01-24-2014 dunwoody reporter

DunwoodyReporter

www.ReporterNewspapers.net

JAN. 24 — FEB. 6, 2014 • VOL. 5 — NO. 2

InsideLift off

DeKalb County schools no longer on probation

COMMUNITY 2

SEE FATE, PAGE 5

SEE COUNTY, PAGE 4

PHIL MOSIER

Dunwoody High School seniors, left, Brighton “Dividend” Kamen, and Mary Elizabeth “Captain Mathmatics” Lee,

members of the school’s math honors society, help participants from Peachtree Charter Middle School during a mathematics

competition at the high school. More photos on page 19.

BY MELISSA WEINMAN [email protected]

� e future of several proposals for new cities in DeKalb County remained unclear as lawmakers returned to the state Capitol.

Part of the problem is that the proposed cities of Briarcli� , Lakeside and Tucker overlap in the area of Northlake Mall. Lawmakers and city pro-ponents said e� orts failed to resolve border dis-putes among the competing proposals in the days before the 2014 Legislature convened Jan. 13.

“We have tried,” said Mary Kay Woodworth, chairwoman of the Lakeside City Alliance. “We

BY MELISSA WEINMAN AND JOE EARLENeighborhoods in north and central Dun-

woody are among those selected to be part of a study into changes in DeKalb County’s sanitation services, including a move to once-a-week garbage pickup.

� e three-month pilot program will include 28,000 single family households along more than 20 garbage pickup routes scattered across DeKalb to gauge opinions from customers from various parts of the county.

� e main change in the pilot study will be re-ducing garbage collection from twice to once a week. Participants in the study will also receive new, 65-gallon bins for their garbage. � e bins will work with new equipment to mechanically lift and empty them into a garbage truck.

If the program eventually is adopted coun-ty-wide, it could save the sanitation department more than $6 million a year, which would allow the department to avoid a rate increase, said Bil-ly Malone, DeKalb County’s associate director of sanitation.

“We have been running a de� cit in sanitation,” Malone said. “We don’t want to raise our fees.”

County plans to test once-a-week garbage pickups

Fate of proposed new DeKalb

cities unclear

Classroom crusaders

PERIMETER BUSINESSpages 7-11

Hot ticketJewish Film Festival runs Jan. 29-Feb. 20

OUT & ABOUT 14

Paris passion

Holy Innocents’ senior loves all things French

STANDOUT STUDENT 18

Buckhead beautyDeveloper investing millions

for project’s streetscape

COMMUNITY 22

Dining out

Our reviewer visits Brookhaven’s ‘Smash’

RESTAURANTS 16

Res ta u r a n t R e v i ew

Mark my words

Pastor teaches reading skills to youngsters

MAKING A DIFFERENCE 15

C O M M U N I T Y

2 | JAN. 24 – FEB. 6, 2014 | www.ReporterNewspapers.net

Parents pleased county school system’s probation lifted

get off the couch &

GET FITyou+

4 free sessions with a trainer

MJCCA fitness membership+=

you + 4 sessions with new you

Take a tour of the MJCCA today! Call 678.812.4060. See how we can help you achieve a fitness transformation.

Amenities Include: - 4000 sq. foot Fitness Center- 85+ Group Fitness Classes, Including Les Mills™, Zumba®

and Spinning®

- NEW! FitLine Functional Fitness Classes & Studio**- Indoor and Outdoor Pools

* Price for individual rate; please inquire for family rates. UPMJCCA membership is a one-year contract. Registration fee applies. Open to anyone who has not been an MJCCA member in the past 24 months. Certain restrictions apply. Visit atlantajcc.org/specials for further details. ** Additional Fees apply.

$29/ month*

Your one-stop Needlepoint Shop!

The Needlepoint Experts

404.816.46123137 E. Shadowlawn Ave, NE Atlanta, GA 30305 • institchesatlanta.com

Simple Cremation $995

www.peachtreecremation.com

Sam Johnson

Why Pay More?

678.413.0104

Family Owned

Dunwoody Government CalendarThe Dunwoody City Council usually meets the second and fourth

Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at Dunwoody City Hall located at 41 Perimeter Center East Suite No. 103.

For a complete and up to date schedule of Dunwoody City meet-ings, visit http://www.dunwoodyga.gov/Residents/Calendar.aspx

BY MELISSA [email protected]

North DeKalb parents say they wel-come word the DeKalb County school system’s accreditation probation has been lifted.

“I am pleased DeKalb’s accreditation has been upgraded,” former school board member Nancy Jester said in an email. “As the whistleblower that � rst brought DeKalb’s deceptive budgeting practices to light, I was grati� ed to see an intervention.

“Moving forward, our state should take action so no school district will su� er such � nancial and systemic failures again.”

� e school system announced Jan. 21 that AdvancED, a regional accredit-ing agency, would bump the systems’ ac-creditation status from “probation” to “warned.”

According to the news release, an Ad-vancED report from December found that, “the progress made by the DeKalb County School District since May 2013 is commendable. Many programs, poli-cies and processes have been put into place to stabilize the school system and begin to restore con� dence and trust among stake-holder groups.”

� e DeKalb school system had been placed on accreditation probation in 2012 after the accreditation agency released a scathing report accusing the Board of Ed-ucation of mismanagement and inter-fering into the operations of the schools. Gov. Nathan Deal later removed six of the

nine school board members, including Jester, who now is running for state school superintendent.

Several north DeKalb parents worried that despite the good news, the system still has a long way to go.

“� e thing that struck me immedi-ately was [the accrediting agency] said the county still needed to work on leadership, getting resources into the classroom, and student performance,” said Shawn Keefe, president of the Ashford Park School Edu-cation Foundation.

Allegra Johnson, a Dunwoody par-ent who helped organize Georgians for Local Area School Systems, a group lob-bying state lawmakers to allow more city school systems, expressed “mixed feelings.” She said while she was relieved the system won’t lose its accreditation, she was “dis-turbed that [the accrediting agency] has been manipulated into thinking that su-per� cial progress is real progress.”

“I listened to the list of eight completed actions items, the three still in progress and the three new additions, but wonder why we applaud false hope that students have become the No. 1 concern in this county,” she said. “� ere was no mention of a posi-tive e� ect on the school house or the class-room. ... DeKalb County must come to the realization that children have di� erent needs, but they all have needs that must be addressed.”

DUN

www.ReporterNewspapers.net | JAN. 24 – FEB. 6, 2014 | 3

C O M M U N I T Y

Rotary Club honored for

Nature Center support

� e Rotary Club of Dunwoody re-ceived the Dunwoody Nature Center’s annual award for support of the nature center.

Nature center o� cials presented the Dave Adams Award to Rotary Club of-� cials Harvey Rosenzweig and Rick Woods during the Dunwoody Home-owners Association’s annual meeting Jan. 12. � e award is presented annual-ly to a person or organization that “has contributed the most to help the Nature Center to improve,” center executive di-rector Alan Mothner said.

Mothner said the Rotary Club had provided volunteers to work at the cen-ter, and grants to establish a weather sta-tion and environmental training facili-ties at the center.

DHA: Deal will marshal July 4

paradeDunwoody Homeowners Associa-

tion o� cials said Gov. Nathan Deal will serve as grand marshal of Dunwoody’s Fourth of July parade this summer.

Pam Tallmadge, organizer of the pa-rade, announced Deal’s participation during the association’s annual meet-ing Jan. 12. She said the parade’s theme would be, “Hail to the Troops.”

City reconsiders part of tree

replacement policyCity o� cials are considering re-

working parts of the city’s “no net loss of trees” policy to require replanting of trees only in cases of discretionary tree removal.

City Arborist Howard Koontz said

in a memorandum to Dunwoody City Council that the changes would allow “rational exemptions” to the city’s re-quirement that all trees cut down on city-owned property be replaced with plantings of new trees somewhere in the city.

Koontz said the current policy does not exempt the city or city contractors from replacing trees that have to be re-moved for maintenance or repairs, such as emergency storm sewer repairs. “To replace trees which never should have been present in the � rst place can be cat-egorized as punitive, and creates a hard-

• Cataract Surgery• Eyewear and Contact

Lenses for all ages• Retina, Glaucoma,

and Cornea Services• Optometric Services

We’ve moved!Same exceptional care, new location.

first pair of glasses*15%%%

OFF*Cannot be combined with insurance. Offer expires January 15, 2014.

www.thomaseyegroup.com

Sandy Springs5995 Barfield Road | Sandy Springs, GA 30328

Schedule your next appointment TODAY!

404.256.1507

Specializing in:• Comprehensive Ophthalmology• LASIK and Refractive Surgery• Pediatric Ophthalmology

and Strabismus• Oculoplastic Surgery

and Cosmetic Services

BRIEFS

ship on the city,” Koontz wrote in the memo.

� e city often must remove trees dur-ing such repairs, he told council mem-bers Jan. 13, and the city is � nding few-er places to plant its replacement trees. “It’s really the logistics of � nding a place within the city of Dunwoody, which has a very dense tree canopy,” he said.

Stan Jester announces for school board

Stan Jester, husband of former DeKalb school board member Nancy Jester, has announced his intention to run for the District 1 school board seat. Nancy Jester is now running for state su-perintendent.

“I’ve been intensely focused on edu-cation in DeKalb, and I’ve been advo-cating for principles like decentraliza-tion… and advocating for students and taxpayers across the county,” Stan Jest-er said.

For more information, go to www.stanjester.com.

DeKalb names new fi re chief

DeKalb County has hired a new � re chief.

Darnell Fullum, former deputy � re chief of Fulton County, will become the chief of DeKalb County’s � re and res-cue department, the county announced Jan. 13.

Fullum spent 26 years with the Ful-ton County Fire Department and was appointed deputy chief in 2008, DeKalb County o� cials said in a press release.

New park design developed

City o� cials appear ready to back a design for a new 5-acre park that in-cludes basketball courts and allows room for soccer or lacrosse � elds for younger players.

� e latest concept for the park, located at North Shallowford Road and Pernoshal Court and part of the city’s Project Renaissance redevelop-ment, maximizes sports areas and pas-sive � elds, city o� cials said. It also in-cludes a full basketball court and two half courts. “� is is going to work as well as anything I’ve seen,” Mayor Mike Davis said.

JOE EARLE

At left, Su Ellis, of the Dunwoody Nature Center, left, presents the center’s Dave Adams Award to Rick Woods, center, and

Harvey Rosenzweig of the Rotary Club of Dunwoody during the Dunwoody Homeowners Association’s annual meeting Jan. 12 at the Kingsley Racquet and Swim Club. Right, DHA President Stacey Harris, left, presents Jay Kapp with the organization’s

Citizen of the Year Award during the annual meeting.

DUN


C O M M U N I T Y

County plans to test once-a-week garbage pickups

Malone said during neighborhood meetings before the pilot program was announced, most people said they would be OK with once-a-week garbage pickup because so much can be recycled now. “Garbage has shrunk over time,” Malone said.

Malone said the new containers will be large enough to � t a week’s worth of trash.

“We’re not going to have odor problems, we’re not going to have insects crawling out of these things,” he said. “It’s a more durable container.”

Malone said the pilot program is expected to start in March. A � rm date will be announced soon, he said.

Also as part of the study, garbage, recycling and yard-trimming pickups will all take place on the same day each week. � ose collections now may take place on dif-ferent days.

DeKalb County o� cials will use the pilot program to assess the e� ciency of mechanical garbage collection us-ing semi-automated and automated equipment. Malone said mechanical garbage collection will help reduce em-ployee injuries, something that would be good for the employees’ quality of life and the county’s bottom line.

Malone said DeKalb County began twice weekly gar-bage collection in 1939. He said 80 percent of cities in the U.S. already have switched to a once-a-week garbage pickup schedule.

“DeKalb is probably the last one in this area,” he said.

Households participating in the pilot progam will be contacted by a third-party vendor and asked for feedback on the program.

To � nd out more, contact DeKalb County using the email: [email protected] or by calling the sanitation pilot hotline at 404-294-2980.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Just an hour north of Atlanta on I-75.

Calling all wedding belles...

597 Barnsley Gardens Road Adairsville, Georgia 30103 Toll Free 877.773.2447

b a r n s l e y r e s o r t . c o m

for reservations call 770.773.7480

The Southern Living Wedding Workshop at Barnsley ResortSunday, February 2, 201411:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.Check in available from 10:30 a.m. • Brunch at the Manor House ruins• Sparkling mimosa bar• Insider tips from Kristen Payne• Wedding-inspired dessert bar• Horse-drawn carriage rides• Surprise from the Fairy Godmother• Wedding coordinator workshop

Special pricing extended!$65 per person$55 for wedding professionals Call 770.773.7480 to reserve your space, or visit BarnsleyResort.com/weddings.aspx for more information and a complete schedule of events.

Special overnight rates are available for workshop guests. Reservations are requested by January 30.

DUN

C O M M U N I T Y


Independent LivingAssisted Living

ALL THE PLACES LIFE CAN GO is a Trademark of Brookdale Senior Living Inc., Nashville, TN, USA. ® Reg. U.S. Patent & TM Office. 20526-RES01-0114-LB

For more information and to schedule apersonal visit, call 1-877-926-6484.

650 Phipps Boulevard NE | Atlanta, Georgia 30326brookdale.com

Exceptional Retirement LivingLuxury Assisted Living

Research indicates a connection between many neurological disorders and poor blood

flow in the brain. A condition called Chronic Cerebrospinal Venous Insufficiency

(CCSVI) can be associated with:

THE VASCULAR CONNECTION

Call 404-941-2000 for an Evaluation 455 East Paces Ferry Road, Atlanta, GA • ccsvi-atlanta.com

• Multiple Sclerosis• Chronic Lyme Disease• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome• Fibromyalgia• Neurological Disorders

Fate of ‘competing’ new DeKalb County cities unclear

The proposed cities of Briar-cliff, Lakeside and Tucker are different but overlap in the Northlake Mall area. To see a larger version of this map, go to ReporterNews-papers.net.

FILE, TUCKER 2014

have met with Tucker several times and are having a di� cult time coming to a resolution. We have di� erent ideas of what should be Lakeside and what should be Tucker.”

Rep. Mike Jacobs, R-Brookhaven, said none of the three potential cities had a formal committee hearing in the � rst days of the session.

But members of the DeKalb Coun-ty Legislative Delegation held a pre-ses-sion meeting with advocates for creating new cities Jan. 9 in an e� ort to untangle the mess of overlapping proposals in the central area of the county.

Representatives from each group made presentations about their plans and took questions from legislators. A fourth group, hoping to incorporate a city of Stonecrest in southeast DeKalb, also made a presentation.

“� is is an important issue for DeKalb County, and we want to make sure we hear from di� erent cityhood proposals so we can make the best deci-sions,” said Rep. Howard Mosby, D-At-lanta, chairman of the delegation.

To make matters more complicated, existing cities are also looking to expand their borders.

“Every city in DeKalb County has had plans to annex except for Dun-woody,” said Mark Baggett, managing director of the DeKalb Municipal Asso-ciation.

Allen Venet, president of the City of Briarcli� Initiative, said his group’s pro-posal would create a large, inclusive city.

“� e borders of Briarcli� are sensible. � ey’re logical,” Venet said. “We are not reaching out and grabbing any commer-cial properties. It’s the fairest approach.”

He said his organization believes two of the three cities could coexist in the area.

“We’ve had some friendly discussions with Tucker, and we agree on a great deal with Tucker,” Venet said. “We ab-solutely think Tucker should be a city.”

Frank Auman of Tucker 2014 said one of the reasons his group wants to form a city is to keep the Tucker com-

munity intact. He said many residents were concerned when they saw portions of what they considered to be Tucker drawn into other maps for new cities.

“Our concern was, Tucker’s about to lose its identity,” Auman said.

Auman said what makes Tucker dif-ferent from the other cityhood e� orts is that it has a longstanding community history. � ere are highway signs that tell you how to get to Tucker and a down-town area, he said.

“People know Tucker is a place,” Au-man said. “A lot of people already think it’s a city.”

But Woodworth said her organiza-tion was the � rst to propose incorporat-ing a city in the area. She said it has been a grassroots e� ort from people tired of the status quo.

“We have had over 75 meetings in the community over the last 12 months, large and small,” Woodworth said. “We feel we’ve reached out to the best of our ability to get this information out to the community.”

Mosby encouraged the groups to con-tinue working together to try to reach a resolution for their con� icting maps.

“We’ll be interested in any negotiated agreements between the parties,” Mosby said. “We will have to work this out in some way, form or fashion.”

Jacobs said logistically, the bill to create a city of Lakeside has the best chance of approval because it is spon-sored by Sen. Fran Millar, R-Dun-woody. � e other two bills are spon-sored by members of the House of Representatives.

“I don’t have a particular dog in this hunt. But as an interested observer I can say the only proposal that appears poised to move forward is Lakeside, and that is because there is no question Sen. Millar will be able to get a hearing and committee vote on that over in the Sen-ate,” Jacobs said.

“� e Senate is a smaller, highly col-legial, more deferential body than the House [of Representatives]. � ere sim-ply are more of us on the House side, and more competing legislation.”


View our Digital Editions on your smartphone or tablet RR

ReporterNewspapers.netDUN

C O M M E N T A R Y


Vote on new taxesTo the editor:

Most of us have heard about the im-pending legislative change to our City Charter. Unlike the initial adoption of the City Charter, citizens will most likely not be provided any opportuni-ty to vote on any changes to our City Charter. Our legislators are going to play God and tell us what they think we want, need, deserve or whatever.

� e further wrinkle in the Charter situation arises when the issue is “mud-died up” to include the likely transfer of providing � re services from DeKalb County to Dunwoody. � is likely ac-tion involves millions of dollars.

I say that anything that signi� cant-

ly e� ects (a 10 percent increase) my city property taxes should continue to re-quire my vote as currently provided by our City Charter. � e other side says the City Council already has the au-thority to take over � re services with-out a citizen vote because taxes are al-ready being collected for such services, and to move the property tax revenue from one bucket to another bucket is not an increase in property taxes.

I agree the City Council can take over providing city � re services any time

they go through the process and get the required majority vote. But how to pay for the new city service is another issue. If the new city service can be done with-out a signi� cant tax increase, then no citizen vote is required. But if the new city service requires a signi� cant tax in-crease, then our City Charter requires us to be given the opportunity to vote on the tax increase.

We cannot trust the mayor and City Council to do the right thing. We need to contact Senator Fran Millar at [email protected] or 404-923-3607. He was recently quoted as saying “We’ve always given people the right to vote and I hope we still will. We’ve lost our way as Republicans if we won’t do that.” Let’s hold him to this important, fundamental guiding principal.

Robert Hickey

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

E-mail letters to [email protected]

DUN

CONTACT US

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


Atlanta INtownwww.AtlantaINtownPaper.com

Free Home Delivery65,000 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.netFor delivery requests, please email [email protected].

© 2014 With all rights reservedPublisher 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.

Our mission is to provide our readers

ReporterNewspapers

Founder & PublisherSteve Levene

[email protected]

Editorial

Managing EditorJoe Earle

[email protected]

Intown Editor: Collin Kelley

Staff Writer: Melissa Weinman

Copy Editor: Diane L. Wynocker

Creative and Production

Director of Creative & Interactive MediaChristopher North

[email protected]

Graphic Designer: Walter Czachowski

Advertising

Director of Sales DevelopmentAmy Arno

[email protected]

Senior Account ExecutiveJanet Porter

Account ExecutivesSusan Lesesne

Lenie Sacks

Sales ConsultantsDavid BurlesonLinda Howell

Offi ce ManagerDeborah Davis

[email protected]

Contributors

Art Huckabee, Phil Mosier

� is issue marks the start of our eighth publishing year. � e � rst two Reporter editions, serving Sandy Springs and Buckhead, rolled o� the press in January 2007. Today, our � ve publications—now including Brookhaven, Dunwoody and Intown—cover some of metro Atlanta’s most diverse and dy-namic areas.

� e past few years have been a time of dramatic change in the print media industry; pundits have been predicting the demise of newspapers for a while. But, fortunately, that hasn’t happened and our own growth path has bucked the trend. � at’s because our publications reach residents who care deep-ly about their cities and want the “hyperlocal” information found only in community papers like ours. We know that you appreciate this attention. A recent study by the National Newspaper Association con� rmed this, with eight in 10 readers saying they rely on their community newspaper for local news and information, while two-thirds say they also look for advertising from local businesses.

From the beginning, our intent was to o� er readers a credible and colorful source of local news with a singular mission—to provide fresh and engaging information about your communities. � e bi-weekly Reporter Newspapers and the monthly Atlanta INtown, which we acquired last May, now have combined circulation of 100,000 copies. Each publication serves to inform residents about issues and actions a� ecting their homes, neighborhoods, schools, parks and business districts. Often these very local matters, which are the cornerstone of our mission, don’t make the headlines of a daily newspaper or � t the sound bites of radio and television news. Nor do they pop up in a Google search—although they can usually be found at our websites, report-ernewspapers.net and atlantaintownpaper.com, which together drew more than a half million unique visitors last year.

Hundreds of advertisers use one or more of our papers to promote their products and services cost-e� ectively to custom-ers and prospects within a few miles of where their businesses are located. We are grateful to this growing base of advertisers who have made our publications an integral part of their mar-keting e� orts, especially at a time when smaller budgets have to do a bigger job. We encourage you to patronize them, which also helps to build economic stability in each community.

We always look for ways to enhance our content to better re� ect readers’ inter-ests. � e addition last year of the monthly Perimeter Business section (see pages 7-11 in this issue) is one example. Also, starting in this issue, we are introducing restaurant reviews and related “news you can eat” (pages 16-17). Our food writer, Art Huckabee, is an elite-level Yelp reviewer and his articles already appear in Atlanta INtown. You’ll see other new features in the issues ahead, including a local columnist and real estate reports.

Our initial mission is still intact, fueled by the enthusiasm of a talented and experienced sta� (pictured above). We care very much about what goes into our publications and what you think about them. Your feedback is important to us. Please let me know how we’re doing and what we can do better. Contact me at [email protected].

Eight years, � ve communities, one mission

STEVE LEVENE

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

STEVE

Our staff, from left: Chris North, Amy Arno, Collin Kelley, Susan Lesesne, Deborah Davis, Janet Porter, David Burleson, Steve Levene,

Lenie Sacks, Walter Czachowski, Melissa Weinman, Joe Earle.


Perimeter BusinessA monthly section focusing on business in the Reporter Newspapers communities

Wine making is anyoneʼs business Buying New York Stock Exchange ʻreally changed our livesʼ

By Dan Whisenhunt

Before Joe Keenan bought Beer & Wine Craft, he en-joyed making wine as a hobby.

Keenan recently took over the business, which has operated at various locations since 1969, and claims to be the Southeast’s oldest wine-making supply store. In January of 2013, Beer & Wine Craft settled into a shop off Sandy Springs Circle that smells of malted honey.

The business began its life near Piedmont Hospital. Keenan keeps photos that previous owners collected depicting a time when the store’s shelves were as likely to offer knickknacks as corks. Now the store also sells ingredients to make beer and cheese.

For Keenan, it doesn’t get much better. He keeps a side cabinet stocked with a special collection of wines he’s made himself. Now he takes his love of winemak-ing to a new level by offering customers a chance to come in to make and bottle their own wines. It’s a pro-cess that takes three visits over an eight-week period, Keenan said.

“Our main goal is for everybody to be successful,” he said.

Keenan first started making wine in college at Pur-due University in Indiana. He had a roommate from France whose father was a French industrialist. Togeth-er they made wine and consumed bottles that today he says could sell for hundreds of dollars.

“I’ve always loved it,” he said. During the course of his winemaking hobby, he be-

came friends with Rick and Peggy Adams, the previ-ous owners of the business, which they sold to him in October.

Now Keenan puts his love of the craft to work, and he spends time selling products to people with simi-

lar interests. He said some customers at the store have been shopping there since the 1970s. Their business has been cultivated over the decades as the store’s owner-ship changed hands.

Customer Scott Rockhill, a local salesman, stopped by one recent day to see what was on the shelves. He’s been shopping at Beer & Wine Craft for three months, since he first tried his hand at making wine. The ap-peal? “It’s fun and it tastes good,” Rockhill said.

During Rockhill’s visit, he and Keenan chatted about the different flavors produced by the different boxes of grape juice sitting on the shop’s shelves. Keenan said what sets his shop apart from many other retailers is the clientele. Customers come in and don’t mind wait-ing if there’s a line ahead of them.

“Nobody’s in a hurry,” Keenan said. “They come in here and they browse.”

By Joe Earle

Jeff Sprecher says he could see right away the difference buying the iconic New York Stock Exchange made for his Sandy Springs-based company.

“It’s really changed our lives,” Sprech-er said of the acquisition of the New York ex-change last year. “We’re getting attention from all over the world.”

A college friend texted him to say, “Who knew you could actually buy that thing?”

New York’s historic stock exchange is only one of 16 exchanges owned by Intercontinen-talExchange, or ICE, which calls itself the lead-ing global network of exchanges and clearing houses.

And ICE is close to buying the Singapore exchange, which would make it the first west-ern company to own an Asian market, Sprech-er, ICE chairman and CEO, and his wife, ICE senior vice president Kelly Loeffler, told more than 200 people attending the Sandy Springs/Perimeter Chamber of Commerce’s annual meeting on Jan. 16.

Sprecher joked that he was more impressed that his company owned the New York Board of Trade, an exchange he said he knew because CONTINUED ON PAGE 11

Dan WhisenhuntBeer & Wine Craft allows customers to make and bottle their own wines over an eight-week period, says owner Joe Keenan.

Melissa Babcock, M.D.

4890 Roswell Road, Suite B-10 • Atlanta, Georgia 30342(404) 835-3052 • BabcockDermatology.com

Located at the corner of Roswell Road & Long Island Drive

Same Day Appointments Available • Free Parking

Start the year off right with a full body skin check.

Call today for your appointment!

• Skin Cancer Surgery Specialist (Mohs technique)

• Dermatologic Surgery• General Dermatology• Chemical Peels

• BOTOX® Cosmetic• Cyst Removal• Mole Removal• Restylane®

Procedures Performed:

he served his country well.

his familyserved his wishes

well.

Veterans’ Burial and Memorial Benefits Since 1994, the staff at SouthCare has helped veterans and their families coordinate available services at any national, veterans’ or private cemetery, whether they choose cremation or casket burial.

SouthCare will assist you in creating an honorable tribute and inform you of the many no-cost and reimbursable benefits to which veterans, their spouses and dependent children may be entitled.

Request Your Free Veterans’ Benefit Guide

404.909.8584 southcare.us/vets where your journey ends your way

Southcare Ad_Vet1_Reporter Newspaper_4.94x4.08.indd 1 1/10/14 3:41 PM


P E R I M E T E R B U S I N E S S

Service Center

www.facebook.com/mercedesofbuckheadmercedesofbuckhead.com | 404-846-35002799 Piedmont Road | Atlanta, GA 30305

People Drive Us.

Come by to see what the excitement

is about and receive a

complimentary dinner for 2 at our “Café 335” and a $5.00 gift card for your

trip.

404-256-6300 • www.hammondglen.com335 Hammond Drive NE • Sandy Springs, GA 30328

A Senior Community

Independent Living and Personal Assistance

Nestled in the Heart of Sandy Springs

What do you want your retirement years to “look like”?

Malt Shop, Movie Theater, Upgraded Apartments, and a Fitness Trainer in a New Gym

PCIDs play crucial role in Perimeter’s transportation successThe Perimeter Community Im-

provement Districts (PCIDs) contin-ued their track record of success last year by making major transporta-tion improvements that further en-hance the competitive edge of the Perimeter Market, a premier loca-tion for businesses, and an emerg-ing model livable center.

Great progress was made toward our No. 1 priority - improvements to the I-285/Ga. 400 Interchange.

At a news conference in May at the Georgia Capitol, Gov. Nathan Deal applauded the formation of a bipartisan “285@400 Interchange Partnership” of congressional, state and local elected officials and busi-ness organizations in multiple ar-eas impacted by the interchange. He thanked the PCIDs for their com-mitment of $10 million in financial assistance to move the project for-ward, and $500,000 in research and data support.

In a subsequent newspaper ed-itorial, Deal said that “Improve-ments to the I-285/Ga. 400 Inter-change are a need, not a want.” The governor said “Georgia must direct

its limited resources toward projects that provide the biggest return, both in mobility and in economic devel-opment. The I-285/Ga. 400 Inter-change tops this priority list.”

Another significant development was the advancement of the project through placement in the Atlanta metro area’s short-range Transpor-tation Improvement Plan.

Using a $2.8 million grant from the Georgia Department of Trans-portation (GDOT), the PCIDs and the cities of Brookhaven, Dun-woody and Sandy Springs took a big step toward improving traffic congestion in the Perimeter busi-

ness district through the Perimeter Traffic Operations Program.

During its first year in 2013, PTOP completed the synchroniza-tion of the majority of 99 traffic sig-nals along major, arterial corridors within and adjacent to the Perime-ter business district. Many people are traveling through several cities to reach their destinations, so we needed to coordinate the timing of traffic signals across those boundar-ies.

Travel time studies conducted before and after the PTOP improve-ments show that average vehicular delay (stopped time) has been re-duced 29 percent, and that drivers using the corridors during the morn-ing, noon and evening peak peri-ods will save 233,680 hours of travel time and 160,290 gallons of gaso-line – valued at nearly $4 million – each year because of improved traf-fic flow. The timing plans pay for themselves approximately every 3.9 workdays.

Another major goal achieved was establishment of a communications link between a central traffic control

center and 76 traffic signals with-in the PCIDs to allow active man-agement of traffic operations. This means that when traffic backs up, signal timing can be immediately adjusted to improve traffic flow.

In early 2013, the PCIDs start-ed a $4.86 million project to bring streetscape, intersection and road-way improvements to Lake Hearn Drive, Perimeter Summit Parkway and Parkside Place between Ash-ford Dunwoody Road and the Pe-rimeter Center Parkway Bridge across I-285. These improvements make the area safer and more ac-cessible for pedestrians, cyclists and cars, while promoting economic de-velopment on the south side of the Perimeter Market.

The PCIDs created and installed a distinctive landscaping design to showcase the innovative Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI) at I-285 and Ashford Dunwoody Road – a major gateway to the city of Dun-woody and the Perimeter Market.

In 2013, the Ashford Dunwoody DDI was one of 10 national finalists for “People’s Choice” and “Grand

Yvonne Williams, president and CEO, PCIDsGuest Column

Yvonne Williams, president



Prize” awards in an America’s Transportation Competition spon-sored by the American Association of State Highway and Transporta-tion Officials (AASHTO), AAA and the U.S. Chamber.

The PCIDs’ “Can You DDI?” edu-cation and marketing campaign re-ceived a prestigious Award of Ex-cellence from the Georgia Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. Metro Atlanta TV cover-age alone for the DDI bridge clos-ing and crossover of traffic reached an audience of 7.44 million with 117 separate stories from May 21 to June 5, 2012. The Associated Press

released the story statewide, and there was coverage in every major market of the state as well as nation-al coverage from Chicago to Spring-field, Mo., site of the first DDI in the U.S.

The PCIDs’ signature landscap-ing and branding of major entranc-es to the Perimeter market now also enhances the Hammond Half-Di-amond Interchange at Hammond Drive and Ga. 400. GDOT award-ed a grant to the PCIDs to provide the landscaping. The PCIDs also in-stalled more durable, highly visible, brick-print pedestrian crosswalks.

The PCIDs’ past 13 years of work

to transform Perimeter from a sub-urban, car-dependent to a livable, walkable community was recog-nized in a major study by George Washington University School of Business professor Chris Leinberg-er that was released last year by the ARC. Central Perimeter was named one of 27 regionally significant es-tablished Walkable Urban Places (WalkUPs) in metro Atlanta, and one of only four “platinum” areas in an economic success ranking of those WalkUPs.

Today, thanks to the work of the PCIDs, Perimeter is a prime exam-ple of how the creation of a walk-able, urban place is the most effec-tive economic development strategy that a CID, a city or a region can pursue.

Improvements this year will in-clude better access to the Dun-woody MARTA station through construction of the Hammond Drive mid-block crossing, which MARTA has identified as its top priority for pedestrian safety. With increasing workers in the vicinity, foot traffic is expected to soar.

The PCIDs will continue to ad-minister the PTOP program in the second of its three-year program to improve traffic congestion through

signal improvements, will begin design work on Lake Hearn Phase II streetscape, do intersection and roadway improvements on Lake Hearn Drive and Peachtree Dun-woody Road, and will develop a bi-cycle implementation strategy.

We will continue to advocate for I-285 and Ga. 400 improvements, expand and make improvements to the fiber optic network within the PCIDs, and develop a commuter trails shovel-ready design.

And, of course, the PCIDs will continue their long-standing pro-grams to maintain medians and di-rect traffic at busy rush hour inter-sections through the use of off-duty police officers.

Economic development in Cen-tral Perimeter, one of the dominant office districts and employment centers in metro Atlanta, is driven in large part by the area’s central lo-cation in the region and its access to interstates, international and re-gional airports, and multiple modes of transportation including three MARTA transit stations.

The PCIDs play a crucial role in ensuring this access. We look for-ward to another successful year as we strive to create the premier liv-able center in the Southeast.

Raising � e Standard of Care

Our team has grown... thanks to you!

Here’s what some of our clients have to say!

� is is a very friendly, helpful, and professional o� ce. It is easy to schedule an appointment. I like being able to con� rm my appointment via text message. And, I love Dr. Bhatia! He is professional but also very personable. - Jessica F., Atlanta

� e sta� was very friendly and explained every-thing that I need to have done and showed me prices up front. Once my cleaning was done, the dentist saw me immediately a� er. He was very calming and listened to my concerns and actually made me feel better. -Lindsey E., Atlanta

Our team is waiting to serve you! L to R First Row: Carol, Gloria, Bonnie, Susana and Mikel

Back Row: Dr. Vik, Frances, Lori, MacKinsey, Bailee, Melissa, Ivy and Dr. Chen

1407 Dresden Drive, Atlanta, GA • 404-816-9336 • www.BrookhavenDentalAssociates.com

Our Oral SurgeonsBoard Certi� ed & Experienced

Dr. Patrick WalkerDMD

Dr. Sandeep KothakDMD, MD

� e old-fashioned way:

� e modern 3D X-ray:

SPECIAL! $99

Exam, ALL X-Rays and Basic Mouth Cleaning.

Our Services Include: • Metal-Free Fillings• Same-Day 3D Crowns• Root Canals• Non-Invasive TMJ � erapy

PCID Improvements to the I-285 and Ga. 400 Interchange are the No. 1 priority project for the Perimeter CIDs.



myinsidesign.com 1231 Ashford Crossing Dunwoody Georgia 770.673.0721

J UST FOR C ALLI NG

FREELIFETIME MEMBERSHIP INGOOD HANDSSM ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE

2498 Jett Ferry Road, Suite 102Dunwoody, GA [email protected]

Gordon Church(404) 937-6222

5792

8

Never get stranded again.With Good HandsSM Roadside Assistance, you get low, flat rates on everything from tows to tire changes. Pay only if you use it. So before you hit the road, get free peace of mind. Call me today!

Pay only when roadside services provided. Subject to terms, conditions and availability. Allstate Fire and Casualty Insurance Company: Northbrook, Illinois © 2011 Allstate Insurance Company.

Call or stop by for a quote on your insurance needs.

Reporter Newspapers Email updatesBe in the know R

ReporterNewspapers.net

Openings

� e Dunwoody Chamber of Com-merce welcomed da Via, an Italian Market Eating restaurant, to the Pe-rimeter Place Shopping Center, 4511 Olde Perimeter Way, Suite 800. Enjoy-ing the festivities are, from left, Wendy Gri� n, Beth Summers, Bill Mulcahy, Dunwoody Mayor Mike Davis, Pau-la Owens, Mike Muldoon, Scott Tr-zaskus, da Via general manager, City Councilman Terry Nall, City Council-man Denny Shortal, Katie Bishop, Kim Trawick, Todd Smith and Sabrina McDonald.

Blast900, a workout facili-ty o� ering personalized exercise classes, recently opened at 5521 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, in Dunwoody Village. � e Dun-woody Chamber of Commerce, along with sta� , friends and fam-ily, joined in the ribbon cutting ceremony, with owner Missi Wolf, center, left, and Mayor Mike Davis, center, right, holding the scissors.

Chambers, local officials welcome new businesses

New businesses offer-ing everything from good eats to personalized work-outs to a close shave are starting up in the Perime-ter, one of the largest com-mercial areas in metro At-lanta. Here’s a sampling of recent

ribbon cuttings formal-ly marking the opening of new businesses in the area. Photos were provid-ed by the Sandy Springs/Perimeter Chamber of Commerce and the Dun-

woody Chamber of Commerce.

Renee and Ross Christen, center, owners of Rooster Men’s Grooming Center located at 4969 Roswell Road in Sandy Springs, cut the ribbon in front of the Roosters’ team, representatives from the Sandy Springs/Perimeter Cham-ber of Commerce, and Sandy Springs Councilwoman Dianne Fries, far left.

Stars & Strikes marked its grand opening in Sandy Springs with a rib-bon cutting. Sta� , friends and family gathered, including, Sandy Springs/Pe-rimeter Chamber of Commerce mem-ber Jim Walsh, Chamber member Patty Conway, City Councilman John Paul-son, Jack Canouse, City Councilman Ken Dishman, Carolyn Canouse, San-dy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul, Elis Ca-nouse, Mary Albana, Chris Albana, Adam Clark, Chamber member Clare Stefan, City Councilman Gabriel Sterling, Kip Lowery, Chamber member Chris Ad-ams and Chamber member Carla Sweetwood. Stars & Strikes, located at 8767 Ro-swell Road, o� ers bowling, an arcade, laser tag and live entertainment.

Marlow’s Tavern recently opened in � e Prado Shopping Center, 5590 Roswell Road, Suite A-160, in Sandy Springs. Celebrating were, front row, left to right, Samantha Barton, Sandy Springs/Perimeter Chamber of Com-merce, City Councilman John Paulson, John Metz, executive chef and co-found-er, Alan Palmieri, market partner, Keith Grant, general manager, Susan Skolnick, director of development and major gifts at Special Olympics Georgia. Back row, from left, Tom Maha� ey, Sandy Springs/Perimeter Chamber of Commerce president, and City Councilman Andy Bauman.



Is this any way to spend your vacation?Let us show you the way...

770.952.8300 Open 7 Days the-cruise-authority.com

WOW! Book by Feb. 28, 2014 on any 6-Night or longer sailing departing March – Dec. 2014 and receive up to $400* in Onboard Credit!

*Credits vary by accom-modation and itinerary.

ABOVE and BEYONDBook an ocean view stateroom on select June-Dec., 2014 depar-ture and enjoy onboard spending credits, savings on shore excursions and reduced fares for 3rd and 4th guests.

SPECIAL OFFERS• 5-Nt. Caribbean Mar. 7 from $775pp*• 7-Nt. Alaska Sept. 1 from $1,498pp*

* Rates in U.S. dollars and valid through 1/31/14. Offer subject to availability. Other re-strictions may apply. Excludes Government Taxes and Fees.

Three New Listings Coming Soon in Sandy Springs! Last year I sold several houses that never went on the market.

If you are considering buying or selling this year, call me first!

AngIe PonSELL, SANDY SPRINGS

404-226-2002www.isellsandysprings.com

Reporter Newspapers on TwitterFollow and RT

R


Buying New York Stock Exchange ‘really changed our lives’

it was featured in the movie “Trading Places.” “I think, in a way that’s more iconic,” he said.

Sprecher said ICE’s business has been made possible by new technol-ogy. “We own exchanges around the world. ... [They’re] run out of an office building in Sandy Springs because of the Internet. It’s a fascinating thing to take a legacy business like the New York Stock Exchange and put the In-ternet in it.”

He and Loeffler said businesses have been willing to embrace change and find ways to capitalize on it. “I love change,” Sprecher said. “It’s very interesting. We all hate change. We all want to go home and sleep in the same bed. As humans we hate change. But busi-nesses really thrive on change.”

Sprecher said the company’s roots go back to an Atlanta-based company he bought in 1997 for $1. “Today, it’s a $25 billion company,” he said.

After buying the company, called Continental Power Exchange, he called his new employees together and, thinking they would be pleased by the news, told them they could all relocate to Los Angeles. “It took about 10 minutes,” he said. “They all said, ‘None of us is going to Los An-geles.’”

ICE now employs about 400 in Sandy Springs of the 4,000 it em-

ploys around the world, said Loeffler, who also is co-owner of the Atlanta Dream, a WNBA professional basket-ball team. “We continue to hire,” she said. “We’re in growth mode, particu-larly in technology.”

Sprecher said he has discovered that metro Atlanta wasn’t the place he thought it was. “When I was living in LA, I thought this was a place with pickup trucks and old hound dogs,” he said. “The truth is this is an unbe-lievable diverse community.”

Sprecher said his company works to update its mar-kets through use of technology. The New York Stock Exchange, he said, opened in 1792. “You go there and there are artifacts and history that are very interest-ing,” he said.

“The challenge for us is, can we take this lightweight, Internet-based company, based in Sandy Springs, and marry it with something iconic? The address [of the New York Stock Exchange] is 11 Wall Street, which is why you know ‘Wall Street.’ How do you marry this brand with this light-weight company?”

And a few perks come with own-ing a company such as the New York Stock Exchange. He’s rung the bell to start trading, he said. “I’ve got a spe-cial badge that has a little mark on it,” he said. “When I walk through, they don’t know who I am, but they know what that badge means.”

AMY I. KAHN PHOTOGRAPHY

Kelly Loeffl er, left, ICE senior vice president, with husband Jeff Sprecher, chairman and CEO, discuss their acquisition of the New York Stock Exchange at the Sandy Springs/Perimeter

Chamber of Commerce annual meeting on Jan. 16.


“We own exchanges around the world. ... [Theyʼre] run out of an offi ce building in Sandy Springs because of the Internet. Itʼs a fascinating thing to take a legacy business like the New York Stock Exchange and put the Internet in it.”

–Jeff Sprecher

aboutout&

BROOKHAVEN • BUCKHEAD • DUNWOODY • SANDY SPRINGS


P E R F O R M I N G & V I S U A L A R T S

Much Ado About Nothing

� ursday, Jan. 30- Saturday, Feb. 1, 7 p.m. – � e Westminster Players bring the hilarious tale of Benedick and Beatrice to the stage as they present Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing in Kellett � eatre at Westminster. � is take on Much Ado uses Shakespeare’s language while placing the classic sto-ry in modern-day South Georgia. Admission is free. For more information, please email [email protected] or call 404-609-6344.

Galloway TheatreFriday, Jan. 31, 7:30 p.m. – � e Galloway � eatre Company presents “She Kills Monsters,” a comedy looking into the world of role-playing games, featuring students of the Galloway commu-nity. Play suitable for audiences over 13 years of age. Tickets, $10. Additional shows, Sat. and Sun., Feb. 1-2, 2 p.m. Black Box � eatre, in the Chaddick Center, 215 West Wieuca Rd., NW, Atlanta, 30342. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit: www.gallowayschool.org.

Spotlight on ArtMonday, Feb. 3, 6-9 p.m. – � e Trinity School hosts an Artists Market, open to the public. Browse pieces by more than 350 artists in all genres, in-cluding contemporary, realism, impressionism, folk, sculpture, jewelry and more. Children’s and youth collection also available. “Meet the Artists” on Opening Night and also during Cocktails & Can-vases, Friday, Feb. 8, 6-9 p.m. Market hours: Tues-day-� ursday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.; Friday, 8 a.m.-9 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Free admission and park-ing. 4301 Northside Pkwy., NW, Atlanta, 30327. Go to: www.trinityatl.org or call 404-231-8100 for more information.

Harp MusicSunday, Feb. 9, 4 p.m. –� e Atlanta Harp Center En-semble presents the music of the Renaissance to modern times. � e ensemble will play Vival-di, Franck and some surprises. Suggested donation, $10. In the Sanctuary of Dunwoody United

Methodist Church, 1548 Mount Vernon Rd., Dun-woody, 30338. Call 770-394-0675 or visit: www.dunwoodyumc.org for additional details.

Abe LincolnSunday, Feb. 9, 7 p.m. – Northwest Unitar-ian Universalist Congregation welcomes Abraham Lincoln actor, playwright and scholar, Dr. Gene Griessman, as he presents “� e Wit and Wisdom of Abraham Lincoln,” for a special President’s Day ap-pearance. Griessman appears in costume as the 16th President delivering the presentation. VIP reception, 6 p.m.; performance, 7 p.m. General admission tick-ets, $50; VIP, $75. Purchase tickets and learn more at: http://NWUUC-ABE.brownpapertickets.com. 1025 Mount Vernon Highway, NW, Sandy Springs, 30327. Email: [email protected] with questions.

F U N D R A I S E R S

Tartan TrotSaturday, Feb. 1, 8:30 a.m. – St. Luke’s Pres-byterian Church holds its eighth annual 5K/10K Tartan Trot, bene� ting outreach e� orts close to home and around the world. Race features runners in kilts, bagpipes, and baked goods for the winners. 1-mile run goes o� at 8 a.m.; Tot Trot at 9:45 a.m. Both 5 and 10K are Peachtree Road Race quali� -ers. $35; $20 for 1-mile. Awards, t-shirts, hooded shirts for entrants. Leashed dogs and strollers wel-come. Rain or shine. Vehicle parking in Dunwoody Village; shuttle buses available. 1978 Mount Ver-non Rd., Dunwoody, 30338. To register or to learn more, go to: www.tartantrot.com.

Book Sale� ursday, Feb. 6, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. – � e Friends of the Chamblee Library hold a book sale! Browse hardbacks, in-cluding � ction, non-� c-tion and children’s books, going for $1-2. Proceeds enhance adult and chil-dren book collections, and support programs for both. Free admission. Sale continues Feb. 7-8, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Monday, Feb. 10, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.,

which is Bag Day. Buy a plastic bag and � ll it for $3. Recycle your books and receive a 501(c)(3) receipt. 4115 Clairmont Rd., Chamblee, 30341. To � nd out more, call 770-936-1380.

Puppet ShowSaturday, Feb. 9, 2 p.m. – Piccadilly Puppets presents “Wish Tales,” three stories about wishing: “� e Knee High Man,” “� e Frog Prince” and “Lit-tle Orphan Animal.” All proceeds bene� t Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Recommended for ages 3-8. Tickets, $10. Reservations helpful, but not required. Go to: www.eventbrite.com and search “pup-pets.” Landmark Diner, 3652 Roswell Rd., Atlanta, 30305. Call 404-636-0022 or visit: www.piccadilly-puppets.org with questions.

C O M M U N I T Y

Kirkin’ o’ the TartanSunday, Feb. 2, 11 a.m. – St. Luke’s Presbyte-rian Church welcomes the community to join them for their annual Kirkin’ o’ the Tartan service. Tradi-tional music, and a Blessing of the Tartan banners. Some of the congregation will be dressed in clan tar-tans, kilts and plaids. Reception follows the service. 1978 Mount Vernon Rd., Dunwoody, 30338. Call 770-393-1424 for details.

GET LISTED!Submit listings to

[email protected]


Northside Hospital Cancer Institute is not only breaking new ground in treating cancer, we’re making great strides in helping prevent it. Northside provides hereditary counseling to deter-mine cancer risks and options for you and your children. It’s one reason Northside is the only hospital in metro Atlanta chosen by the National Cancer Institute to be a Community Cancer Center. So you have access to the latest cancer research and treatments for generations to come.

CANCER INSTITUTE

Where the Extraordinary Happens Every Day

Larger Photo AlbumsNORTHSIDE HOSPITAL CANCER INSTITUTE: GENETIC SCREENINGS THAT LEAD TO

Photography Tuesday, Jan. 28, 7-8:30 p.m. – Join David Tulis, sea-soned Atlanta news and sports photogra-pher, and learn basic photographic com-position, lighting, lenses and techniques during this � ve-week course. Class ends with hands-on � eld day at the Dunwoody Nature Center on Feb. 22. DNC members, $125; non-members, $150. Adult program; best suited for those with a good camera. 5343 Roberts Dr., Dunwoody, 30338. Call 770-394-3322 or go to: www.dunwoodynature.org for details or to register.

Go to CollegeWednesday, Jan. 29, 3-3:45 p.m. – Marcus Hilliard, with GAcollege411, presents information on pursuing higher education and � nding � nancial aid. Free. For those age 18 years and older. Open to the � rst 25 participants. Brookhaven Branch Library, 1242 N. Druid Hills Rd., NE, Brookhaven, 30319. Call 404-848-7140 to sign up or to � nd out more.

Bird Walk Saturday, Feb. 1, 8:30-10:30 a.m. – Join the Atlanta Audubon Society for a guided bird walk along the trails at Morgan Falls Overlook Park. Per-haps see open water duck species and eagles. Bin-oculars available to borrow. Free and open to the community. Children 16 and under must be accom-panied by adult. Appropriate for ages 6 and up. Pre-registration requested by calling 770-730-5600 or going to: www.sandyspringsga.gov/registration. 200 Morgan Falls Rd., Sandy Springs, 30350.

Write Your StorySaturday, Feb. 1, 2-4 p.m. – Learn how to write the stories of your life. Workshop present-ed by a certi� ed, guided autobiography instructor. Free and open to the public. For adult audiences. Registration required by emailing: [email protected] or calling 678-386-1651. Sandy Springs Branch Library, 395 Mount Vernon High-way, Sandy Springs, 30328. Call 404-303-6130 or email: [email protected] with questions.

How Money WorksWednesday, Feb. 5, 6:30-7:30 p.m. – Check out a free, � nancial education workshop that teach-es principles on how money works so you can con-trol your � nances. Learn simple strategies to help build savings, get out of debt, protect your income and defer taxes. Open to all. Registration required by calling Nicole Fitzgerald at 404-957-6809. Sandy Springs Branch Library, 395 Mount Vernon High-way, Sandy Springs, 30328. Call 404-303-6130 or email: [email protected] for more details.

Cokie RobertsWednesday, Feb. 5, 7-9 p.m. – � e Davis Academy presents award-winning journalist and po-litical commentator Cokie Roberts for an evening of conversation and a book signing. Copies of her books along with her new and � rst children’s book, “Founding Mothers,” will be available for purchase. Free event, and open to the community. RSVP to [email protected]. Davis Academy Lower School, 8105 Roberts Dr., Sandy Springs, 30350. For more information contact Lori Zelony at 678-527-3293.

Snakes of GeorgiaSaturday, Feb. 8, 10:30-11:30 a.m. – Snakes are one of the most feared and misunderstood groups of animals, yet they provide signi� cant ben-e� ts to people. Join a reptile and amphibian ex-pert from the Georgia DNR and learn what makes snakes so special. Participants also meet some Geor-gian snakes. $10 per person. Space is limited; RSVP by calling 412-398-1101. Blue Heron Nature Pre-serve, 4055 Roswell Rd., Atlanta, 30342. To learn more, go to: www.bhnp.org.

Black HistorySaturday, Feb. 8, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. – “Strug-gles and Strides: � e Early Fight for Civil Rights,” a family program commemorating Black History Month, explores the African-American experience from the Great Migration to the Civil Rights Move-ment. Free for AHC members; included in the cost of general admission for non-members. 130 West Paces Ferry Rd., NW, Atlanta, 30305. For more in-formation or to buy tickets, visit: www.atlantahisto-rycenter.com/Family or call 404-814-4000.

Turtle ToursSaturday, Feb. 8, 11 a.m.-12 p.m. – Her-itage Sandy Springs’ “Tur-tle Tours,” an educational series appropriate for chil-dren ages 2-5, continues. In this program, children learn about museum mascot San-dy’s “cool tools.” Free; dona-tions encouraged. No reser-

vations required. 6075 Sandy Springs Circle, Sandy Springs, 30328. For more information, email: [email protected], call 404-851-9111 or visit: www.heritagesandysprings.org.

Daddy-Daughter Dance

Saturday, Feb. 8, 6-8 p.m. – � e � fth annual Daddy-Daughter Dance o� ers an evening of music, games, complimentary snacks and goodie bags for each girl. $35 for father/daughter; $10 for multiple daughters. $5 walk-in fee. Souvenir photo includ-ed. Business or semi-formal attire. Open to all girls in grades K-5 attending schools in Sandy Springs. Spalding Drive Charter Elementary School, 130 W. Spalding Dr., Sandy Springs, 30328. Call 770-730-5600 or email: [email protected] for details. Go to: https://apm.activecommunities.com/sandyspringsga to register.

F O R K I D S

L E T ’ S L E A R N !

ReporterNewspapers

email your event to [email protected]

Get Listed.In print and online.

out & about


Atlanta Jewish Film Festival adds venues to accommodate fansBY COLLIN KELLEY

If you haven’t purchased tickets to the movies you want to see at this year’s Atlanta Jewish Film Festival, you might be out of luck.

More than 10,000 tickets were sold Jan. 5, the day they went on sale.

Festival executive director Kenny Blank encouraged � lm fans to keep checking the fes-tival’s website at AJFF.org for the release of more tick-ets and returns to sold-out � lms.

“If you check 24 to 48 hours before a screening, you might be able to snap one or two tickets up,” he said.

� e only way to get into some of the more popular � lms is to show up at the venue the day of the screening and add your name to a wait-ing list. Luckily, there are so many � lms on o� er that if you buy tickets now, you’ll get to see something interesting.

With 65 � lms from 20 countries, it also makes the AJFF, which runs Jan. 29 through Feb. 20, the biggest � lm festival in the city and the second largest Jew-ish � lm festival in the country. Nearly 32,000 attended screenings during last

year’s festival.“We have a very loyal and enthusi-

astic audience, and they stake out this event early on to make sure they get tick-ets,” Blank said. “We’re o� ering more screenings of the popular � lms and have secured larger auditoriums.”

To accommodate the crowds, the festival ex-panded to more venues around Atlanta, includ-ing the Cobb Energy Cen-tre, UA Tara Cinema, GTC Merchants Walk, Regal North Point, Lefont Sandy Springs, Westside Cultural Arts Center, Regal Atlantic Station and the Woodru� Arts Center.

Some of the most anticipate � lms in-clude 50 Children: � e Rescue Mission of Mr. and Mrs. Kraus, about a Philadelphia couple who saved children from the Nazi concentration camps; � e Baby, a doc-umentary about a woman recalling for-bidden memories of her past; Bethlehem, a cli� hanger about an Israeli intelligence agent and a con� icted Palestinian infor-mant; Hunting Elephants, a bank heist ca-per; the documentary Mel Brooks: Make A Noise about the comedian and direc-

tor; When Jews Were Funny, a documenta-ry about cultural identity: a 25th anniver-sary screening of Driving Miss Daisy with a panel of local actors and experts; and Omar, a nominee for this year’s Best For-eign Film Academy Award, about a young Palestinian baker living under Israeli occu-pation.

� e festivities kick o� Jan. 29 with an Opening Night Gala at the Cobb Ener-gy Centre, featuring a screening of the

Polish drama Run Boy Run.“Every year we strive to make the

festival better for our audience,” Blank said. “Festivalgoers will have more op-portunities to see the most sought-after � lms than ever before. We want every-one to experience these meaningful and entertaining � lms that might not ever play in Atlanta otherwise.”

For a complete list of � lms, venues and to purchase tickets, visit AJFF.org.

Jewish Film Festival factsWhat: Founded in 2000, the festival bills itself as the biggest fi lm event in metro Atlanta and the second largest Jewish fi lm festival in the country. Nearly 32,000 fi lm fans attended the festival’s showings in 2013. The 2014 festival presents 65 fi lms – 52 features and 13 shorts - from 20 countries. When: Jan. 29-Feb. 20 Where: Eight different venues scattered around metro Atlanta, including Lefont Sandy Springs theaters, UA Tara Cinemas, Regal North Point, Regal Atlantic Station and the Cobb Energy Centre, which is hosting the Opening Night Gala and showing of “Run Boy Run.” Tickets are available at theater box offi ces and online at www.AJFF.org.How much: Prices vary.Of special note: The festival plans a special panel discussion on two fi lms that tell similar stories, but from different sides of the Israeli-Palestinian confl ict. One of the two, Omar, is the fi rst fi lm fully fi nanced and produced within the Palestinian fi lm industry, the festival says. The event, Bethlehem vs. Omar: Confl ict and Context, will take place Feb. 16 at Regal Atlantic Station.

M A K I N G A D I F F E R E N C E


Do you know an organization or individual making a difference

in our community? Email [email protected]

www.stagedoorplayers.net box office770.396.1726

Volunteer readers help Ashford Park students grow

John Freeland, pastor at Skyland United Methodist Church in Brookhaven, tutors youngsters at Ashford Park Elementary in reading.

MELISSA WEINMAN

BY MELISSA [email protected]

“Zot” is not a word, John Freeland sadly informed Juan, a kindergartener at Ashford Park Elementary School, who had enthusiastically drawn the letter “Z” onto his white board.

But put an “H” in front of that “OT”? De� nitely a word, Freeland said.

Freeland, the pastor of Skyland Unit-ed Methodist Church in Brookhaven, is among a group of people from the church who volunteer once a week to help stu-dents at Ashford Park Elementary School with their reading skills.

“I try to � nd a creative way to work with them and help them learn new words,” Freeland said.

Ashford Park Principal LaShawn Mc-Millan said if a child cannot read by the third grade, it’s an indicator for poor fu-ture academic performance.

“Reading is critical. You have to be able to read to be able to do well in all the other subjects,” McMillan said.

So when Freeland asked what his church could do to support the school, McMillan came up with a plan to give students who are having trouble the one-on-one support their teachers don’t al-ways have time to provide.

“In a number of classes, we found we have a number of kids that really struggle with reading,” McMillan said.

� e volunteers help students in kin-dergarten through second grade who have been recommended by their teach-ers.

“It’s not just reading. It could be pre-reading, letter recognition, phonics, knowing the sounds of the letters, and getting them ready for reading,” McMil-lan said.

Freeland said the majority of the stu-dents he works with speak Spanish at home. He said their parents may not have the English skills necessary to help them with their reading.

“For them, if they have an older broth-er or sister, their English skills are much better,” Freeland said. “� ey go home and it’s a Spanish world.”

McMillan said the school would love to have more volunteers. She said anyone who is interested can contact the school to set up a plan.

“One of the requirements is, we’re looking for someone who can be com-mitted to coming and working with our students,” McMillan said. “If you’re go-ing to do it, we really want you to come

EPA RATED NON-TOXIC & NON-ALLERGENIC

MicroSeal of AtlantaA DIVISION OF S&S RUG CLEANERS

safe • gentle • thorough

404.355.2126Stoney Green & Steve Arroll, Owners

1710 Chattahoochee Ave., Atlanta, GA 30318

Atlanta's Only Unique Submersion Wash & Compressed Air Cleaning

TheRugCleaners.com

Oriental & Area Rug Hand Washing

Free Pickup & Delivery • Serving Atlanta for Over 25 years

Restoration & Repair • Pet Urine Removal Padding & Storage • Moth & Stain Treatments

Mention this ad for winter discounts!

in and do it.”Freeland said since the beginning of

the school year, he’s been going to the school once a week. He tutors for about 30 minutes each visit.

“It’s one of the highlights of my week,” Freeland said. “It’s nice to go sit down with the kids who are always loving to-ward me, and happy to see me walk in

the door. It’s such a joy for them that I can’t help but enjoy it.”


BY ART HUCKABEEArt Huckabee is one of Yelp’s Elite re-

viewers and a pilot, gourmet cook and food lover. Starting with this issue, he will be regularly reviewing restaurants around At-lanta for Reporter Newspapers and Atlan-ta INtown.

With the ad-dition of my food writing into the Reporter News-papers and subse-quently, additional parts of the Atlanta metro area, it only seemed appropri-ate to make a visit to one such area for this month’s restau-rant review.

We chose Town Brookhaven, a mixed-use develop-ment in the vibrant and lively city of Brookhaven. � is work, play, shop and of course, eat, development has well over a dozen res-taurants to chose from. We set our sights on restaurateur Tom Catherall’s latest cre-ation, Smash Kitchen and Bar.

We visited at lunchtime during the week. � e restaurant is decorated nice-ly in dark colors with most of the seat-ing comprised of booths. It feels more like a dinner and drinks place, especial-ly with the wall-mounted deer heads star-ing down at you.

Our server quickly approached, in-formed us of the daily specials and touted the muddled drink o� erings. Smash de-rives its name from several items on the menu, and these muddled or smashed drinks are one such item. With names like Blackburn, Capital City, Ogletho-rpe and Lynwood, they contain ingredi-ents like blackberry bourbon with mud-dled blackberries or vodka, or ginger beer and muddled pears and honeydew.

� ey were enticing, but as it was lunch and all of us were headed back to work afterward, we declined. Smash also o� ers other craft cocktails and a decent beer and wine list.

For appetizers, we ordered the pret-zel sticks and the wild mushroom � at-bread. � e pretzel sticks came upright in a butcher paper cone accompanied by grainy mustard and a Newcastle Ale cheese sauce; both accentuated the salty, warm pretzels and were quite good. � e � atbread was large, and looked delicious with the dough spending just the right amount of time in the wood-� red oven. However, the toppings of Fontina cheese, roasted peppers, baby arugula and tru� e oil made it soggy and a disappointment, given its high marks for appearance.

� e three in our party ordered the half rack of baby back ribs, the steak burger

and the kale salad with a side of grilled salmon.

� e ribs were good. � ey were fall-o� -the-bone tender and covered in a house-made, fairly-standard barbecue sauce. � e mound of thin-cut shoestring pota-toes that accompanied the ribs could eas-

ily have fed three or four diners. � ey were crispy and hot. � e South-ern slaw contained rough chopped cabbage and strips of green and red peppers; it was more of a garnish and tasted as such.

� e steak burg-er -- ordered plain, with ched-dar cheese -- was cooked to order and tasted of good quality beef. � e bun, however, was a bread behemoth, and totally over-

powered that all-important bun-to-meat ratio. Adding to the mix was a huge por-tion of � nely shredded, un-melted ched-dar cheese that was perched on the bun top. It looked as though the cook had opened a bag of Kraft and dumped it, in its entirety, onto the bun. � e burg-er also came with the mountain of shoe-string fries.

� e kale salad contained an Asian peanut dressing, mint, cilantro and � ai chilies. It was a nice combination on the front of the tongue but quickly got bit-ter on the back, begging for a little more sweetness. � e accompanying salmon was unadorned and ordinary, yet cooked properly and a nice portion.

We decide against dessert but they have several interesting o� erings includ-ing chocolate pecan pie and red velvet cheesecake.

Our server was very attentive through-out the meal, bringing multiple re� lls of tea and water.

From the looks of the well-stocked bar and lots of outdoor seating, Smash is probably a lively place on warm-weath-er weekends and after work when Town Brookhaven residents return from their workdays. Our lunchtime visit never saw more than three or four tables of diners during our hour and half stay.

Smash’s dinner menu is almost iden-tical to the lunch menu, with the addi-tion of steaks and chops, and the usual increase in prices from the $12 to $17 range to the $17 to $24 range.

Smash is located at 804 Town Bou-levard, Suite 1010, in Town Brookhav-en, and can be found at www.h2sr.com/smash.

Send feedback to [email protected].

R E S T A U R A N T S

There are more than 100 full-service fine dining restaurants in Sandy Springs. Reserve a table and

enjoy a delicious meal in our community!

For more information about dining in Sandy Springs, please visit:

http://www.visitsandysprings.org

Walk into The Brickery and you will quickly feel the difference that proprietors Bruce and Sally Alterman, also longtime Sandy Springs residents, have created. The Brickery has been feeding Sandy Springs and area residents for over 22 years. It’s a genuine neighborhood landmark that can only be created with time, and with great food, and it’s the kind of place that has become part of, and important to, the community itself.

The Brickery Grill and Bar, 6125 Roswell Road – www.thebrickery.com

Savor Sandy Springs

Kitchen & Bath DesignLifetime Installation Warranty • All Products 12 Months No Interest

6223 Roswell Road • 404-255-2431

Trust the unmatched value of R2X®, Shaw’s patented combined stain and soil resistance

treatment that provides unequaled protection against soiling and liquid spills.

Carpet | Area Rugs | Tile & Stone | Hardwood | Laminate | Resilient | shawfloors.com

Visit us in-store or online today to see our full line of carpet that repels liquid!

Beautiful for the long term.Carpet treated with R2X® keeps

its stylish good looks... like so many other things that endure.

Res ta u r a n t R e v i ewDINING OUT:

Smash Kitchen & Bar

SPECIAL

Smash Kitchen & Bar, a casual eatery located in

Town Brookhaven, serves up sandwiches, pizza, seafood

and “comfort foods” like baby back ribs, as well as “smashed”

and “muddled” cocktails.


Chef Ford Fry’s newest restaurant, St. Cecilia (stceciliaatl.com) has opened in the former Blue-pointe space inside � e Pinnacle Building, 3455 Peachtree Road. � e European menu features � sh and pasta. Fry said he and executive chef Bri-an Horn worked together to create a menu that travels the southern European coastline, explor-ing pasta and roasted � sh served in the historic seaside towns and villages.

Rumor has it that a new Zaxby’s is coming to Sandy Springs. Tomorrow’s News Today reports that the chicken chain is working to secure two parcels at 6545 and 6555 Roswell Road for the new location.

Buckhead Atlanta has signed 10 restaurants for the mixed-use development, ac-cording to a report from the Atlanta Business Chronicle. � e restaurants include Le Bilboquet, a French bistro; American F+B, a bar and grill concept; a to-be-named pizza restaurant from Texas-based Consilient Hospitality; Lugo Ca� e, an Italian cafe; Corso Co� ee, an Italian-style co� ee bar; Doraku Sushi, a Japanese sushi and steak eatery; Georgetown Cupcake, a bakery; Gypsy Kitchen, a Spanish fusion concept; � e Southern Gentleman, a gastropub; and Shake Shack, a burger, hot dog and fro-zen custard concept.

A second outpost of Lucky’s Burger & Brew is expected to open during the � rst quarter at Town Brookhaven. � e original is in Roswell.

A Buckhead Village mainstay since 1993, � e Cheesecake Factory (thecheese-cakefactory.com) has announced it will move to Lenox Square during the � rst quar-ter of 2014. � e current location on Peachtree Road will remain open until the new location opens.

Bell Street Burritos (bellstreetburritos.com) has shuttered its Irwin Street Mar-ket location in the Old Fourth Ward after just a little more than a year in business. However, a new location of the burrito joint has opened in South Buckhead at 1816 Peachtree Road.

Beverly Hills-based Sprinkles Cupcakes (sprinkles.com) is now open at Lenox Square in Buckhead. � e new outpost includes an ice cream shop and the famed Cupcake ATM, which is constantly restocked with fresh treats available with a swipe of your charge card.

Chef Christophe Le Metayer, formerly

with the Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead, has found-ed Christophe’s To Go (christophestogo.com), which sells prepared gourmet meals that only need to be re-heated and served. � ere are locations in Brookhaven (4060 Peachtree Road, Suite F), Sandy Springs (6309 Roswell Road, Suite 1E) and John’s Creek (9775 Medlock Bridge Road, Suite P). � ere are more than 30 daily options to choose from, including salads, soups, sandwiches, � sh and meat.

Roots Juices (rootspressedjuices.com) is now open at the Around Lenox Shopping Center in Buckhead in Suite 202-A.

Red Pepper Taqueria (eatredpepper.com) is now open at 3135 Piedmont Road in Buckhead.

King + Duke (kinganddukeatl.com) was named one of Esquire magazine’s Best New Restaurants of 2013. “We are thrilled to have one of our restaurants recognized for the second straight year by Esquire magazine,” said Chef Ford Fry, whose � e Op-timist made last year’s list. Esquire food and travel correspondent John Mariani de-scribed King + Duke as a “can’t-miss spot.”

� e distinctive, circular former location of Trust Company Bank and the now shuttered Piebar and Ixtlan on Monroe Drive will soon become a restaurant and lounge called Cirque. Built in 1962, the new concept is from the owner of � e Dai-quiri Factory on West Peachtree Street in Midtown.

Canoe Cellar Door (cellardooratl.com), a sommelier-operated wine shop, is open at 4199 Paces Ferry Road. � e new shop from the owners of Canoe Restau-rant features 750 wines from around the world priced at $9 to more than $1,000.

R E S T A U R A N T S

Res ta u r a n t R e v i ew Quick bites: News you can eat

Buckhead4365 Roswell Rd.

AtlantaRoswell-Wieuca Shopping Center

678-732-9531

Sandy Springs5975 Roswell Rd.

Sandy SpringsNext to Lowe’s

404-600-2484

$7 Meal DEAL

Includes Bobby’s Classic Single Cheeseburger,

Fresh Cut Fries and DrinkCannot be combined with any other coupon.

Expires 2/06/14

Kazoo Toys is your neighborhood toy expert, offering a truly enjoyable shopping experience. Kazoo provides area parents, teachers, and children of all abilities with one of the Southeast’s largest selections of unique and high quality toys, games, and creative playthings.

Kazoo Toys of Buckhead 3718 Roswell Road, Atlanta, GA (404) 500-1027 • facebook.com/KazooToysAtlanta

Hours: Monday - Saturday: 10-6 • Sunday: 11-3

selections of unique and high quality toys, games,

Located in Powers Ferry

Square

2009 Best Chinese-The Sunday Paper2001-2002 Best Chinese by Atlanta Jewish Times readers

1998-2012 Best Chinese by Creative Loafing“Mouth-watering Chin Chin spices things up.” –The Atlanta Journal Constitution

“Most Memorable Meal” –Where Atlanta Magazine - 21/2 stars–Knife & Fork

3887 Peachtree Road, Buckhead/Brookhaven And Other Locations404-816-2229 | www.ChinChinAtlanta.com

• DELIVERY (LIMITED AREA, MIN. $10)• CARRY OUT • CATERING • FULL BAR SERVICE

WATCH OUR OPEN KITCHEN & EXPERIENCE THE ART OF CHINESE COOKING!!

Chin ChinChinese Restaurant

E D U C A T I O N


For more information, contact Tracy Meazell at [email protected] or 770.698.2090 today.

:: Certified Intructors:: Quality Lessons and Classes for Beginners, Masters and Triathletes :: Heated saline pools are open year round:: Year round swim team preparation for ages 5-15:: Available to Members and Non-members

8 Concourse Parkway | Sandy Springs, GAImmediately off South GA400 Exit 4C

IT’s AlwAys swIM seAson

An Evening with Cokie Roberts

Wednesday, February 5, 2014 at 7 p.m.Free Community Event

The Davis Academy is pleased to present award-winning journalist and political commentator Cokie Roberts for an evening of conversation and book signing. Copies of her best selling books along with her new and first children’s book, Founding Mothers, will be available for purchase and signing.

The Davis Academy Lower School 8105 Roberts Drive, Atlanta GA 30350 Seating is limited for this exclusive event. Please RSVP today to: [email protected].

For more information,contact Lori Zelony, [email protected]

Proud Affiliate of:www.davisacademy.org

Standout StudentStudent Profi le:

Mary Catherine Thomson Holy Innocents’ Episcopal

School, senior

For Mary Catherine � omson, learn-ing extends far beyond the walls of the school she has attended since sixth grade.

As a sophomore, she spent 10 days in Briey, France, as part of a foreign ex-change program.

“I really enjoyed getting to know my exchange student’s family. She had a sin-gle mother and a sister, and we just spent a lot of time sitting around their kitch-en table talking about our di� erent cul-tures,” said Mary Catherine.

From eating home-cooked escargot to enjoying daily fresh breads, Mary Catherine had the chance to experience the language which she has studied since kindergarten. � is year, she received a 2013 Outstanding Senior in French award from the American Association of Teachers of French, which honors students for their commitment to the language, and for having high academ-ic achievement. Mary Catherine was one of only nine students in Georgia to receive the 2013 honor.

“I have de� nitely developed a passion and love for French, so it was nice to be recognized for that,” said Mary Cathe-rine.

Her passion is apparent to those around her.

“From the beginning, I saw her ea-gerness and her incredible intelligence. She is a very discerning lady and can read between the lines in literature,” said her current Advanced Placement French teacher Gerard Gatoux. “She is extreme-ly professional and is a perfectionist in the classroom.”

In addition to French, Mary Cathe-rine is also passionate about English and literature, and attended the four-week Governor’s Honors Program in Valdosta, Ga., this past summer as a communica-tion arts major and theater minor. At the program, she enjoyed taking part in dis-cussion-oriented classes and exploring in-teresting topics, from stand-up comedy to modern feminism.

Before her junior year, she was selected to play for the highly competitive Geor-gia national lacrosse team at the nation-al tournament in Long Island, New York.

“I have de� nitely gained lessons in commitment, hard work and dedication from lacrosse,” said Mary Catherine, who has played lacrosse at Holy Innocents’ since eighth grade. “I am really close with my lacrosse team, and the support they give me both on and o� the � eld has been very valuable in my time in high school.”

During the school year and summer, Mary Catherine is involved in helping

other, younger students to achieve suc-cess through Horizons Atlanta. � e or-ganization hosts free, six-week summer programs and monthly Saturday school days to help underprivileged children maintain and advance academic prog-ress. Mary Catherine is currently one of two youth board members for the orga-nization, and acts as a link between the group, Holy Innocents’ and the commu-nity to help organize student volunteers for the program.

“� ese kids are so precocious and en-ergetic, and really enjoy being there. I usually � nd myself laughing almost the entire time just because of how much en-ergy they have, and how ready they are to learn and to be there,” said Mary Cath-erine. “Being able to provide support to them academically and as a role model is something I have really come to enjoy.”

As a sophomore, Mary Catherine also helped in her community as part of the inaugural Youth Leadership San-dy Springs class. � e year-long program takes a group of 30 sophomores and ju-niors for one school day each month to travel around the community and talk to di� erent professionals, from city planners to policemen.

At the end of the program, the par-ticipants work on a cumulative project. In Mary Catherine’s year, this project in-volved making voice recordings of chil-drens’ book reading, and donating the recordings and books to Lake Forest Ele-mentary School, where many students do not speak English at home.

What’s Next: Mary Catherine has been accepted to

the University of Georgia, but has not yet decided on a college. She hopes to possi-bly minor in French and continue with lacrosse. She is also interested in continu-ing her interest in science by studying bi-ology. “I think she will be one of those students that will always amaze you and will become whatever she wants to be -- whether that is an engineer or doctor or lawyer or diplomat,” Gatoux said.

� is article was prepared by Mollie Simon, a student at Chamblee Charter High School.

Corrections� e enrollment of � e Weber School was misstated in the Jan. 10-Jan. 23 editions

of Reporter Newspapers. � e enrollment is 226.An article about Robert Port’s cycling trips in Israel that appeared in the Jan. 10-

Jan. 23 editions of Reporter Newspapers misstated the location where cyclists waved to guards. It was along Israel’s Egyptian border.

E D U C A T I O N


Success in our business can be attributed to the personal relationships that we build with our clients. We have been very pleased with the new customers

we reach through our advertising in Atlanta INtown and

Reporter Newspapers. – Pam Cole, Owner

Atlanta INtown & Reporter Newspapers work for our advertisers!

To find out how your business can benefit, contact publisher Steve Levene at 404-917-2200, ext. 111

ReporterNewspapers

www.ReporterNewspapers.netwww.AtlantaINtownPaper.com

PHOTOS BY PHIL MOSIER

Train your brainDunwoody High School’s Mathematics

Department hosted the Invitational Middle School Mathematics Competition on Jan. 18. Above,

Peachtree Charter Middle School sixth-graders Justin Heo, foreground, Shrika Madivana, back left, and Kervie Lou, right, work as a group.

Right, Daniela Roldan ponders a problem. The competition is a Georgia Council of Teachers of Mathematics 2014 state tournament qualifi er.

DUN

P U B L I C S A F E T Y


Police BlotterFrom police reports

dated through Jan. 16.

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

curate.

BURGLARY 2300 block of Dunwoody Crossing –

A residential burglary, using forced entry, was reported on Jan. 14.

2200 block of Dunwoody Crossing – A burglary to a residence, using forced entry, resulted in the theft of computer equipment, shoes and jewelry, and was reported on Jan. 15.

6600 block of Peachtree Industri-al Boulevard – A burglary to a resi-dence, using forced entry, was re-ported on Jan. 16.

AUTO THEFT 4600 block of Peachtree Place Park-

way – Theft of an auto was report-ed on Jan. 2.

300 block of Perimeter Center North – Theft of an auto was reported on

Jan. 15; theft of an auto was report-ed on Jan. 16.

THEFT/LARCENY 4300 block of Ashford Dunwoody

Road – A larceny from a building was reported on Jan. 1; shoplifting of clothing was reported on Jan. 2; shoplifting of clothing was reported on Jan. 3; a larceny was reported on Jan. 4; a larceny of a tablet from a vehicle was reported on Jan. 10; en-tering an auto was reported on Jan. 10; shoplifting of a watch was re-ported on Jan. 11; two incidents of shoplifting of clothing were report-ed on Jan. 15.

1000 block of Crown Pointe Parkway – A larceny of a camera and lens-es from a vehicle was reported on

Jan. 1; a larceny of an iPad and case from a vehicle was reported on Jan. 1; a larceny of a laptop and $1,000 in cash from a vehicle was reported on Jan. 1; a larceny of a laptop from a vehicle was reported on Jan. 9.

4400 block of Chamblee Dunwoody Road – Shoplifting of cologne was re-ported on Jan. 1; shoplifting of jew-elry was reported on Jan. 2; a larce-ny of an iPad and case from a vehicle was reported on Jan. 2; a larceny was reported on Jan. 8; shoplifting of food was re-ported on Jan. 10; a larceny from a building was reported on Jan. 13; shoplift-ing was reported on Jan. 16.

4700 block of Ashford Dunwoody Road – Shoplifting of cellphone cas-es and nail polish was reported on Jan. 1; shoplifting of two magnets was reported on Jan. 2; shoplifting of two phone chargers was reported on Jan. 3; shoplifting was reported on Jan. 3; shoplifting of merchan-dise was reported on Jan. 4; shop-lifting of two phone chargers was reported on Jan. 5; shoplifting of merchandise was reported on Jan.

5; shoplifting of nightgowns was reported on Jan. 5; shoplifting of greeting cards was reported on Jan. 5; shoplifting was reported on Jan. 5; a larceny was reported on Jan. 5; a larceny was reported on Jan. 8; a larceny of a laptop from a vehicle was reported on Jan. 10; shoplifting of gloves was reported on Jan. 13; shoplifting of clothing was report-ed on Jan. 13; shoplifting of art sup-plies was reported on Jan. 14; shop-lifting of cookware was reported on Jan. 16; shoplifting was reported on

Jan. 16; shop-lifting of cards was reported on Jan. 16.

4400 block of Ashford Dun-

woody Road –Shoplifting of clothing was reported on Jan. 3; shoplifting of sunglasses was reported on Jan. 3; shoplifting of suits was report-ed on Jan. 7; a larceny was report-ed on Jan. 7; theft by receiving sto-len property was reported on Jan. 9; shoplifting of two watches was reported on Jan. 11; shoplifting of clothing was reported on Jan. 14.

100 block of Perimeter Center Place – A larceny of a laptop and an iPad from a vehicle was reported on Jan. 3; a larceny of an iPhone from a ve-hicle was reported on Jan. 3; a lar-ceny of a laptop from a vehicle was reported on Jan. 3; shoplifting of merchandise was reported on Jan. 3.

2400 block of Kingsland Drive – A larceny was reported on Jan. 4.

100 block of Perimeter Center West – Sudden snatching was reported on Jan. 5; a larceny from a building was reported on Jan. 7; a larceny of a laptop and iPod from a vehicle was reported on Jan. 9; a larceny of a laptop and iPad from a vehicle was reported on Jan. 14.

1200 block of Hammond Drive – Shoplifting of jeans, shoes and watches was reported on Jan. 5.

2400 block of Leisure Lake Drive – A larceny from a building was report-ed on Jan. 5.

4600 block of Peachtree Place Park-way – A larceny of parts from a vehi-cle was reported on Jan. 7.

200 block of Perimeter Center Park-way – A larceny of a briefcase from a vehicle was reported on Jan. 7; a larceny of a laptop and tablet from a vehicle was reported on Jan. 7; a larceny of a $2,500 man’s watch, laptop and cash from a vehicle was reported on Jan. 7; a larceny from

Read more of the Police Blotter online at

www.reporternewspapers.net

DUN

P U B L I C S A F E T Y


a building was reported on Jan. 9; a larceny of an iPad and briefcase from a vehicle was reported on Jan. 12.

4600 block of N. Shallowford Road – A larceny of a purse from a vehicle was reported on Jan. 8.

4500 block of Olde Perimeter Way – A larceny of a laptop and iPad Air from a vehicle was reported on Jan. 9; shoplifting was reported on Jan. 13.

4000 block of Dunwoody Park – Two larcenies of parts from a vehicle were reported on Jan. 9.

1100 block of Hammond Drive – A larceny was re-ported on Jan. 10; a larce-ny was reported on Jan. 11.

4400 block of Tilly Mill Road – A larceny of parts from a vehicle was reported on Jan. 10.

2300 block of Dunwoody Crossing – A larceny of parts from a vehicle was reported on Jan. 10.

4500 block of Ashford Dunwoody Road – A larceny was reported on Jan. 11.

5400 block of Chamblee Dunwoody Road – A larceny of a purse from a vehicle was reported on Jan. 13.

4600 block of N. Peachtree Road – A larceny from a building was report-ed on Jan. 16.

ASSAULT 1st block of Perimeter Center East –

Family battery/simple battery was reported on Jan. 1.

3200 block of Peachford Circle – Family battery/simple battery was reported on Jan. 1.

100 block of Perimeter Center Place – Two incidents of sexual assault were reported on Jan. 2.

3300 block of Asbury Square/Ashford Dunwoody Road – Family battery/simple battery was reported on Jan. 3.

5100 block of Trumbull Court – Fam-ily cruelty toward a child was re-ported on Jan. 9.

2300 block of Peachford Road – Sim-ple assault/battery was reported on Jan. 10.

100 block of Perimeter Lofts Circle – Simple assault/battery was report-ed on Jan. 11.

6700 block of Peachtree Industrial

Boulevard – Family battery/simple battery was reported on Jan. 11.

4400 block of Ashford Dunwoody Road – Assault through intimidation was reported on Jan. 12; assault through intimidation was reported on Jan. 13; aggravated assault with a gun was reported on Jan. 15.

1200 block of Dunwoody Gables Drive – Simple assault/battery was

reported on Jan. 14.

FRAUD 4500 block of Ash-

ford Dunwoody Road – Check forgery was report-ed on Jan. 2.

5500 block of Cham-blee Dunwoody Road – Cred-

it card fraud was reported on Jan. 3.

1st block of Perimeter Center East – Credit card fraud was reported on Jan. 5.

3100 block of Asbury Square – Fraud was reported on Jan. 5.

4700 block of Ashford Dunwoody Road – Swindle was reported on Jan. 6.

1700 block of Brandywine Court – Fraud through impersonation was reported on Jan. 9.

1200 block of Hammond Drive – Swindle was reported on Jan. 11.

4700 block of Valley View Court – Fraud was reported on Jan. 13.

4400 block of Ashford Dunwoody Road – Credit card fraud was re-ported on Jan. 13.

5400 block of Chamblee Dunwoody Road – Swindle was reported on Jan. 15.

Other

4600 block of Peachtree Place Parkway – Disorderly conduct under the infl uence was re-ported on Jan. 1.

1600 block of Mount Vernon Road – A loitering violation was reported on Jan. 5.

Perimeter Center East/Ashford Dun-woody Road – Disorderly conduct was reported on Jan. 5.

4800 block of Mill Brook Drive – Criminal trespass was reported on Jan. 6.

Winters Chapel Road/Spring Drive – A weapons offense was reported on Jan. 7.

1200 block of Ashford Gables Drive – Criminal trespass was reported on Jan. 10.

4400 block of Ashford Dunwoody Road – Disorderly conduct was re-ported on Jan. 11; disorderly con-

duct under the infl uence was reported on Jan. 15.

4700 block of N. Peachtree Road – Being in a park after hours was report-

ed on Jan. 11.

4500 block of Olde Perimeter Way – Solicitation was report-ed on Jan. 12.

2300 block of Dun-woody Crossing – Public inde-cency was reported on Jan.

14; harassing communications were reported on Jan. 15.

6800 block of Peachtree Industrial Boulevard – Harassing communica-tions were reported on Jan. 14.

4400 block of N. Peachtree Road – Disorderly conduct was reported on Jan. 16.

Before Construction After Construction

Before

15-year warranty

for Stain-Proof™

Permanent Sealer

We can offer

10 year warranty

on any construction.

Specializing in Construction, Renovation, Repair & Maintenance• Patios/Pool Decks • Pools & Spas • Outdoor Kitchens • Arbors

• Brick & Stone • Chimneys/Fireplace • Decorative Concrete/Pavers • Decks • Driveways • Efflorescence Cleaning • Grading & Drainage

• Historical Restorations • Masonry Maintenance Contracts • Retaining Walls • Stone Patio Restoration & Sealing

• Stone/Tile Deck Waterproofing & Leak Repair

[email protected]

404.478.9563www.southernoutdoorcd.com Serving your community

for 15 years

9; shoplifting was reported on

4000 block of Dunwoody – Two larcenies of

– A larceny was re-ported on Jan. 10; a larce-ny was reported on Jan. 11.

reported on Jan. 14.

blee Dunwoody Road it card fraud was reported

on Jan. 3.

DUN


C O M M U N I T Y

Buckhead Atlanta streetscape includes trees, ‘quality materials’BY MELISSA WEINMAN

[email protected]

For the � rst time in three years, Ol-iverMcMillan CEO Dene Oliver came to Atlanta to talk about the progress of his company’s behemoth redevelopment project known as Buckhead Atlanta.

At the Buckhead Business Associa-tion’s annual luncheon Jan. 16, Oliver told members of Buckhead’s business community that his California-based company plans to invest $10 million into the streets, sidewalks and landscap-ing around Buckhead Atlanta.

“� e way we connect with people in an urban environment is on the streets and sidewalks,” Oliver said.

He said people-watching from a side-walk cafe or walking between shops un-der shady trees is part of the experience he envisions. Oliver said the company is investing in trees 90 inches to 120 inch-es tall, and in granite curbs to provide a nice, outdoor experience.

“Life on the streets and sidewalks is what will be so important here,” Oliver said.

He said the development will be built using quality materials, such as stone in-stead of plaster, to give it the feel of an established area.

“It’s a great design that doesn’t look

like it’s all been done by the same person at the same time,” Oliver said. “We’re looking at bringing something to you that feels like it could have been there a while.”

Oliver said it was symbolic to see the cranes that have been looming over Peachtree Road for years begin working again in 2012.

“People have said, ‘you’ve been sort of quiet.’ We felt our actions were more important than our words,” Oliver said. “With the cranes being such a visual component, it was pretty hard to fake it. � ere isn’t a lot to say until you make them move.”

OliverMcMillan acquired the prop-erty after the original development plan, then known as the Streets of Buck-head, stalled in 2009 due to the reces-sion. Construction is now in full swing. When Oliver visited the property Jan. 15, he said there were 825 people work-ing there.

When complete, Buckhead Atlan-ta will include 1.5 million square feet of shops, restaurants, o� ces and luxu-ry apartments on eight acres covering six city blocks near the intersection of Peachtree and East Paces Ferry roads.

Oliver said including the $350 million invested in the project before OliverMcMillan acquired it, Buck-head Atlanta is expected to cost a total of $1 billion.

A few Buckhead Atlanta tenants have been announced, including sev-eral restaurants and the headquarters for Atlanta-based undergarment mak-er Spanx.

But Oliver said he prefers to keep the majority of the future tenants a surprise.

“We are bringing a lot of people that are not already here in the [Atlan-ta] market,” Oliver said.

He explained some of the reasons behind renaming the project “Buck-head Atlanta,” a name he admitted was largely panned by the press.

He said including Atlanta in the name was important for the Europe-an market, which isn’t necessarily fa-miliar with the Buckhead area.

“Buckhead is the identity. � e city is Atlanta,” Oliver said. “It was a far more inclusive name.”

He recognized the original develop-er, Ben Carter Properties, whom he de-scribed as a victim of poor timing.

“[Buckhead Atlanta] would not have happened had there not been some great vision by the Buckhead community

and Ben Carter Properties,” Oliver said. “� e vision, the tenacity to assemble that property and come forward with a vision, was courageous.”

� e � rst shops, restaurants and apart-ments are scheduled to open in July. Buckhead Atlanta is expected to be com-plete by the spring of 2015.

Dene Oliver, OliverMcMillan CEO

Reporter Newspapers perfectly captures our target audience. We love hearing that customers visit after seeing our ad. We get a

lot of bang for our advertising dollar!

– Jeanene Weiner , Owner

Reporter Newspapers work for our advertisers! To find out how your business can benefit, contact publisher Steve Levene at 404-917-2200, ext. 111 or

email [email protected].

ReporterNewspapers


DUN

www.ReporterNewspapers.net | JAN. 24 – FEB. 6, 2014 | 23DUN

Belco Electric• Family Owned since 1972 •Fast, Dependable Service by

Professional, Uniformed Electricians

770-455-4556Check out our new website

www.BelcoInc.comand follow us on

A Complete Plumbing Service Center

404-461-9724$25 Off with this ad!

Matthew’s Handy ServicesSpecialty: Small Jobs and Chores• Carpentry • Drywall • Painting

• Elect/Plumb • Shelving • Towel Bars • Door Knobs

7am appointments • [email protected]

With two professional in-house polishers, we can make your silver fl atware, tea sets, bowls and trays more beautiful than ever before.

Bring it by or call us for an estimate today!

Residential Landscape Design and Installation.Professional Lawn

and Landscape Maintenance.Bermuda / Zoysia Specialist

Since 1974

404-622-2211Bob Haddad, owner

HADDAD LANDSCAPING

Oriental Rug ShopAntique and Decorative Rugs since 1976

Best Rug Cleaning & Repair5548 Peachtree Blvd.

Atlanta, GA 30341404-995-8400

1.5 miles inside 285 in Chamblee Plazawww.PersianRugParadise.net

20%OFF

Cleaning & Repair of All Rugs

With coupon. One per family.

PLUMBINGFull Service Company

Plumbing • Drain CleaningGas Piping • Water Filtration

Water Heaters – all typesOwner operator • Licensed & insured

404-252-0343

(770) 251-9765www.generatorstore.com

• Most Air-Cooled Models InStock Ready To Install

• Automatic Standby Generators

$50 coupon

One per customer





• Most Air-Cooled Models In Stock and Ready To Install





• Plumbing • Electrical • Sheetrock • Floors • Tile • Framing • Kitchens • Painting • Roofwork • Concrete • Stained Glass • Antique Door Restoration • Gutters

The Handyman Can

[email protected] Salvesen • 404-453-3438

Includes Unlimited Vents and One Return on One System

additional returns from $16.95 each

Air Duct Cleaning!$69 95 Special

678-360-4499

Antique Repair Specialist • Speciality Care Hand Wash Cleaning(front and back with plenty of water) • No Chemicals Used

Air Dried, Scotch Guard • Mothproof, Padding, Storage Appraisal & Insurance Statements • Pickup and Delivery Available

In the heart of Buckhead

404-467-8242 • 3255-5 Peachtree Road NE, Atlanta GA 30305

Oriental Rug Cleaning

15% OFFWith This Ad

Call James Cell (404) 784 5142 Home (770) 455-6237

Trash, Junk Hauled For Less$35 - $150 per load

We will pick up appliances, furniture, tree limbs, construction debris, basement and foreclosure clean outs.

Reporter Classifi eds To place a Classifi ed or Service Directory ad call Deborah at 404-917-2200 x 110.

POLICE DEPARTMENT LOST & FOUND

PROPERTYSandy Springs Police Department – Seeking owners for Lost and Found Property. These property items are not for sale. To view the property items list, visit the Sandy Springs Police Department website at www.sandyspringspolice.org To claim property, you must have valid identification and proof of ownership

INSTALLATION Offering vinyl, wood and composite windows – All types of siding. Factory-trained installation. Family-owned, Family-priced. Angie’s List ‘A’ Rated. BBB ‘A+’. 33 Years In Business. Quinn Windows & Siding. 770-939-5634.

PERSONALSSt. Jude – Thank you for answering my prayers! MR, CC, PC

LANDSCAPENorth Georgia Lawn Care – Honest, affordable and dependable. Free estimates. Tony 404-402-5435.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITYStart your own business in the health and wellness industry – Free training and support. Go to www.TheBestDreamEver.com

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

Furniture Care – Onsite repairs & touchups. Cell/Text 770-882-5132. Linton’s Furniture Shop

Matthew’s Handy Services – small jobs and chores are my specialty. Flexible scheduling, shelving/organizers and towel bars, carpentry, drywall, painting, plumbing and cleaning. Call 404-547-2079 or email [email protected]

SERVICES AVAILABLEHELP WANTEDAdvertising Sales/Reporter Newspapers & Atlanta Intown – We’re hiring another great salesperson—join our team! You should have a record of success selling products or services to small and mid-sized businesses, know the local market and enjoy working in a fast-paced, deadline-oriented, entrepreneurial company. Unlimited earning potential with base salary + commission + company-paid health insurance. Contact publisher Steve Levene at 404-917-2200, ext. 111 or email [email protected]

Part Time Cashier / Greeter Needed – Looking for a local Dunwoody resident to greet customers and cashier at Sunshine Car Wash of Dunwoody. $8.50 / hour. Call (770) 350-0252 for details.

Euro-distribution (Dunwoody) – Is looking for a QuickBooks expert for one day per week. Please send resume to [email protected]

Reporter Class i f ieds wi l l work for you.

Home Services Directory


www.REPORTERNEWSPAPERS.NET www.AtlantaINtownPaper.com

To learn about advertising opportunities contact Publisher Steve Levene at 404-917-2200 ext. 111

How do you reach Atlanta’s best communities?

Put the power of Reporter Newspapers & Atlanta INtown

to work for your business!

BuckheadReporter

BrookhavenReporter

DunwoodyReporter

Sandy SpringsReporter

BuckheadReporterwww.ReporterNewspapers.net

Scan here to get Reporter Newspapers

in your inbox or sign up @ReporterNewspapers.net

InsideUphold, honorLeases violate U.S. Constitution, says residentcommUNity 2Left outResidents want more input

on development projectscommUNity 3

SharpshootersLocal ‘Annie Oakleys’ enjoy blasting targetsaRoUNd towN 11

No more chadsOfficial promises a smooth Nov. 5 electioncommeNtaRy 10

sept. 20 — oct. 3, 2013 • vol. 7 — NO. 19Dog days of summer

phiL mOSieR

Frances mosley, 12, and “amos,” enjoy the water at the Garden Hills Pool during the 28th annual

Peachtree Hills animal Hospital dog Swim on Sept. 15. members and non-members had a chance to splash

with their four-legged friends during the final swim of the 2013 season. More photos on page 8.

By Dan [email protected]

Parents of North Atlanta High students

are angry, confused and – above all – sus-

picious of the latest drama surrounding the

leadership at the school.Principal Howard Taylor was leaving,

but was enticed to stay when Atlanta Pub-

lic Schools officials offered him a promotion

to oversee the entire North Atlanta Clus-

ter. But the Board of Education on Sept.

17 wouldn’t vote to approve that promotion.

That last development came just before

a hastily arranged community meeting on

Sept. 17 at Garden Hills Elementary. As-

sociate Superintendent Steve Smith, Board

of Education Chairman Reuben McDaniel,

District 4 Board of Education member Nan-

cy Meister and Seat 7 Board of Education

member Courtney English were there to an-

swer questions, or at least try.One parent summed up the general senti-

ment of the NAHS community.

“What in the hell has happened here?”

she asked. “That’s the million-dollar question,”

Smith said. Taylor was not at the Garden Hills meet-

ing. Neither was Superintendent Erroll Da-

vis. Smith’s explanation, in a nutshell: Taylor

butted heads with central office staff at APS.

He couldn’t hire the teachers he wanted and

found the bureaucracy too burdensome.

“What Dr. Taylor has in a general sense

outlined to us was the inability to sometimes

choose his own personnel, meaning what

teachers would actually work in his facility,”

Smith said. “The other thing he would out-

line … is even when he did have the oppor-

See NoRtH atLaNta, PaGe 5

North atlanta leadership troubles continue

V TE WIN

more stories

Buckhead ‘address of choice’ for apartmentscommUNity 6-7

1

46

19

2

13 & 18

15

20

16

5

7 & 12

8

3

9

17

21

1110 & 14 FaLL eDucatIon GuIDe pages 13-28

Inside Brookhaven

Reporterwww.ReporterNewspapers.net

Scan here to get

Reporter Newspapers

in your inbox

or sign up @


Survey says...

Many unhappy with

city’s Pink Pony fight

commuNity 3

map quest

Proposed new cities

take first steps

commuNity 5

Sharpshooters

Local ‘Annie Oakleys’

enjoy blasting targets

aRouNd towN 11

Hit parade

Time to eliminate

DeKalb CEO position

commeNtaRy 10

House hunters

Tour of homes features

local residences

commuNity 31

sept. 20 — oct. 3, 2013 • vol. 5 — NO. 19

By Melissa WeinMan

[email protected]

The Silver Lake Civic Association is

not your typical neighborhood group.

Its activities include dredging and dam maintenance for a 28-

acre lake, and upkeep of the 80 acres of old growth forests

sur-

rounding it, said Kris M

iller, the association’s president.

“The lake today is an unbelievable natural resource,” Miller s

aid.

See clock, page 2

See SuRvey, page 8

May I ha ve this dance?

PhiL MOsiEr

kara d’angelo, 3, boogies with her mother melissa to the sounds of Rockin’ Rick and Sweet

“tea” pisaniello during the Food truck Roundup at Blackburn park on Sept. 11. the event also

included a 9/11 remembrance ceremony. additional photos on pages 34 and 35.

time running out

to find new city offices

Residents consider

Silver lake a ‘jewel’

V TE WINFind out how you

could win an iPad!

kudzu.com/best

By Melissa WeinMan

[email protected]

With leases on Brookhaven’s city office space and municipal

court set to expire D

ec. 31, officials are still on the hunt for a more

permanent facility for the city to call home.

When the city began operations in December 2012, officials

moved into two temporary offices, each with a one-year lease. C

ity

Hall is located in Ashford Center N

orth, a Dunwoody office build-

Its activities include dredging and dam maintenance for a 28-

where

you

live

Fall education Guide

pages 13-28

InsideDunwoodyReporterwww.ReporterNewspapers.net

Scan here to get

Reporter Newspapers

in your inbox or sign up @


Sept. 20 — Oct. 3, 2013 • vOl. 4 — NO. 19

Drop itBonser ethics complaints

deemed ‘frivolous’commuNity 3

Home aloneMayor Davis says ‘all types

of residences important’commuNity 8

SharpshootersLocal ‘Annie Oakleys’

enjoy blasting targetsaRouND towN 11

Hit paradeTime to eliminate DeKalb CEO positioncommeNtaRy 10

House huntersTour of Homes features

local residencescommuNity 31

Ice, ice babyValyn Lekan, 2, left, gets an

icy cool down from addison

eckard, 8, while enjoying Food

truck thursdays at Brook Run

Park on Sept. 12. the two,

along with other members of

their families, sampled tasty

treats from local food truck

vendors and listened to live

music. the weekly event

continues through oct. 24. to

read more about Food truck

thursdays, turn to page 2.

View additonal photos

on page 38.PHiL MOsiEr

By Joe [email protected]

The city redevelopment project known as Project Renaissance is

picking up momentum, city officials say.

On Sept. 9, the city sold six lots to the private developer work-

ing on the project, John Wieland Homes and Neighborhoods, so

the developer could begin work on the first residences it will build

in the 35-acre project, City Manager Warren Hutmacher told

members of Dunwoody City Council.

Also, the city is considering an early purchase of 19 of the acres

it has under contract in order save money on financing costs.

“The first two homes will start coming out of the ground in

By Joe [email protected]

Dunwoody residents soon may be able legally to keep more than

three pets and to practice certain kinds of home occupations.

Removing the limit on pets and adding rules allowing some

home businesses were among Dunwoody City Council’s most recent

tweaks to the city’s rewrite of its zoning and development regula-

tions. The rewrite, intended to make Dunwoody’s regulations reflect

the desires of city residents, has been under way since early last year.

After debate Sept. 17 that touched on residents’ reactions to jobs

such as teaching piano or giving swimming lessons, council members

seemed to endorse an idea to divide home occupations into three

See PRoject Page 9

See DeKaLB, Page 35

Project Renaissance

gaining momentum council ‘compromises’

on home business lawsV TE WIN Find out how you could win an iPad!

kudzu.com/best

Fall education Guide pages 13-28

Inside Sandy Springs

Reporter


Scan here to get

Reporter Newspapers

in your inbox

or sign up @


Sept. 20 — Oct. 3, 2013 • vOl. 7 — NO. 19

Troubled water

Northridge Road bridge

replacement coming soon

commuNiTy 2

Swell hotel

Luxury complex stil

l

in the works

commuNiTy 3

Sharpshooters

Local ‘Annie Oakleys’

enjoy blasting targets

aRouNd TowN 11

No more chads

Official promises smooth

Nov. 5 election

commeNTaRy 10

moving on

Fire marshal, public

safety director leaving

commuNiTy 32

It really, really happened!

By Dan Whisenhunt

[email protected]

During its Sept. 17 meetin

g, City Council took the next ste

p in

revitalizing its d

owntown.

According to city spokeswoman Sharon Kraun, City Council

officially authorized

the release

of a request f

or qualifications in

By Dan Whisenhunt

[email protected]

City staff is reviewing policie

s aimed at protecting the city’

s

tree canopy at t

he request o

f outgoing City Councilwoman Kar-

en Meinzen McEnerny.

McEnerny said the tre

e protection ordinance th

e city passed

in

See ciTy officially, page 8

See cuRReNT, page 8

‘master developer’ next

for downtown plans

city reviewing tree

ordinance

V TE WINFind out how you

could win an iPad!

kudzu.com/best

PhiL MOsieR

Kate walstad, 3, le

ft, with tw

in sister caroline, rig

ht, share a litt

le news with mom Stephanie

at the Kinchafoonee cowboys concert a

t Heritage green on Sept. 8

. The performance was the

last in the concerts

by the Springs music series fo

r 2013. more photos on page 38.

FaLL eDucation GuiDe

pages 13-28

100,000 copies delivered to homes and businesses in 5 great communities.

DUN

01-24-2014 dunwoody reporter

Documents

new cities

new youtake

spinning new

new equipment

county plans

e bins

garbage truck

e future