DEC. 15, 2017 - JAN. 4, 2018 • VOL. 11— NO. 25
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Sandy Springs Reporter
► Rabbi’s book recalls her silent retreat at a Christian monastery PAGE 21
- JAN. 4, 2018
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BROOKH
Brookhaven
AVEN AT
A path to th e future: Brookhave n’s journey fro m ‘yes’ to Gr eenway City leade rs create a which opened in
► PCIDs emerges with ‘next generation’ master plan PAGE 26
new scho Norcross in ol, 2016.
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YES
5th Anniver
sary | 5
Commemo rative Special Sec tion YES
YES
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Pro-cityho voters win, od 2012.
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Brookhav en Police Departme nt opens, 2013 .
The Atlanta Hawks anno a local pract ice facility, unce 2016.
SPECIAL SECTION | P5-12
Cherry Blossom Festival debuts, 2015.
$2.5M gift supports City Springs as arts capital The Peachtree
Creek Green way’s cons
truction begin
BY DYAN A
dyanabagby
The first Martin Luth er King Jr. Day celebratio n at Lynwood Park, 2016 .
BAGB Y
@reporterne
wspapers.net
Five years ago this mont city of Brook h, the new haven began down its own a journey path. It’s been a sometimes rocky road, but marked with major stones, and mileas former mayo rs look ahead they see succe , ss on the horiz on.
During its first five years, the has paved roads new city , improved parks model city for others to a police force, and set up look to,” Mayo and also has John Ernst begun effort r said. “We’r create afford s to e finding ways able housing, be innovative to update zonto ing codes to and showing deal with rapid ways to do the region things bette developmen and to take t r.” the first steps The battle for toward estab lishing the cityhood began long-dream with the form in 2010, ed-about Peach Creek Green ation of a group called tree way trail and izens for North park system Cit“We’re on DeKalb. Then . our way to “Brookhaven the group becoming Yes” was form a their state ed to lobby representa tives, notab ly for-
BY JOHN RUCH
mer state Rep. Mike Jacobs, over desire to have their a local gover nment to take over some services from DeKalb Coun ty. The coun ty governmen t, they argue did not adequ d, ately repre sent them provide servi or ces comm ensurate with the taxes the community paid.
johnruch@reporternewspapers.net Continued on
page 6
A $2.5 million donation. A new musical theater company. A slate of opening arts events that, while still secret, is promised to make jaws drop when it is unveiled in January. The programming for City Springs, the new civic center scheduled to open next year, is coming together fast in a city primed to rebrand itself as an arts capital. The building is progressing quickly, too, with theater seats and outdoor fountains among the recent additions. Byers Theatre will be the name of the new 1,100-seat theater in City Springs, an acknowledgement for a $2.5 million donation that also will
JOHN RUCH
The Byers Theatre in City Springs as it appears from the stage, whose floor was still under construction.
STANDOUT STUDENT Lovett senior wins national service award
s in 2018.
See $2.5M on page 14
... Our small paper stared down a potential lawsuit from former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci. The battle reinforced the importance of journalism to me, both as a student and in a larger world. Eddie Samuels Brookhaven resident and an editor at the Tufts Daily newspaper See COMMENTARY Page 18
TSPLOST revenue lower than expected; audit sought BY JOHN RUCH johnruch@reporternewspapers.net
OUT & ABOUT
Page 22
Page 28
Celebrating by candlelight
Revenue from the new special transportation local option sales tax continues to remain significantly lower than expected, concerning Fulton County officials enough to call for an audit. Officials say that some businesses may See TSPLOST on page 13
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