tax and gratuity. Reservations are requested by calling 404-634-6268.

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The Palm Restaurant in the Westin Buckhead Hotel, known for its first-class steaks, and outrageously large Nova Scotia lobsters, is marking its 20th anniversary with a renovation. Andrei Caciula has been named the new general manager. The redesign includes two private dining rooms and a hand-painted feature wall that highlights Atlanta’s landmarks. There’s also a new bar that opens to the hotel lobby. For more information, visit thepalm.com. Atlanta Les Dames d’Escoffier International hosts its 15th annual Afternoon in the Country at Serenbe on Nov. 8. Chefs from Atlanta’s top restaurants paired with the area’s best farms will be set up in a tasting format alongside fine wines and premium microbrews. There will also be live music, cake raffle featuring sweets from Atlanta's top pastry chefs, hayrides, children's activities and a silent auction offering dining and travel packages, food and wine merchandise and original art by local artists. Proceeds from Afternoon in the Country benefit Georgia Organics, Wholesome Wave, Global Growers Network, The Giving Kitchen, The Wylde Center, The Atlanta Community Food Bank and Atlanta Les Dames d’Escoffier International’s scholarship fund for women in the culinary, beverage and hospitality arts. For more information and tickets, visit ldeiatlanta.org. --Collin Kelley

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RESTAURANTS

All things Southern at Revival BY MEGAN VOLPERT

we ate a complete meal out of the leftovers the next day; we finally finished the last bites on the third day; we only paid about $40 a piece for this much face-stuffing. Everybody around here knows that Chef Gillespie knows what he’s doing. When you go in, the only hipsters are the ones behind the bar making two terrific kinds of punch (go with the Chatham Artillery). Revival is not a place for trying out edgy new concepts. The interior is blue and white with actual Gillespie family photos hanging everywhere. All the food is the very best possible version of exactly what you think it is. My wife ordered a beef and pork meatloaf that was, naturally, wrapped in bacon. I order the fried chicken, which was neither greasy nor overcooked. We both swooned over the fatback-fried silver queen corn, and actually raced for the last bite of hickory-smoked greens. Most of the time, neither of us will even go near the greens! This is all very telling, because even as Gillespie is delivering exactly the Southern menu you desire, he is most considerately tweaking the details to provide a surpris-

rant Re

Res

Decatur is beginning to suffer from an overabundance of choices. You can get French, Thai, Korean, Greek, Spanish, Italian, Indian, Irish and 17 unusual kinds of ice cream, all within a couple of blocks. It’s delightful; it’s a great way to raise your kids right – unless your kid wants to eat nothing but pickles and mac and cheese. Well, you can still order them some junk off the kids’ menu while you enjoy your higher class food, can’t you? Except your awesome eatery doesn’t really focus on having a great pickle and mac and cheese for the kids. Decatur needs a reminder of the familial food things at the heart of the South – it needs a Revival! Enter Atlanta native Kevin Gillespie with a treasure trove of classic home-style recipes under his arm, courtesy of Grandma Geneva. Naturally, my wife and I ordered the Family Style Dinner. We each got to pick an entree and dessert off the regular menu, and the kitchen took care of the rest – meaning finger sandwiches and pickles, bread service, a salad to share, five gigantic sides of the chef’s choice, and coffee or tea. We ate until we were overfull;

ingly unique plate. Take the cornbread, for example. It’s brown and crispy on the outside, thanks to a light dose of bacon fat. The inside is completely fluffy; no hint of the usual flaking or crumbling you’d expect after an outside with such crunch. They’re shaped like triangles instead of slices or muffins. The butter is sculpted, not simply scooped. This is a bread service that speaks to a thousand, loving little considerations – the time and attention lavished upon you by grandma. Revival is a deeply hospitable place, and more than just the familial food style makes it so: the place owes its soul to Kevin Gillespie’s little sister, Kayla. You don’t have to ask around to figure out which one she is. The Gillespie siblings share twinkling blue eyes, flaming red hair, mischievous grins and serious charm. Kevin works the kitchen magic, and Kayla works her spell over the dining room. She told us some great stories about the stuff on the walls, helped

us decide on desserts, and kept all the servers in good spirits so they remained just as friendly and helpful as she was. Every time she approached a table with a little kid digging happily around in a blue ramekin of perfect mac and cheese, Kayla would talk to the children first and the guardians last. She reminds me of my favorite cousin – the one I most often got to see when we all ended up at grandma’s house for dinner. As much as Decatur certainly appreciates a celebrity chef making dinner in the neighborhood, Revival is truly at its best when it reminds us of our roots and traditions. Couldn’t we all use a little more Sunday dinner in our lives? Revival, 129 Church St., revivaldecatur.com. Megan Volpert lives in Decatur, teaches in Roswell and writes books about popular culture.

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EDUCATION

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CHOOSE

Joy.

Respect and understanding On Oct. 1, Peace by Piece members from The Weber School hosted their counterparts from Marist School and the W. Deen Mohammed High School for an interfaith program to learn about religious, symbolic and cultural aspects of Judaism, including learning to make and braid their own challah. The program brings together sophomores, juniors and seniors from the three schools to help understand each other’s faiths through conversation.

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Helping our neighbor

Students and faculty from Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School, front row, from left, Jackson Miller, Brittany Hickman, Beth Harrison, Jasper Pilkenton, back row, Warku Chekol and Associate Head of School Dorothy Sullivan, gathered water on Oct. 6 to ship to areas of South Carolina damaged by ﬂooding.

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Sandy Springs Rotarian Fred Ferrand, left, welcomes four students from China’s Mingde High School during The Rotary Club of Sandy Springs’ Oct. 5 luncheon meeting. The students were visiting from Sandy Springs’ sister city of Taicang, China, and attending North Springs Charter High School for one week.

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Striking a balance Natan Slobodien Rodriguez, a pre-K student at The Epstein School, searches for the center of gravity as he attempts to balance a stick with clay balls on the top of a bottle. Natan’s grandfather, nuclear physicist Michael Slobodien, visited the school to share some of his expertise.

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OCT. 16 – OCT. 29, 2015 | 23

EDUCATION

Discovering Everything Except Their Limits.

Standout Student Student Proﬁle:  John Willingham  Mount Vernon Presbyterian School, senior

In the right atmosphere, students will take chances and seek out challenges. With the right mentors, students will discover interests and passions they never knew they had.

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A community of 1,375 students, ages 3-years-old through 12th Grade.

John Willingham has set his bar high. High in the sky, in fact. John started two clubs during his high school career: rocketry club and Bible study club. He participates in a variety of other school activities -- robotics club, business club, community service club -- and is Head Prefect at Mount Vernon Presbyterian. And somewhere along the way, he found time in his schedule to get his pilot’s license. “I’ve always been interested in flying,” he said. Asked what attracted him, he struggled for the words, “You know, the actual…being able to fly off ...and to have that sense of freedom.” John obtained his license to fly when he was 17 years old. He’s a member of the Civil Air Patrol unit based at DeKalb-Peachtree Airport. The nonprofit CAP consists of about 60,000 volunteer youth and adults nationally, and performs services for the federal government as the civilian auxiliary to the U.S. Air Force and for states and local communities, according to

Share in the Spirit Marist School provides an education where the joy of achievement exists within a spirit of humility and generosity. Students are challenged by an extensive college-preparatory curriculum while an array of extracurricular activities inspire exploration and uncover hidden talents. Through it all, students gain a unique strength of character and skill and a joy of serving others that prepares them to be compassionate, confident leaders. Come visit to experience Marist’s spirit yourself. Open House Sunday, December 6, 1-4 p.m. Learn more at marist.com or call (770) 457-7201

AN INDEPENDENT CATHOLIC SCHOOL OF THE MARIST FATHERS AND BROTHERS

OCT. 16 – OCT. 29, 2015 | www.ReporterNewspapers.net

the organization’s website. John was promoted recently to 2nd Lt. Deputy Commander and was awarded the Billy Mitchell Award, the highest award given to cadets. Only 2 percent of cadets receive this award, he said. “John is an exceptional young man and is not one to let obstacles stand in his way when it comes to something he wants to achieve,” said his dad, Bill Willingham. “He’s always setting and pushing to complete more difficult goals. Receiving his private pilot’s license was a very special day for him, and it’s one goal his Mom and I enjoyed very much seeing him achieve.” John said that getting his pilot’s license was, like his other passions, worth the work it required. “Having that interest to get up every morning and keep working at it,” he said, “it’s definitely reachable.” John’s dad was his first passenger. “Once John passed his [Federal Aviation Administration] check flight this past summer in Orlando, he asked me if I would be his first passenger. Of course, I said, ‘Yes,’ and we flew to The Villages, Fla., to see his grandparents waving up at us from their house. “This was the first time I had the chance to see him in action, and was impressed in how he communicated with the tower and Flight Watch. He didn’t seem to be nervous at all and even requested and was given clearance to fly over the parks because he wanted to show me all the people standing in line. All in all he handled everything like he’d been flying for years. It was a very special day for both of us.”

What’s Next: John hopes to attend Georgia Tech next year to study aerospace engineering. This article was prepared and written by Ricky Cao, a student at Dunwoody High School. Do you know a standout high school student? Send nominees to editor@reporternewspapers.net.

COMMUNITY

Early construction budget rises for Sandy Springs city center

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In Sandy Springs, a request to more than double the $12.6 million early construction budget for the city’s massive City Springs redevelopment—and to delay setting the final budget until January— confused Sandy Springs City Council at its Oct. 6 meeting. The council put off any big decisions until its Oct. 20 meeting, when a new budget estimate will be available. The City Springs project’s schedule and overall budget—previously announced at around $220 million—are not changing, City Manager John McDonough said. The request came because Holder is struggling to estimate an updated On Our Borders budget due to plans that still lack details, city consultant Ennis Parker said. In turn, the budget may force significant changes to the plan—including possibly removing a surface parking lot proposed along Mount Vernon Highway.

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Also in Brookhaven, working as an exotic dancer will get more expensive as the city plans to boost a license fee from $50 to $300. The City Council on Oct. 13 deferred action on the fee boost until next month to change the language so the higher fee does not apply to other, lower-wage strip club workers. Atlanta and DeKalb County charge similar fees, city staff reported. In Brookhaven, the change in practice affects the city’s only strip club, the Pink Pony on Buford Highway. Pink Pony vice president Dennis Williams and attorney Aubrey Villines attended the council meeting and generally agreed with the fee boost. However, Williams complained of being “blindsided” by the move, and Villines noted the club already pays the city $250,000 a year as part of a lawsuit settlement. “You’re in the range of being fair” with the $300 fee, Villines said, as long as it applies only to the dancers. In a council work session prior to the Oct. 13 meeting, council members agreed that boosting the fee on non-dancer strip club employees was inappropriate. Councilman Bates Mattison also disputed raising the fee at all, describing it as discriminatory and “double dealing” on the Pink Pony settlement agreement’s hefty annual fee. “I just don’t think it’s appropriate to single out a class of people” for a higher fee, Mattison said. Councilwoman Linley Jones replied that professional license fees are common, as are such dancer license fees. Keeping a low fee could attract more strip clubs, she suggested. In Dunwoody, The Dunwoody Homeowners Association is looking for a new location for its annual Light Up Dunwoody event. DHA president Robert Wittenstein said the organization is moving the annual holiday festival because the Dunwoody Preservation Trust, which owns the property where the event has been held for more than a decade, would not agree to display a 6-foot menorah alongside the lighted Christmas tree. “We felt those symbols should be displayed together,” Wittenstein said. The trust on Oct. 13 told the DHA it should not display either the menorah or the Christmas tree at the event. Trust co-President Dolores Lauderdale said that because some people believe a Christmas tree is a religious symbol, the trust had no choice but to ask the DHA to move the tree to another location. Wittenstein said Oct. 14 the DHA had just begun looking for a new location for the event, but he was optimistic a new site would be found. “The DHA will look for another location for the tree, menorah and Light Up Dunwoody,” Wittenstein said. “Obviously, we have some work to do.” www.ReporterNewspapers.net |

OCT. 16 – OCT. 29, 2015 | 25

PUBLIC SAFETY

Police stay local for better benefits, pay and family feel BY ELLEN ELDRIDGE

elleneldridge@reporternewspapers.net

Sandy Springs Police Department started with 86 police officers. Dunwoody opened with 40 and Brookhaven began with 54. The departments have expanded through the years as they have become better established -- Sandy Springs is up to 128 officers; Dunwoody has grown to 52, with openings for two more and request to hire even more in 2016; and Brookhaven has 70 sworn officers patrolling its streets. In the beginning, the city departments had little trouble attracting new officers. Brookhaven Chief Gary Yandura said he received 1,600 resumes from would-be Brookhaven police. Sandy Springs police recruiter Offi-

cer Nick Smith said new police departments typically add a “bit of persuasion” to their salary scale and benefits to bring in the most qualified people. “When you start out a city and you have nobody, you don’t have the manpower or ability to train brand new officers so you have to incentivize it to the point where your pay and your benefits are going to attract some of these people that are in locked pensions to move over,” Smith said. But officials of the young police agencies say they still have little trouble attracting new officers as they grow, at least in part because they typically offer higher pay, better benefits and more training opportunities than some other,

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older departments, Smith said. Some officers say these departments also attract and retain officers for other, less tangible, reasons. “We know a lot about one another and we’re a big family,” said Sgt. Andrew Fondas, who helps recruit for Dunwoody police. “In a big agency you’re sometimes just a name and a badge number. Here, you’re a real person.” In Sandy Springs, some of the original hires of the police department say they’ve stayed put because they value the high caliber of their co-workers. In some cases, recruits from other cities who started five or six years ago might be making less money because of the recent recession and a lack of raises in their departments, Sandy Springs recruiter Smith said. “They are not upset or disgruntled,” Smith said about officers who leave other city or county departments to work for Sandy Springs. Instead, they see that the SSPD has given cost-of-living raises of between 1percent and 3 percent for the last six years, so they decide to make a change, Smith said. “Word of mouth is big for us, for Sandy Springs,” Smith said. “We set a high standard and we don’t lower our standard just to fill a position. We will go without if we don’t have a qualified applicant.” Brookhaven Officer Celeste Rausch left Smyrna police to join the DeKalb city’s department in February. She traded the rank of sergeant, and working as a shift supervisor in charge of nine people, for the rank of police officer because she felt she’d be making more money and working for a better agency. Rausch said she had gotten to a point where she wasn’t excited about going to work as a police officer in her former city, but in Brookhaven she has the opportunity to work and take part in units,

such as an honor guard. “I like the management here. I feel like they let you do your job,” Rausch said. “The people who are in charge here have all made their names somewhere else and they’ve already done really well at other places, so when they came here it wasn’t about proving themselves.” Yandura said law enforcement goes through cycles in which there are times it’s more attractive as a career than at other times. “It is more difficult to be a police officer now, with what’s going on in the country, so you have people who are a little leery of getting into law enforcement,” Yandura said. “But you’re always going to have people interested in law enforcement.” Yandura said he started a take-home car program in Hiram when he was police chief there. The program is a “big thing now,” Yandura said. Officers who live within 30 miles of the police departments for Brookhaven, Sandy Springs and Dunwoody can use a patrol car to commute. Dunwoody, Brookhaven and Sandy Springs police officials say that, for the most part, they aren’t losing their officers to other agencies. In Dunwoody, for instance, Fondas said the department has retained most of its workforce and when officers leave, they are either changing fields or moving out of state. Many who left went to work for federal agencies, he said. While leaving the Sandy Springs Police Department isn’t the norm for officers, Smith said some people have come and gone. “One person this year left because he went to work for Waffle House as a manager,” Smith said. “In the long run, he’s going to make a lot more money and I guess that’s what drives him.”

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OCT. 16 – OCT. 29, 2015 | www.ReporterNewspapers.net

ELLEN ELDRIDGE

Sandy Springs police recruiter Officer Nick Smith says new departments add a “bit of persuasion” to salaries and benefits to attract qualified people.

PUBLIC SAFETY

Buckhead Police Blotter From police reports dated Sept. 20 through Oct. 3

mother’s jewelry.” The resident was unable to open the safe that contained jewelry so then the gunman demanded to be taken to the master bedroom where he rummaged through items. Several pieces of jewelry, a small safe that contained a semi-automatic Glock 17 pistol and $500 in cash were taken.

The following information was provided to the Buckhead Reporter by the Zone 2 precinct of the Atlanta Police Department from its records and is presumed to be accurate.

HOM ICIDE 3300

block of Peachtree Road—Two security guards were in a dispute, and one shot and killed the other.

1000

ROBBERY 1700

block of Defoor Avenue—Two men approached a woman while she was sitting on her swing at the front of her residence. She was completing homework on her Apple laptop computer. One of the men was holding a small black handgun pressed to the center of his chest. “Give me the laptop and don’t say nothing,” he said. She gave him the laptop and both men walked away.

700

block of Morosgo Drive—A man wearing a white Georgia Power shirt, white construction hat, tan pants, boots and carrying a tool box knocked on a door stating he was with Georgia Power and there was a gas leak on proper-

ty. When the resident opened the door three men ran inside. One man had a gun and pointed it at the resident, instructing him to get down. The men then ziptied the hands and feet of both residents and taped their mouths closed. The residents were locked in a room while the robbers went through the apartment, taking $2,000 in cash, $5,000 in money orders, a Rolex watch and an Apple watch. 3300

block of Wood Valley Road—A man knocked on a door and presented a black semi-automatic pistol when the resident opened the door. The man with the pistol demanded to be taken to “his

block of Huff Road—Two females were sitting in a 2006 Toyota Scion when two men armed with handguns approached, demanded their keys and ordered them out of the vehicle. The men drove away in the women’s vehicle and were located by tracking a phone left inside the vehicle. The suspects fled from officers and crashed near I-75 and Porsche Drive.

3000

block of Peachtree Road—A man entered a bank and presented a demand note stating “This is a Robbery. All hundreds, fifty’s, twenty’s, No Alarms Now.” The teller complied and gave the suspect an unreported amount of cash.

3000

block of Peachtree Road—A man picked up a female friend, “Vanessa,” and the two returned to his condo. Once they arrived at the residence, three men

armed with handguns entered, tied him up, and demanded property and money. They took two Apple iPhones, a Toshiba laptop, a watch, two necklaces, $2,000 in currency and a wallet. 3000

block of Argonne Drive—A man walking on the street toward his house was knocked to the ground after someone punched him in the face. When he recovered his cellphone and wallet, he discovered $40 missing.

400

block of Northside Circle—A pedestrian saw a white Chevrolet Impala parked in front his vehicle. A man with a black and silver handgun got out and took the victim’s phones, iPad, laptop, cash and car keys. The gunman dropped the cellphones and ran through the complex.

400

block of Northside Circle—Two men approached from behind a man who was walking toward his apartment. One man pointed a grey and black handgun, ordered him to get on the ground and took his wallet, $400 and keys. Both suspects fled in a gray 2015 Chevrolet.

2200

block of Alexander Circle—Two CONTINUED ON PAGE 28

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OCT. 16 – OCT. 29, 2015 | 27

PUBLIC SAFETY

Buckhead Police Blotter CONTINUED FROM PAGE 27

men, one with a gun, approached a woman as she walked toward her apartment. The gunman pushed her to the ground and in the process dropped his gun. Both suspects left the area after he picked up his gun. The silver slide separated from the gun when it hit the ground and an officer recovered it underneath a vehicle. 2500

block of Chantilly Drive—Three men approached pedestrians, presented handguns and demanded they get on the ground. They took the victims’ wallets and cellphones.

A G GRAVATED ASSAULT 3500 block of Piedmont Road—A man

700

block of Morosgo Drive—A man went to his girlfriend’s apartment to retrieve his belongings from her vehicle. He and his girlfriend were in an earlier dispute in which she began to attack him with her nails. When he attempted to leave and get his belongings from her car, she closed the trunk lid on his back. The woman denied the accusations of her closing the trunk on the man. There were no visible injuries from the dispute and police couldn’t determine who started the fight.

2100

block of Faulkner Road— A woman in a parking lot was attacked suddenly and suffered a large laceration to her right shoulder, left shoulder, scalp/ head and a laceration to her back. No weapon was seen, but the suspect must have used a razor or other sharp object due to the extent of the injuries. The

woman’s friend took her to Emory Hospital. Cheshire

Bridge Road at Sheridan Road—One car struck another in the parking lot of a gas station. When the driver confronted the man who hit his car, the man pulled out a pistol and placed one round into the chamber. There was a 12-hour delay in reporting the incident. First

block of Terminus Place— A couple was engaged in a verbal dispute that turned physical. During the fight, one party pulled a knife on the other, so he in turn picked up a barstool and struck the man with a knife in the face.

500 block of Main Street—One person became angry when another was taking too long inside a stall. An argument ensued and the victim was hit over the head with a beer bottle. It was later determined the victim used another person’s ID to enter the club.

R ES I D EN TI AL BUR GL A RY

2000

block of Old Georgian Terrace— The owner parked his vehicle in his garage and left the keys inside. His wallet containing credit cards and his driver’s license was inside the vehicle at the time of the theft.

1800

block of Peachtree Park Drive— Someone entered an apartment from an unlocked bedroom window in which a screen had been removed. Two credit cards, one debit card and $80 in cash had been taken from a bedside table.

3400

block of Peachtree Park Drive— A woman left her apartment secured and hid the key outside for her roommate’s father, who was due later that evening. She returned and the man had not arrived, so she went to sleep. When she woke up the next day, she discovered her MacBook Pro laptop computer was missing.

2800

block of Peachtree Park Drive— Two Apple MacBook Pro laptop computers, an Apple iPad, a black camera, and a Canon T-51 camera belonging to the two residents were reported stolen.

3500

block of Piedmont Road—A hoCONTINUED ON PAGE 30

It’s ofﬁcial: Our readers prefer Reporter Newspapers & Atlanta INtown for local news and information over other community publications by a margin of 4 to 1! We’ve just completed our ﬁrst, independent readership survey and the results speak for themselves Reporter Newspapers & Atlanta INtown get the highest marks for covering the local news that matters most to our readers and are the preferred sources of this information. Other local publication(s)

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was selling a red scooter in the parking lot of the office building where he works. While talking with a woman, he noticed a man with her had a Glock handgun in his waistband. He then took the scooter inside the building, fearing that he was about to get robbed. When he later returned to his vehicle, he discovered that the driver’s side window had been damaged along with the trunk release latch. He called 911 when the suspects returned. Two women began slapping

and hitting him while the man pointed the handgun at him. One of the women then entered the vehicle and took the red scooter. The owner of the scooter ran away and screamed for help.

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