06-12-2015 Sandy Springs Reporter

JUNE 12 — JUNE 25, 2015 • VOL. 9 — NO. 12

Sandy SpringsReporter

www.ReporterNewspapers.net

Sparring over SpaldingDeveloper, residents differ on traffic

COMMUNITY 3

Home grownSupport local farmers markets

COMMENTARY 8

Inside

Balancing act

PHIL MOSIER

On June 6, a beautiful, summer-like day, Say’lah Ware, 7, enjoys the playground equipment at Morgan Falls Overlook Park. See additional photos on page 26.

BY TIM DARNELLWith sales of more kinds of fireworks set to become legal in Georgia

on July 1, Sandy Springs has declared a moratorium on businesses that sell the merchandise.

State Rep. Wendell Willard (R-Sandy Springs), said that retail sales of fireworks in the city are not listed as an approved type of business. At least 90 days are needed for the city’s planning commission and city council to draft the proper ordinances.

“Previously, the only type of fireworks that were allowed for sale were smaller ones, like sparklers,” said Willard, who voted against House Bill 110. “This moratorium allows us the time to draft the right zoning ordi-nances and business classifications.”

The moratorium was adopted on June 2 and expires on September 2.Brookhaven and Dunwoody had not considered any similar measures

by early June, but Brookhaven’s police chief expressed concerns about the new law’s potential impact.

BY MARY HELEN KELLYThe three Ballowe children -- Evie, Beck and James -- raced excit-

edly through the halls of Sandy Springs United Methodist Church one recent night. Their parents followed closely behind.

They were trying to decipher a clue that would lead them to their next task on a scav-enger hunt. The clue directed them to the second floor of the church, to a classroom called “Children’s Church.”

There, they found church volunteer Suzy Williamson ready to lead the family in a game similar to Pictionary as part of the church’s summer Vacation Bible School.

Beck got the word and drew a picture on a chalkboard wall. It

SEE LOCAL CITIES, PAGE 27

SEE SUMMER BIBLE, PAGE 6

City stalls fireworks sales as new state law allows them

With summer’s return, churches start up

Vacation Bible Schools

Head for the Hills

A Special Section Pages 10-15

Going global

FAITH

PUBLIC SAFETY 28

C O M M U N I T Y

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Sandy Springs Government CalendarThe Sandy Springs City Council usually meets the first and the third Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. at City Hall, which is located at 7840 Roswell Road, Building 500

For the most up to date meeting schedule, visit http://www.sandyspringsga.org/Calendars/City-Calendar

BRIEFS

City officials ask: What’s next?City officials plan a pair of public discussions this month on the city’s future.“When we began as a city in 2005, we adopted many of

Fulton County’s regulations. We’ve made adjustments along the way, but it is time, especially as we develop our down-town area, to hear what else residents, businesses and com-munity organizations want the city to focus on in the years ahead,” Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul said in a press re-lease.

On June 23, civic leaders, residents and business owners are to share ideas for neighborhood preservation and improvements. On June 24, all residents will be able to join the discussion, the city said.

Participants will be asked to share their thoughts on issues from transportation to the environment, from development to preserving quality of life. The workshops will take a look at Sandy Springs “from a wide lens,” the city said, but the conversa-tions also willfocus on smaller areas, such as the Roswell Road Corridor, the Perime-ter Business District, northern Sandy Springs and the Powers Ferry area.

“Everything is open for discussion,” Paul said. The June 23 discussion is set to begin at 6:30 p.m. at Heritage Sandy Springs, 6110

Bluestone Road. The community forum on June 24 is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. at the SSUMC Activities Center, 86 Mount Vernon Highway.

Residents also will have an opportunity to comment through an online survey at www.sandyspringsga.gov/visioning.

Seminar scheduled for local nonprofits seeking grants

City officials have scheduled a June 30 training session for leaders of nonprofit agencies on how to apply for city grants. The training session begins at 2 p.m. at the City Hall Training Room at 7840 Roswell Road, Building 500.

The city of Sandy Springs plans to provide up to $50,000 in grants for eligible nonprofit agencies. To be eligible to apply for funding, applicants must be a 501(c)(3) qualified nonprofit organization in good standing, located in Sandy Springs or substantially serving residents of the city. Resources are not granted to support oper-ational, administrative or fundraising functions. Resources are available for projects completed July 1 through June 30, 2016. Applications must be submitted using the city’s online submission tool, and must be submitted by July 17.

Watershed Alliance holds photo contest The Watershed Alliance of Sandy Springs is holding a photo contest to try to raise

visibility of the city’s six watersheds. Photos must be shot within the city’s boundaries and show images related to Nancy Creek, Long Island Creek, Heards Creek, Marsh Creek, Sullivan Creek or Crooked Creek.

A dozen winning photos will be selected for publication in a 2016 calendar. The calendar will be sold at the Sandy Springs Festival in September, the alliance said.

Entries are divided by age: photographers 10 and younger or 11 or older. Deadline for entries is July 31. Entries should be emailed to [email protected]. For more information: www.watershedallianceofsandysprings.org.

Firefighters provide weekly inspections of car safety seats

Local firefighters now provide free inspections on Wednesdays of car safety seats for children. The inspections take about 30 minutes to an hour, the city said, and are done to make sure the seats are properly installed.The department provides the in-spections between 9 a.m. and noon at Fire Station #2, located at 135 Johnson Ferry Road. The department also provides child safety seat installation assistance for new parents by appointment. To schedule an appointment, call 770-206-1518.

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www.ReporterNewspapers.net | JUNE 12, – JUNE 25, 2015 | 3

C O M M U N I T Y

Help shape the future of

City Contact: Dan Coffer • [email protected]

Civic DiscussionTuesday, June 23, 20156:30 p.m. – Heritage Sandy Springs6110 Blue Stone RoadHear from Civic Groups around the community and their thoughts on both the challenges and opportunities they see with the recent expansion of growth throughout the city.

Community ForumWednesday, June 24, 20156:30 p.m. – SSUMC Activities Center85 Mt. Vernon Highway, NWFrom transportation and environmental concerns, to development and preserving quality of life, this forum creates an opportunity for you to share your hopes, concerns, and ideas to guide the City as we plan for the future.

Now almost 10 years old, the City of Sandy Springs is updating its Comprehensive Plan with a special emphasis on preserving the quality of life of neighborhoods, enhancing the Roswell Road corridor and ensuring sustainability of the Perimeter Business District. This will be a collaborative, yearlong process with the community that will result in a blueprint for managing growth and improving life in Sandy Springs. Please participate. We would like to hear from you.

You can also participate through an online survey: www.sandyspringsga.gov/visioning

Residents, developer disagree over Spalding project trafficBY ELLEN ELDRIDGE

[email protected]

Traton Homes developer Clif Poston met with resi-dents May 28 to announce results from a traffic study and a cut of 17 homes from the proposal for 116 town-homes at 900 Spalding Drive.

Additional traffic, Poston said, would be negligible.“It’s obviously a very busy road, but the additional

traffic is not a substantial change,” Poston said. Resident Angela Conliffe disagreed. “It’s already

jam-packed and so I’m glad that you have done your own study; however, I would have liked to see the study because I cannot understand how this is not going to cause an impact to traffic in the community,” she said.

Members of the Spalding Woods Club voted in Feb-ruary to sell 11 acres of land to the developer to build townhomes, on the conditions that Sandy Springs ap-proves the rezoning and the attorney general doesn’t ob-ject to the club’s dissolution plan.

City Planner Kevin Howard said the traffic study would be posted online for the public as soon as city staff reviews it and adds comments.

Conliffe compared the city’s work in easing traffic on Peachtree-Dunwoody Road to allowing a similar situ-ation where people try “to feed in to make a left onto Spalding because of this development.”

The problems that exist within the system don’t “fall on individual developments,” Howard said. “When a rezoning application comes in, we can’t ask folks to make system improvements. That’s something that has to be done separately.”

Howard said a traffic study for the area as a whole

has not been done by the city.Lorraine Glynn, a Lafay-

ette Square resident, said she believes Sandy Springs allows development without proper regard for the impact of infra-structure.

When people start com-plaining about traffic or blocked access to certain roads, Glynn said, then the city will go in and “rip up everything all over again to try and make it better.” She said she would prefer the city and its plan-ners take into consideration the effects before development starts.

Conliffe said development should be done “in a respon-sible way.” She added that the city government should ensure that the community’s interests are met. Safety for children leaving the high school remains a top priority for her.

“You’re backing up school traffic and endangering children’s’ lives [with the proposed development] be-cause children are constantly crossing that street,” Con-liffe said.

“It’s dangerous, and if you permit this to happen

without looking at that intersection, then the city of Sandy Springs is responsible.”

Howard said city staff will review the traffic study before next month’s planning commission meeting and make recommendations for the mayor and City Coun-cil members, who will vote on the rezoning request made by Traton Homes.

ELLEN ELDRIDGE

Traton Homes developer Clif Poston shows resident Lorraine Glynn plans for townhomes at 900 Spalding Drive.

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C O M M U N I T Y

City’s 2016 general fund budget lays out $95 million in spending

Revenues

Property Tax$30,400,000

Sales Tax$23,125,000

Business & Occupational Tax$8,750,000

Franchise Taxes$8,850,000

Insurance Premium Taxes$4,600,000

Municipal Court$3,300,000

Other$3,954,280

2015 BudgetRevenues

2015Communications

$1,228,451

Emergency Medical/Services$1,406,400

Information Services$2,085,783

Recreation$2,939,683

Community and Economic Development$4,210,511

Public Works$11,462,058

Fire$11,861,209

Police$19,233,793

Capital and Stormwater Projects

$31,253,429

Administration *$10,233,045

2015 BudgetExpenditures

2015

Property Tax$30,900,000

Sales Tax$24,425,000

Business & Occupational Tax$9,000,000

Franchise Taxes$9,225,000

Insurance Premium Taxes$4,750,000

Municipal Court$3,000,000

Other$4,466,568

2016 BudgetRevenues

2016 Emergency Medical/Services$1,072,000

Communications$1,246,836 Information Services

$2,251,258

Recreation$3,188,808

Community and Economic Development$5,105,270

Public Works$12,024,933

Fire$12,092,123

Police$19,570,623

Capital Projects$27,613,000

Administration *$11,134,087

2016 BudgetExpenditures

2016

Expenditures

Sandy Springs city officials propose to spend more than $95 million in 2016 through the city’s general fund budget. The proposed budget, scheduled to be adopted by the City Council on June 16, includes $25 million for capital projects, including nearly $18.9 mil-lion in expenses related to the development of the planned City Center, $5.2 million for transportation infrastructure and $960,000 for parks projects.

The city plans to collect the same 4.731 mills in property taxes it levied last year,

according to City Manager John McDonough’s budget memo. The city projects to-tal 2016 revenues at nearly $86 million. The difference between the revenue and ex-pense numbers will be covered through use of prior year unreserved fund balance to-talling more than $9.5 mllion.

The general fund budget provides for city operations. The city’s total budget, in-cluding special revenue funds, totals about $208 million.

* “Administration” includes $224,922 for City Council, $885,490 for city manager, $164,855 for city clerk, $2.4 million for finance, $823,000 for city attorney, $311,788 for human resources, $1.7 million for facilities, $2.8 million for general administration and $1.8 million for municipal court.

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C O M M U N I T Y


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Four seek District 80 House seatOne calls himself a “Bull Moose”

Republican. Another is the former mayor of Brookhaven.

Four candidates filed to run in the July 14 special election to choose a new lawmaker to fill the District 80 seat in the state House of Representa-tives, according to the Georgia Secre-tary of State’s website.

A new election to choose a repre-sentative for the district, which cov-ers Brookhaven and portions of Sandy Springs and Chamblee, was ordered after former Rep. Mike Jacobs (R-Brookhaven) resigned to accept an ap-pointment as a state court judge.

Three Republicans -- Catherine Bernard, Loren Collins and J. Max Davis -- and a single Democrat --Tay-lor J. Bennett -- filed to run for the seat.

All four candidates say they live in Brookhaven. All four are lawyers.

Bennett, the sole Democrat in the race and a former Georgia Tech foot-ball player, says in his campaign litera-ture that “he believes in a Georgia that is worker-friendly as well as business-friendly.” “Georgia touts itself as a na-tional leader in attracting businesses to our state, but we also lag substan-tially behind the rest of the country

in realizing those benefits for work-ing families,” he said on his campaign webpage.

Bernand, who ran against Jacobs in the 2014 Republican Primary, is de-scribed in her campaign literature as “a committed limited government con-servative.” “House District 80 - en-compassing parts of Brookhaven, San-dy Springs and Chamblee – is one of the most vibrant areas of metro At-lanta, and needs representation fo-cused on building strong communities through free enterprise and account-able, transparent government.”

Collins, the self-described “Bull Moose Republican,” says he ran as a write-in candidate for the U.S. Con-gress in 2006 and 2008, and published a book on the principles of skepticism called “Bullspotting: Finding Facts in the Age of Misinformation”

Davis, who served as Brookhaven’s first mayor and whose father served in the state House, launched his campaign with a claim that he was the only candi-date “with deep roots in our area.”

“I want the opportunity to build on our shared successes,” Davis said in a campaign email.

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Summer Bible schools provide ‘vital part of ... church life’

didn’t take the Ballowe family long to guess their word: “family.” That was the focus of the church’s family Bible school program this summer.

With the return of summer, scores of churches are starting up their an-nual summer Vacation Bible Schools. They’re programs that usually last less than a week and involve crafts, drama and songs to teach Bible stories and in-troduce young church members to con-cepts from their faiths in an easy-to-un-derstand way.

The goal is to “teach them about Je-sus in a way that’s fun and over the top,” said Len Wilson, creative director at Peachtree Presbyterian Church in Buck-head.

Vacation Bible Schools vary from church to church in size and theme. This year, Peachtree Presbyterians’ program, which ran from June 1 thorugh June 4, included more than 900 kids. Sandy Springs UMC’s program included about 40 participants, including parents, dur-ing its run from June 3 to June 5.

The Bible schools cross denomina-tions, showing up at Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian and Cath-olic churches alike. Most Vacation Bible Schools begin in the morning and run until early afternoon.

But for their Vaca-tion Bible School this year, leaders at Sandy Springs United Meth-odist chose to try some-thing different. They started a night school so entire families could take part. Church lead-ers wanted to get to know the families of the kids who were attend-

ing Vacation Bible School in order to build a strong community of families, so they switched to this format, said Can-dace Johnson, the church’s minister to children and leisure activities.

“We wanted a chance for families to get to know each other a little better and build some community,” she said.

The theme for the week at Sandy Springs United Methodist was “Sprout: Growing Together in Faith.” The night-ly program consisted of a dinner, a wor-ship program, and then a Bible-based activity, including the scriptural scaven-ger hunt.

During the scavenger hunt, which took place during the first night of the three-night school, family members followed clues around the church and found bonding activities at each loca-tion the clues directed them to.

Johnson said the hunt was intend-ed to provide practice looking up Bible verses, and the activities were intend-ed to reinforce the content of the vers-es. For instance, one clue about Moses being put in a basket by his mother led to an activity where participants tossed

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

MARY HELEN KELLY

From left, Beck Ballowe draws a clue on a chalkboard as her sister, Evie, brother James, volunteer Suzy Williamson, mom Meggan Ballowe, back left, and Candace Johnson, Sandy Springs United Methodist Church’s

minister to children and leisure activities, back right, look on.

MARY HELEN KELLY

Sandy Springs United Methodist Church volunteer Barbara Olson, left, has Nora Fotopolous,

center, and her brother Grayden’s attention.SS

F A I T H


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eggs into baskets. On the next night, there

was a service project, craft project and prayer project. Volunteers from the church helped to put on these nightly activities.

Wilson said Peachtree Presbyterian’s program also is multigenerational.

Each week of Vacation Bible School is built around a theme. This year, Peachtree Presbyterian’s program was centered around the Apostle Paul. Every morning, there was a large production with skits and worship songs to help convey the lesson for the day.

One day, for instance, the skit was a re-enacting of a shipwreck with water guns and fans to explain the story of a shipwreck in Acts which was the scripture for the day. The “over the top” produc-tion keeps kids entertained and engaged while they are learning Bible stories, Wil-son said.

Vacation Bible School at Peachtree Presbyterian goes back to the church’s found-ing – the church started as a Sunday School for kids – and belief in involvement by the church community.

Whether it is helping in the preplanning, or volun-teering as a craft helper one day during the week, the program encourages par-ents to have a connection to what is going on.

Wilson says people hear about Vacation Bible School all year and start to look for-ward to it. “People see it as a vital part of the yearly church life,” Wilson said.

Summer studiesHere are some churches in the area offering Vacation Bible Schools in the coming weeks.

Chamblee First United Methodist Church 4147 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, Chamblee, 30341June 15-19, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. No charge. Donations for Mission Project and Thursday program and supper accepted.

Cathedral of Christ the King 2699 Peachtree Road, NE, Atlanta, 30305June 15-19, 8:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m. $50 per child

All Saints Catholic Church 2443 Mount Vernon Road, Dunwoody, 30338June 15-19, 9 a.m.–12 p.m. $40 per child

First Baptist Atlanta 4400 North Peachtree Road, Dunwoody, 30338 June 22-26, 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

St. John United Methodist Church 550 Mt. Paran Road, NW, Atlanta, 30327June 22-25, 9 a.m.–12 p.m. No cost

Northwest Presbyterian Church 4300 Northside Drive, Atlanta, 30327 July 13-15, 9 a.m.–12 p.m. $35 per child

Sandy Springs Christian Church 301 Johnson Ferry Road, NW, Sandy Springs, 30328July 20-24, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.$40 per child

Sources: various churches

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C O M M E N T A R Y


In the spring of 2010, two Sandy Springs citizens opened a Farmer’s Market on the corner of Johnson Ferry Road and Sandy Springs Circle.

Andy Bauman and Jeff Langfelter worked tirelessly for many months visiting area farms, researching market best practices, and putting together a plan to create a Sandy Springs Farmers Market for our community.

But Andy and Jeff created more than a weekly shopping ex-perience for those seeking the freshest locally grown produce. They fashioned a “town square” feeling where friends and neighbors came together for coffee and conversation while ex-ploring rows of farm fresh eggs, pasture-raised meat, artisan cheeses and a wide variety of prepared foods.

After shaping and growing the market for four seasons, Andy and Jeff passed along the management of the weekly event to Heritage Sandy Springs, the not-for-profit organiza-tion that operates the Heritage Sandy Springs Museum, pres-ents the annual Sandy Springs Festival, and produces summer and winter concerts for the community. With 30 years of ex-perience in presenting exhibits, programs, lectures, concerts, festivals and events, assuming oversight of the Farmers Market felt like a natural fit for HSS.

For the first four seasons, the market was located at 235 Sandy Springs Circle at the site of the former Target store. As part of the city master plan, the city of Sandy Springs is preparing this site for the development of a new City Cen-ter/downtown area. As a result, the Heritage Sandy Springs Farmers Market moved to a new location in May 2015 and is now staged at the corner of Lake Forrest Drive and Mount Vernon Highway in the parking lot of Century Springs East.

While vendors and attendees love the border of shady trees at the new site, they can make it hard to see the market from the corner, so watch for the signs or use your GPS with the street address 6100 Lake Forrest Drive.

Transitions of location and mar-ket management could not have gone more smoothly. Thirty-four markets were held in 2014 with customer attendance averaging 900 to 1,000 people. Many of those are market regulars who get to know the farming families who grow their produce and prepare special-ty items, and the most popular items sell out quickly in the first few hours.

Farms have been vetted to ensure that they are growing their produce, and arts and crafts sold at the market must be handmade. Each week features an acoustic musician and on-site activities include the “Little Diggers” and “Gardening by the Springs” programs, as well as occasional chef demonstra-tions.

The sights, sounds and smells of the market are addictive, and I miss being there when I am unable to attend. On any given Saturday, you can run into your city councilman, pick up some delicious homemade goodies, indulge in a hot, made-to-order breakfast and choose fresh, organic seasonal produce.

I always see people I know at the market – from current colleagues to neighbors from years ago when our kids rode the same school bus to Woodland Elementary.

If you are a regular market visitor, thank you for your pa-tronage of our vendors. While some prices may be higher than traditional groceries, you know what you are getting and where it comes from. You can shake the hand of the person who grew it, and the farmers are always happy to share sim-ple and tasty recipes.

If you have not visited the Heritage Sandy Springs Farmers Market, we invite you to make it a regular stop on your Sat-urday morning round – not only will you be welcomed with a smile, you are likely to see an old friend or maybe even make a new one. The Heritage Sandy Springs Farmers Market brings that small town community feel to our bustling city, so come and experience the vibe.

If you want to build community, you have to invest in it.

Carol Thompson is executive director of Heritage Sandy Sr-prings.

Markets offer a fresh way to grow community

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GUEST COLUMN

SPECIAL

Sandy Springs Farmers Market co-founder Andy Bauman hugs wife Debbie, right, daughter Anna Rose, front center, with son Evan, left, nearby. Back, Domenic Luca, with Zio Micu’s Garden.

On the recordRead these articles from our other editions online at ReporterNewspapers.net.

“Our mission is to make Atlanta Memorial Park a beautiful, sustainable park connected to the neighborhoods.”

–Atlanta Memorial Park Conservancy Executive Director Catherine Spillman on the conservancy’s plans to remake the park, including the Bobby Jones Golf Course.

“This started as a sidewalk project and it’s morphing out of control as we sit here and talk.”

–Dunwoody City Councilman Terry Nall on the proposed addition of sidewalks to Tilly Mill.

SS

C O M M E N T A R Y


So, I’m browsing Pinterest, trolling for inspiration and I see it. It’s just what I need to whip my family into shape. It’s a “house rules” sign.

But it’s not your typical, “play nice,” “mind your manners,” and “always tell the truth” sign. It’s not even a rudimen-tary plaque of the Ten Commandments.

This is a house rules sign that means business.

I could tell, right off the bat, when I read the first lines:

In this house …We Do I’m Sorrys We Do FUNNY!We Do communication.Wow, I thought. This is a sign that

doesn’t let the rules of our language get in the way of its point.

I wondered if its tactic would work. Maybe it doesn’t matter that “I’m sor-ry” is already a per-fectly complete sen-tence—maybe if it’s turned into a noun and pluralized, the kids would start apologizing. Maybe that tactic would be even more effective than leading by ex-ample.

Yes, that sign got me thinking. There is brilliant appeal to the whole flippant, leave-your-gram-mar-at-the-doorstep approach. Some-how, it seems, if we really mess with our language, it’ll make our kids feel like we’re on their side, like we’re all a part of a team. It’s a grammatically challenged team, but we’re all on it together!

I read on:We Do real.We Do loud really well.We Do kindness. And when we’re

done with it, we’re moving on to other virtues. (I added that last part.)

I admit, I understand the allure of the whole military talk staccato. After all, we can be kind and real, but if we do it—well, that means action, sister.

If you think about it, we can Do just about anything. We Do 50 pushups! We Do a favor! We Do our nails! We Do the laundry! We Do hard time! We Do the

Hokey-Pok-ey!

“Do” has been our go-to helping verb since the days of Be-owulf, probably, and he has proven his ability to function in just about any sen-tence, so isn’t it time to unleash him? Why not occasionally drop him be-tween random words; why not let him function as a linking verb every once in a while?

I might even buy that sign. It’ll be a lot of fun to start talking that way. I’ll tell my kids to wash up and they will start whining, “but mom…”

Then I’ll come back with, “No, fellas. In this house, we Do hygiene!”

And what can they say to that?

I’m going to start throwing words to-gether and see if I will not only be un-derstood but also sound cool enough to inspire my kids to take action:

Hey, kids! In this house …

We Are yard work!

We Have thank you!

We Do dishwash-er!

We Jump dogsled!We Sniff crayons really well!Yes, that sign-maker definitely hit on

something. I think we can get our fami-lies to do just about anything, if we only say it wrong.

On the other hand, I could stick with a plaque of the Ten Commandments. They’re tried-and-true. They’re gram-matically correct with all those Thou Shalts and Thou Shalt Nots. In a way, they are the original House Rules and the precursor to all House Rules signs yet to come. And they do cover all the bases.

They really Do.

Robin Conte is a writer and mother of four who lives in Dunwoody. She can be contacted at [email protected].

House rules: We Do ... what we do grammatically

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BY ROBIN CONTEIf “wine is sunlight held together by water,” as Gali-

leo observed, then North Georgia has the ingredients for a good bottle of grape. In the last two decades, about two dozen wineries and vineyards have developed in the north-eastern corner of the state -- from Jasper to Toccoa and northward -- practically all of them less than a two-hour drive from Atlanta. Most of them hold individual events or combined festivals throughout the year, which makes for an excellent day trip or weekend getaway.

Cartecay Vineyards in Ellijay, for example, features live music from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. each Saturday throughout the year. For $10, visitors can enjoy the music along with five tastings of their choice of vineyard wines or hard ci-ders from Mercier Orchards, and then take home a sou-venir wine glass.

Sitting neatly in the southern Appalachian Mountains and not far from the banks of the Cartecay River, Cartecay Vineyards was the first vineyard in Gilmer County. Own-er Larry Lykins bought the property in 2007 after sever-al years of researching the process of wine making. He rebuilt the original chimney of the old homestead with Georgia red clay and uses it as the focal point of an out-door patio and bandstand; a rendering of the chimney serves as the vineyard’s logo. He also transformed the barn into a tasting room with the upstairs loft area functioning as an events venue and a winter location for the live mu-sic. Lykins now has about 13 acres of vines and says he’s involved in every aspect of the business, “from fixing door handles to washing dishes to planting grapes.”

The president of the newly formed Georgia Wine Pro-ducers, which is a statewide organization, Lykins has a straightforward philosophy. “Wine making is making wines that people enjoy drinking,” he says. The same el-ements that make Ellijay prime apple growing country, such as elevation and a relatively cooler climate, make it amenable to vineyards as well. As Lykins puts it, “If you

can grow an apple, you can grow a grape.” Specific to the northeastern corner of the state is the ability to produce the vitis vinifera grapes, or those traditional and common-ly recognized European grapes, such as merlots and caber-nets. Twenty of the North Georgia vineyards and wineries are members of the Winegrowers Association of Geor-gia (WAG), a nonprofit corporation that helps in market-ing and promotion, and many of them host collaborative wine tours. Many are also collaborative with their com-munities, donating portions of their event proceeds to lo-cal charitable organizations.

The weekend of June 12-14 marks the first “Plein Air at the Vineyards” event in Ellijay. The four Gilmer County vineyards, Cartecay Vineyards, Chateau Meichtry, Ellijay River Vineyards and Engelheim Vineyards have partnered with the Gilmer Arts & Heritage Association for a three-day winery tour that begins at 7 a.m. on June 12 and runs through 7 p.m. on June 14. Each vineyard will feature artists painting “in open air,” and will also have the artists’ works on display and for sale. A Plein Air Passport costs $25, entitling the holder to wine tastings at each vineyard, a souvenir wine glass, and admission to the special events, including an artists’ reception and a live auction. Some of the proceeds will benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Elli-jay. For more information, go to ellijaywinecountry.com or call 706-635-WINE.

On the other side of the Chattahoochee National For-est, in the pastoral countryside of Rabun County, lies Stonewall Creek Vineyards. The 5-acre vineyard produces about 3,000 vines, all of which are the vitis vinifera variety. The land was purchased by Carl and Carla Fackler, former residents of Brookwood Hills, who originally intended to simply produce and sell grapes.

They harvested their first grapes in 2005, and then opened their own winery in 2012. The Facklers now pro-duce two labels: Stonewall Creek Vineyards, which uses

their own grapes exclusively, and Standing Deer Cellar, composed of grapes from neighboring vineyards. Carl is a retired surgeon, however Carla is quick to explain that their current lifestyle is “definitely not retirement.”

On June 20, from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Stonewall Creek celebrates the longest day of the year with a festival that includes a live band, wine tastings and their specially created Skywalk wine cooler. Tickets are $15, and visitors are encouraged to pack a picnic. A neighboring organic market and deli will have some food for purchase. A por-tion of the event proceeds will benefit Richard’s Kids, a lo-cal nonprofit that ministers “to the health, wealth and self-esteem of children in need in Rabun County, Georgia.”

For information about all of the WAG North Geor-gia vineyards and wineries, and various events, visit geor-giawine.com.

Take time to explore North Georgia’s vineyards and wineries

ROBIN CONTE

The vineyards and the view at Cartecay in Ellijay.

Head for the Hills

A Special Section


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Mountain events and activitiesIf you’re headed to the mountains to look for that perfect vacation retreat or retire-

ment home, why not coincide your visit with some of the many events and activities happening this summer around the region. Here are a few suggestions.

Blairsville Scottish FestivalBagpipes, drums, games, food and fun bring the Scottish Highlands to Blairsville

June 13-15. Admission is $10 per day or $15 for both days. Children under 12 get in free. For more information, visit blairsvillescottishfestival.com.

Tallulah Gorge HikesExplore the rim of Tallulah Gorge

in the moonlight during these 1-mile hikes set for June 1-2, July 1 and 30, and the Holiday Gorge Hikes on July, 3-6, a strenuous 3.5 mile trek to the bottom of the gorge to scamper over rocks, water, trails and stairs. For more, visit n-georgia.com/tallulah-gorge-state-park.html.

Georgia Wine Country FestivalThe festival will be held every weekend in June at the Three Sisters Vineyard &

Winery in Dahlonega. The event features a wine garden with samples from wineries from around the state, jazz music, barbecue and more. For more, visit threesisters-vineyards.com.

12th annual Simply HomegrownHead up Highway 76 to the Clayton City Hall Complex for a giant farmers mar-

ket, held every Saturday in June, July and August from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Find out more details at facebook.com/Simply-HomegrownFarmersMarket.

Rabun County Music Festival

A summer of music is planned in the Rearden Theater on the campus of the Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School. The lineup: Atlanta Symphony (June 21); Simply Diamond: A Tribute to Neil Dia-mond (July 5); Jason Coleman (July 19); Joe Grandsen and His Big Band (Aug. 2); and Satisfaction: A Tribute to the Rolling Stones (Aug. 16). For tickets and infor-mation, visit rabunmusicfestival.com.

Highlands Village Square Art & Craft Show

Held in the Kelsey-Hutchinson Park in the town of Highlands, North Carolina, the June 20-21 event features art, live music, food and more. For in-formation, visit facebook.com/villag-esquareshow

Georgia Mountain FairThe 65th annual event will be held

July 17-25 at the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds in Hiawasee. Rides, live music (Brenda Lee, Neal McCoy and Herman’s Hermits are on the bill this year), food and much more attracts thousands of visitors to the fair. Learn more at georgiamountainfairgrounds.com.

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Head for the Hills

BY KATHY DEANJust north of Atlanta, the foothills of

the Appalachian Mountains offer a re-laxed lifestyle, scenic views and friendly communities – all within a two-hour car ride from the city. It’s the perfect place to unwind, and that’s made the area a popular choice for second homes and vacation hideaways.

“The attraction of the North Georgia Mountains is definitely the mountain life atmosphere – little traffic, a small town feel, friendly people, an easy commute to Atlanta and Chattanooga,” said Na-than Fitts of Nathan Fitts & Team, RE-MAX Town & Country in Blue Ridge. “Outdoor enthusiasts come here for the natural beauty and outdoor attractions, like recreation on Lake Blue Ridge, hik-ing and mountain biking trails.”

Springer Mountain, in the Blue Ridge Mountain Range, is the begin-ning point of both the Appalachian Trail and the Benton MacKaye Hiking Trail. The Toccoa River offers trophy trout fishing, kayaking, canoeing and tubing. The Ocoee River, the site of the 1996 Olympics whitewater course, has rafting and nearby waterfalls, horseback riding trails, zip lines and canopy tours.

“Blue Ridge has a strong arts commu-nity, too,” Fitts added. “The Blue Ridge Community Theater is superb, and there are many yearly festivals. Some of the most popular are the Blues & BBQ Festival, Paws in the Park, Jazz & Wine Festival, Taste of Blue Ridge and Fire & Ice Chili Cook Off.”

According to Jennifer Blake, broker-in-charge at Highlands Cove Realty at Old Edwards Club in Highlands, North Carolina, people enjoy Highlands’ small town elegance, dining and shopping, but mostly the cool summer tempera-tures. She explained that the area owes its cooler weather to its altitude and gen-tle summer breezes.

“At just over 4,100 feet on the Eastern Continental Divide, Highlands is one of the very rare locations at this latitude with an average high of only 78 degrees in July, far lower than the rest of the South,” Blake said. “We also have Harris and Cliffside

Lakes, as well as the Cullasaja and Chattooga Rivers – it’s a fishing paradise.”

Known for its rainbow, brown and brook trout, Cliff-side Lake is an especially popu-lar destination. The Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests offer miles of hiking trails, and many provide access to the waterfalls of western North Carolina.

The Old Edwards Club, set along one of the East’s high-est ridges, features an 18-hole championship golf course. Oth-er amenities include clay tennis courts, outdoor heated miner-al pool, fireside patio and pan-oramic views.

“Both Highlands and Ca-shiers, NC, offer shops that spe-cialize in antiques, arts, jewel-ry, home décor and more,” Blake noted. “In Highlands, the Scudders Galleries’ auction season begins each June. These two communities offer the grace and al-lure of yesteryear, with placid streets and well-manicured landscaping.”

The Highlands Playhouse and the Bascom Visual Arts Center feed the ar-tistic souls of visitors, as do the art gal-leries, home and garden tours, culinary weekends and leaf season.

“There are multiple reasons for com-ing to North Georgia,” said Kim Knut-zen, managing broker, Harry Nor-man Realtors, Blue Ridge Office. “We have the national forest, and many riv-ers and lakes for the outdoor amenities that draw people for hiking, biking, ca-noeing, kayaking, tubing and boating. A new golf course is now on target to be finished this year, which will add that last component this area was missing.”

She added that there’s a slower pace in North Georgia, much more laid back than Atlanta. The atmosphere attracts a sector of high wealth that wants to es-cape the pressures of their everyday work and unplug for a while. Being just 90 minutes from Atlanta, it’s convenient for a day, weekend or weeklong getaway.

“The quaint downtowns, as in Blue Ridge, feature high-end restaurants, wineries, boutiques and art galleries,” Knutzen said. “There’s also the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway, and the area hosts many festivals, like the Apple Festival, Adventure Races, Triathlons and Fourth of July fireworks on the lake.”

The peace and quiet of a moun-tain home can be found nearby in Jas-per, known as “Georgia’s First Mountain City.” Situated in Pickens County, Jasper is one hour from Atlanta via I-575/515. It’s home to Bent Tree Community, a gated neighborhood that’s owned and governed by property owners.

“For folks interested in a second or vacation home that won’t be occupied full time, it’s highly recommended to se-lect a gated community for security,” ad-vised Ben L. Torrey, broker & realtor, Torrey Mountain Properties, Inc. “Bent Tree has a lake, a world-class 18-hole golf course, indoor and outdoor tennis, and two swimming pools.”

Knutzen noted that the Blue Ridge office services multiple counties includ-ing Gilmer, Fannin, Union and Towns, as well as sections of Tennessee and North Carolina. “We have a good mix of vacation and second homes. The area

lacks in hotels but thrives in cabin rent-als. Some investors are looking for a re-turn on their money while having the opportunity to also enjoy it when it’s not rented.”

Blake has also seen strong interest from investors looking for vacation rent-al properties, and said that their market covers approximately 80 percent second homes to 20 percent vacation. In fact, Highlands boasts the #14 slot in Bar-ron’s “Top 20 Places for Second Homes.”

According to Fitts, a large percent-age of the market is the Atlanta-based crowd, but there’s also a huge vacation market from south Florida. “Histori-cally, our market has been primarily va-cation homes,” he explained. “Approx-imately 70 percent of our sales were vacation or second homes vs. 30 percent primary and retirement homes.”

Over the last 24 months, however, he has watched those numbers change. “Many more people are looking to move to our area full-time, and many of the homes that people bought previously as second homes are becoming their pri-mary residences as they retire. All these things add up to an economic growth forecast over the next few years that’s ex-pected to be great.”

SPECIAL PHOTOS

Left, the Highlands community in North Carolina offers shops that specialize in

antiques, arts, jewelry and home decor.

Above, a view of the Blue Ridge Mountains from inside a mountain retreat.

Outdoor living, small town charm draw homebuyers

Chill. Chris Colbert, Associate [email protected]

404.226.2062

706.632.37371665 Appalachian Hwy, Blue Ridge, GA 30513

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Blairsville, GA 3BR/3BA $1,200,0006AC lakefront equestrian property on Lake Nottely. Boat dock, 4 stall barn.MLS 247756 Call 706.896.3132

Hayesville, NC 6BR/6BA $1,200,0008,160 SF of quality rustic elegance with mountain and golf course views. MLS 233813 Call 706.896.3132

Morganton, GA 7BR/4.5BA $1,749,9006000 SF luxury Mtn. Estate on 86 acres.Creek frontage, trout pond, 3 car garage.MLS 245619 Call 706.632.7311

Blue Ridge, GA 5BR/5.5BA $1,950,000Lake Front Lodge on Lake Blue Ridge.Incredible outdoor area. 6000+ SF.MLS 246141 Call 706.632.7311

Murphy, NC 3BR/3.5BA $575,000360 degree views into NC,GA,TN. Custom home with every upgrade!MLS 245130 Call 828.835.8500

Blairsville, GA 3BR/3.5BA $209,900Chalet with gorgeous mountain views – minutes from town. Oversize garage.MLS 246732 Call 706.896.3132

Ellijay, GA 3BR/2.5BA $178,500Cabin style home in gated, river access community. Great family amenities.MLS 245700 Call 706.276.1254

Morganton, GA 5BR/3BA $624,900Gorgeous 3 level log home - 2.4 acres. Many amenities. Gated community.MLS 243358 Call 706.632.7311

Blairsville, GA 3BR/3BA $234,500Cabin in walking distance to Lake Nottely. Large, fi nished lower level. MLS 245604 Call 706.745.3500

Blue Ridge, GA 5BR/3BA $675,0005 Ac - Year- round mountain and Lake Blue Ridge views. Many upgrades.MLS 245249 Call 706.632.7311

Murphy, NC 2BD/3BA $235,000Custom chalet - upscale community. Long range views, fi nished basement.MLS 247356 Call 828.835.8500

Jasper, GA 7BR/6+BA $870,000Custom home on 8.4 acres. 6247SF with panoramic mtn views. Heated pool. MLS 241887 Call 706.276.1254

Murphy, NC 3BR/3BA $339,000Pre-construction Prow Front.Long-range mountain views on 2+ acres.MLS 239685 Call 706.632.7311

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LIVE MUSIC & PERFORMANCES

Flamenco MusicalSaturday, June 20, 7:30 p.m. and Sun-day, June 21, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. – Pre-sented by Caló Theatre Company, a profession-

al flamenco theater ensemble, “WONDERLAND” tells Lew-

is Carroll’s “Alice in Wonder-land” through flamenco

music and dance. Fam-ily-friendly event. Tick-ets start at $40. Marcus

Jewish Community Cen-ter of Atlanta, 5342

Tilly Mill Rd., Dun-woody, 30338. For more information and to purchase tickets, go online to

atlantajcc.org or call 678-812-4000.

Atlanta Freedom BandsSaturday, June 20, 8 p.m. – The Atlan-ta Freedom Bands perform orchestral master-works by composers with a secret past paired with works by contemporary composers who have come out of the closet. The performance is part of Stonewall Week, which celebrates gay and lesbian composers. General admission tick-ets, $15; seniors, $10; students, $5. Performing Arts Auditorium, North Atlanta High School, 4111 Northside Parkway, NW, Sandy Springs, 30327. For further details, go online to atlan-tafreedombands.com or call 404-802-4700.

Americana ConcertSunday, June 28, 4 p.m. – The Dunwoody United Methodist Church Chancel Choir performs in honor of the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War. Concert features classic Americana music. Church-wide picnic follows the performance. Regis-ter for the dinner by going online to dunwoodyumc.org before June 21. Admission to the concert is free and open to the public. Dunwoody United Method-ist Church, 1548 Mount Vernon Rd., Dunwoody, 30338. For additional information, email: [email protected] or call 770-394-0675.

GET ACTIVE

Cancer Run/WalkSaturday, June 20, 8 a.m. – Home Depot pres-ents the ZERO Prostate Cancer Run/Walk starting in the Home Depot parking lot. Includes a 5K run/walk, 1-mile walk, kids Superhero Dash for Dad, and virtual Snooze for Dudes program. Food and drinks available. Special “Build a Father’s Day Gift Workshop” for kids onsite. Free admission; partic-ipation in run/walk requires registration. Fees vary. 6400 Peachtree-Dunwoody Rd., Sandy Springs, 30328. For more information and to register, go online to zeroprostatecancerrun.org/atlanta or call 202-463-9455.

Odyssey Quest RunSaturday, June 27, 8 a.m. – The Odyssey Quest Run/Walk offers a scenic course, trivia and entertainment. For all ages. Walkers are welcome but strollers are not allowed. Tickets, $30 by June 25; $35 from June 26 to day-of. Route circles around the campus. 1424 West Paces Ferry Rd., Atlanta, 30327. To find out more and to purchase tickets, go online to odysseyatlanta.org or call 404-367-5150.


Avenue

Music & Lyrics by Robert Lopez & Jeff Marx

Book byJeff Whitty

404.584.7450 • HORIZONTHEATRE.COMConant Perf. Arts Center @ Oglethorpe Univ.JUNE 12-JULY 12 FOR GROWN-UPS!

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The Musical

It’s a good day to be a dad.

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Sandy Springs(404) 236-2114

5975 Roswell Road, Suite A-103

Queen GlitterMonday, June 22, 10:30-11:30 a.m. – Kathy Bennett, a.k.a Queen Glit-ter, offers a reading and performance for kids. Magical tales and storytelling to encourage a love for reading in children. Free and open to the public with valid library card. Recommended for youngsters aged 4-12. In the Children’s Room, Northside Branch Library, 3295 Northside Parkway, NW, Atlanta, 30327. For more information, go online to afpls.org, email: [email protected] or call 404-814-3508.

Comics WorkshopMonday, June 22, 4-4:45 p.m. – Kyle Puttkammer, the creator of Gal-axy Man comics, hosts a work-shop to teach kids how to draw comics. Paper and pencils pro-vided. Free and open to the pub-lic with valid library card. Recom-mended for kids aged 5-12. To see Galaxy Man comics, go online to galaxymancomics.com. Dun-woody Library, 5339 Chamblee-Dunwoody Rd., Dunwoody, 30338. For learn more, go online to dekalblibrary.org or call 770-512-4640.

Comic Poster ClassWednesday, June 24, 1:30-3 p.m. – This art class and workshop provides teens with an opportunity to illustrate their own comic book poster featuring he-roes and villains. Taught by Mr. Funn and sponsored by the Goddard Foundation Grant. Free and open to the public with valid library card. Recommended for mid-dle and high school students. Registration requested by emailing: [email protected]. Buckhead Branch Library, 269 Buckhead Ave., NE, Buck-head, 30305. For details, go online to fultoncountyga.gov or call 404-814-3500.

Jewelry WorkshopWednesday, June 24, 2-4 p.m. – Teens learn how to craft hand-made brace-lets. The interactive workshop necessitates basic knowledge of beading and braid-ing. Free and open to rising middle school and high school youth. Registration

required by calling 404-303-6130. Sandy Springs Branch Library, 395 Mount Vernon Highway, Sandy Springs, 30328. For more information, go online to fultoncountyga.gov.

Read to RoverThursday, June 25, 1-2 p.m. – Kids practice their reading skills by reading aloud to “Ellie,” a trained therapy dog. Appropriate for youngsters aged 5-8. Free and open to the first 12 readers with a valid library card. Groups of 5 or more, call ahead for an appointment at 404-848-7140. Brookhaven Library, 1242 N. Druid Hills Rd., NE, Brookhaven, 30319.

Touch a TruckSaturday, June 27, 10 a.m. -2 p.m. – Brookhaven presents the first Touch-a-Truck event in Blackburn Park. Kids will see and touch real government vehicles, sit in a fire truck, meet a police K-9 and turn the lights on in a Brookhaven police car. Breakfast treats, a dipping station and coffee provided by Krispy Kreme. Black-burn Park, 3493 Ashford-Dunwoody Rd., NE, Brookhaven, 30319. Questions? Go to brookhavenga.gov or call 404-637-0500.

Basketball & Cheerleading CampMonday, June 29 through Thursday, July 2, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. – Kids looking to get into cheerleading and basketball can attend this camp to gain experi-ence and training. For kids aged 4-12. Hosted by the Brookhaven Baptist Church. 1294 N. Druid Hills Rd., NE, Brookhaven, 30319. For more information and to register, go online to brookhavenbaptist.net, email: [email protected], or call 404-237-6444.

K I D S & T E E N S

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Oglethorpe museum brings back docentsBY MARTHA NODAR

After a two-year break, the Ogletho-rpe University Museum of Art is restart-ing its docent program with a group of local volunteers, including students, scholars and retirees.

Although the docents, trained to guide tours through the museum, had been Sunday afternoon icons at OUMA in years past, the program came to a halt during the transition between museum administrations.

Brookhaven resident Sandy Murray, a museum member for 10 years, wel-comed the docents back.

“We always enjoyed having the do-cents in the past, and have been missing them for a while during the transition between the previous and the current museum administrations,” Murray said. “The docents added so much value to the exhibitions. We benefit from their knowledge and experience. They walk us through it and point out things of in-terest.”

Murray emphasized that learning about the history and the background of a work of art adds meaning to the muse-um experience.

Jay Lutz, a member of the museum’s board and Oglethorpe’s French profes-sor, said that he “believed the museum went through a period where there were

fewer people available due to person-al circumstances, making it difficult to provide the staffing.”

“I believe the docent program is cur-rently being reinstated in part, due to the interest of a number of people who have experience and expertise in bird watching, and therefore a particular in-terest in the Audubon exhibition.”

An exhibition of John James Audu-bon’s bird prints called “John James Audubon: Swift Birds of Passage,” is on display at OUMA through August 23.

Jessica Gregerson, a rising senior at Oglethorpe and one of the new docents, said she wanted to serve as a docent for the new exhibition because it gives her a chance to combine her interest in ecol-ogy with art.

Gregerson is pursuing a degree in conservation biology, which she called “the science of trying to reduce the hu-man impact on our natural resourc-es,” and says the Audubon exhibit gives her an opportunity to raise awareness about birds. “I researched over 30 spe-cies of birds in the span of four months and wrote the labels posted next to each print,” she said.

Gregerson will be guiding the tours and sharing her knowledge with mu-seum patrons on June 28 and Aug. 2.

Looking farther ahead, Lutz said some of his students are gearing up to guide the tours for other exhibitions later this year

The Audubon prints also attracted the interest of mem-bers of Atlanta’s Audu-bon Society (AAS), a conservation group. Nikki Belmonte, the executive director of the Buckhead-based society, credits society member Susan Gibbs of Brookhaven—who is also a OUMA board member—with “sug-gesting that AAS be contacted to partner on the exhibit.”

As the result, sever-al docents for the ex-hibit are Audubon so-ciety master birders. “We are excited to help Oglethorpe with its Audubon exhibit,” Belmonte said.

Museum patrons said they appreci-ate the additional expertise the docents bring to the museum.

“Having a knowledgeable guide en-hances the experience of appreciating the art,” said museum visitor Liz Willis of Sandy Springs.

MARTHA NODAR

Anne McCallum, left, a member of the Atlanta Audubon Society who volunteered to be a docent

at the Oglethorpe University Museum of Art, discusses a bird print with Jessica Gregerson, an

Oglethorpe student who is also a new docent.


C O M M U N I T Y

© 2015 Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Inc. All rights reserved.

Scottish Rite Hospital for Crippled Children in the mid-1900s

The only place for children since 1915.What started as Scottish Rite Hospital for Crippled Children in 1915 has grown into Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta – the place more parents rely on to care for their kids, whether they need urgent care or a lifesaving procedure. We’re proud of how far we’ve come in a century, and we’re dedicated to making our next 100 years even better for Georgia’s kids. Learn more at choa.org/100years.

Winging it Left, DeKalb-Peachtree Airport welcomed the

community at its annual “Good Neighbor Day”

Open House and Airshow, May 30. Crowds had the

opportunity to get a close look at a 1936 Lockheed

12A Electra Junior aircraft.

Right, Quion Dallas gives his son Evan, 2, a better view as they watch air acrobatics.

PHOTOS BY PHIL MOSIER


R E S T A U R A N T S

DINING OUT: La Petite Maison

BY ART HUCKABEEFrequent read-

ers might be aware that I have been on a quest for At-lanta’s quintessen-tial French bis-tro for quite some time. Friends rec-ommended La Pe-tite Maison.

We visited most recently on a Tues-day, one of the slowest nights of the week for res-taurants, but were surprised to find a good-sized crowd. They take reserva-tions, which earns high marks from me.

The space is configured in such a way that it can easily accommo-date couples, large parties and busi-ness diners with its assortment of seat-ing arrangements. There’s even a cov-ered outdoor pa-tio where you can pretend you’re dining in Paris on the Champs-Élysées; admittedly a stretch for Roswell Road.

There’s a small bar that “greets” you when you first walk-in that also does double duty as a hostess stand. The owner and hostess extraordi-naire was not on-premises this night, but the front of the house was expert-ly manned by two gents right of out of central casting for John Turturro’s butler role in “Mr. Deeds.” These two were everywhere at every time; one was a magician at pouring water which was quite entertaining to watch. Nei-ther asked if they could change our socks; watch the movie.

Monday thru Thursday the restau-rant offers a prix fixe menu featuring choice of a soup or salad, entree and des-sert for $32. Not necessarily cheap, but the portion sizes guarantee leftovers for lunch the next day.

Only wine and beer are served. There’s a decent selection of French wines that are reasonably priced by the glass or bottle.

A plate of crisp French bread slices, a good olive tapenade and whole pitted olives are waiting at each table. Individ-ually sized French bread loaves quickly appear and disappear just as quickly.

We ordered mussels in white wine. They were juicy, firm and plump but the sauce lacked seasoning. Our plan for sopping up this seafood “potlikker” was

spoiled by its lackluster flavor.The French onion soup (is it just on-

ion soup when ordered in a French bis-tro?) was quite good with a cheesy crou-ton topping.

The salads are large dinner-sized por-tions that could easily stand-in for an entrée. In fact, on future visits, my plan will be to split a salad and split an en-trée; there is that much food. The ingre-dients were fresh and the dressings were well made. Both the salad Verdi and the warm goat cheese salad were excellent.

The veal Normandy was the highlight dish. The veal was tender and the mush-room cream sauce, while rich, would make a shoe taste good. A side of stewed tomatoes and sautéed green beans was the perfect contrast. The “Gratin Dau-phinois” was also crusty, creamy, “pota-toey” good.

The sole “Chex Nous” was fried sole paired with arugula, Parmigiani-no cheese, tomatoes, basil and olive oil served with a side of fries. It’s an ex-ample of how those sneaky French can make you think you’re eating something healthy when it’s really just fish and chips; a good dish.

The steak frites “Parisien” was the sin-gle biggest disappointment of the meal. This simple dish can rival the best of beef. This version was “Plain Jane” and forlorn-looking, lacking the juiciness and seasoning that usually makes this dish shine. The sauce on the side could

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



not resuscitate the poor fella; it was DOA.

Ending on a sweet note, everyone en-joyed the Crème Brulée and the Profiter-olles.

La Petit Maison, or “LPM” as the regulars call it, is a very good rendition of its Provencal cousins with just a mi-

nor hiccup or two. It is located at 6510 Roswell Road, NE. Call 404-303-6600 or visit lapetitemaisonbistro.com.

Art Huckabee is one of Yelp’s Elite Re-viewers, as well as a pilot, gourmet cook and food lover. Send feedback to [email protected]

PHOTOS BY ART HUCKABEE

Selections from the La Petite Maison menu, far left, salad verdi, bottom left, mussels in white wine, and above, filet de sole “chez nous.”

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Bone marrow transplants that result

in world travel.

Northside Hospital Cancer Institute’s survival rates are among the highest in the country for bone marrow transplants. That’s for both related and unrelated donors. It’s one reason why so many people from across the country trust Northside with their cancer care. Northside has seen thousands of cancer survivors walk out their doors. And then, go just about anywhere. For help fi nding a cancer specialist, call 404-531-4444.

CANCER INSTITUTE

Where the Extraordinary Happens Every Day

News you can eat: Quick BitesThe team be-

hind Buckhead Pizza Company has opened Pizza Crosta at 5590 Roswell Road in Sandy Springs. The new concept offers a dipping station for pizza crusts.

The station, similar to a salsa bar, features fresh spices, a variety of oils, dips and more so guests can enjoy the crust as much as the cheese-covered pizza itself.

For more information, visit pizzacrosta.com.

Sprouts Farmers Market is wrapping up construction on the 26,000-square-foot store at 4600 Roswell Road at the Sandy Springs Gateway. An opening date of Sept. 2, at 7 a.m., was recently announced.

Sprouts is hiring 100 full- and part-time team members for the store. To learn more about the available opportunities or to apply, visit sprouts.com/careers.

Tex-Mex restaurant Pure Taqueria has opened its sixth location at the Brookleigh Marketplace in Brookhaven.

The Atlanta Summer Beer Fest is June 20, 4 to 9 p.m. at The Masquerade Music Park in the Old Fourth Ward. This beer-centric event featuring more than 200 beers, ciders and wines will also showcase live music on two stages and a DJ.

Patrons must be 21-plus with valid ID; no children or pets allowed. Advance tick-ets bought before June 11 are $40, increasing to $45 after that date, and day-of tick-ets are $55 each.

For more information and to buy tickets, visit atlantasummerbeerfest.com.

Dolce Italian recently served up a victory on the season finale of Bravo’s culinary competition series Best New Restaurant. Atlantans will get a taste of the winning modern Italian menu when a new outpost opens later this summer at Buckhead At-lanta.

Chef Ford Fry plans to open a sec-ond outpost of his “Mex-Tex” restau-rant Superica in Buckhead. The res-taurant, which is ex-pected to open early next year, will take over the old Out-back Steakhouse space in Buckhead Court.

The Superica concept made its debut at the Krog Street Market in Inman Park earlier this year and has been a big hit with the locals, with wait times for a table topping two hours on the weekends.

The Atlanta Margarita Festival will be held June 20 at Atlantic Station with a day devoted to food, music and more in honor of America’s favorite tequila-based concoc-tion. The event includes a chance to vote on Atlanta’s best margarita.

The festival offers limited-admission VIP Taste of Tequila from 1 to 4 p.m. Guests will be able to sample dozens of premium tequilas and mezcals, and savor gourmet ap-petizers from top Atlanta restaurants.

From 1 to 5 p.m., the Margarita Grand Championship offers the chance to taste and judge over 25 drinks. The main festival will offer shopping, live music, Mexi-can and traditional festival foods, beer, wine, non-alcoholic beverages and, of course, many different flavors of margaritas from 1 to 6 p.m.

Tickets range in price from $90 for VIP tickets to $25 for regular admission. Vist atlantamargaritafestival.com for more information.

ISADORA PENNINGTON

Chef Ford Fry



Ultimately, it’s your experience that matters.

650 Phipps Boulevard NE • Atlanta, GAwww.ThePiedmontatBuckhead.com • 404.381.1743

In depen den t & A ssist ed Li v ing

P r e v iously k now n a s The H a l l m a r k

To be sure, we’re proud of our 27 years of experience in senior living. But, to us, what really matters is your experience at our communities. We do everything with that idea clearly in mind. So, go ahead, enjoy yourself with great social opportunities and amenities. Savor fine dining every day. And feel assured that assisted living services are always available if needed. We invite you to experience The Piedmont for yourself at a complimentary lunch and tour. Please call 404.381.1743 to schedule.

Find a special meal for your man on Father’s Day

Editor’s note: Yelp is a website and a mobile app – free to use – that connects you with local businesses, organizations and events. Reporter Newspapers has partnered with Yelp for a monthly feature on Yelper’s favorite eats, treats and more in Reporter Newspapers communities. Yelp Atlanta OTP Community Manager Kellie Morvillo compiled this list.

Father's Day arrives June 21, and while heartfelt cards and new ties don't go unno-ticed, we know what dads really want. Whether your father’s ideal day involves a Mex-ican feast, a seafood extravaganza or a mouth watering slab of steak, here are some suggestions for your dude's spe-cial day.

BuckheadNew York Prime - 3424 Peachtree

Rd., NE, Atlanta, 30326Want to impress good ol' Pops?

Bring him to New York Prime. He certainly won't leave hungry.

Ocean Prime - 3102 Piedmont Rd., NE, Atlanta, 30305

Does dad like seafood or does dad like any food that he sees? Ocean Prime will deliver the best seafood experience for the "Poseidon" of your family.

Joy Cafe - 316 Pharr Rd., NE, Atlanta, 30305It's all in the name. Do you want to bring joy to the head of the family? Bring

him down to Joy Cafe.

BrookhavenPour Bistro - 1418 Dresden Ave., Suite 170, Brookhaven, 30319Pour offers dad an elegant way to enjoy his day. Give the Mac & Cheese Starter a

try. I hear it's awesome!

Valenza - 1441 Dresden Dr., NE, Suite 100, Brookhaven, 30319Looking for a big Italian dinner in Brookhaven? Look no further... Valenza has got

even the most picky Italian covered.

Newk's Eatery - 305 Brookhaven Ave., Suite A1100, Brookhaven, 30319Does daddy dig big portions? Take him to Newk's!

DunwoodyCafe Sababa-Mediterranean Grill - 4639-D N. Shallowford Rd., Dunwoody,

30338Is Mediterranean his thing? Look no further in Dunwoody.

Wrights Gourmet Sandwich Shoppe - 5482 Chamblee-Dunwoody Rd., Dun-woody, 30338

Looking to spoil dad with a great sandwich? Check out Wrights. Don't you dare let him leave without a piece of the lemon cake.

Chong Qing Hot-Pot - 5385 New Peachtree Rd., Atlanta, 30341

Looking for something a little dif-ferent or is dad a Hot Pot conesouir?

Sandy SpringsTaqueria Cuernavaca - 5000 C

Roswell Rd., Sandy Springs, 30342Looking for a fiesta for your padre?

Celebrarlo aquí!

The Pub Perimeter - 4400 Ash-ford-Dunwoody Rd., Atlanta, 30346

Did someone say "Scotch Eggs"? Well, there are not many better places to enjoy this downright dad-approved dish than The Pub.

The Rusty Nail - 8549 Roswell Rd., Atlanta, 30350Now this is where dad can get down and dirty. The Rusty Nail will bring the old

stories out of Pop for sure.

New York Prime

Chong Qing Hot-Pot

E D U C A T I O N


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Standout StudentsStudent Profile:

� Xanthos Likes � The Marist School, senior

Xan Likes displays many talents. He’s published his own children’s book, “Corporate Fish.” He recently achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. And he’s earned a six-year letter for playing tuba in his high school’s marching band.

“Corporate Fish” began as a project for Xan’s finance management class. The project was to email one’s hypothetical boss every day and ask for a raise, with all the reasons why that day’s work was so extraordinary as to merit the raise.

Xan decided to add a touch of hu-mor to the assignment, using prob-lems caused by intelligent fish to justi-fy the raise. After finishing the project, his teacher at the time recommended he compile all of the emails and convert it into a story book.

That began an online search for an illustrator. Xan found Mary Barrows. Xan edited and formatted the fictitious emails for a storybook, Barrows com-pleted her illustrations, and Xan used CreateSpace to self-publish the work.

Along with publishing it indepen-dently, he’s also sent “Corporate Fish” to Deseret Books, where it is in review for listing on their website. His first author read was at St. Jude’s Hospital. Xan says the kids seemed to have a good time lis-tening to the story.

“Xan is a very deep and caring per-son,” said Kelley Likes, his finance teach-er. “He has the ability to make you laugh and wonder all in the same sentence.”

Xan picked up the tuba in sixth grade. As one of the bigger kids in his

grade, he – naturally – was assigned to play the largest horn, and he says he al-ways enjoyed hitting the low notes.

He kept playing through Marist School’s high school band, marching with the band for six years.

In case any readers may be wonder-ing what Xan does in his free time, he is also part of the national runner-up robotics team and takes roles in Marist theater shows.

What’s Next:

Over this summer, Xan will be sub-mitting papers to go on a mission trip for the Church of Latter Day Saints. He plans on attending Georgia Tech.

This article was prepared by Sam Wimpfheimer, a rising junior at The Gal-loway School.

Do you know a standout high school student? Send nominees to [email protected].

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E D U C A T I O N


Student Profile: � Abraham Araya � Chamblee Charter High

School, senior

With cross country, track, advanced placement classes, marching band and community service on his resume, one could say Abraham Araya just about does it all.

“I want to make the sacrifices, and all the time and energy invested into me by my family, teachers, coaches and friends worth it, so to give anything less than my best is unthinkable,” Abraham says.

Abraham certainly gives his best effort in the classroom, ending his senior year in the top 10 percent of his class. He has tak-en 10 AP classes at Chamblee, including AP Biology, and AP Anatomy and Phys-iology, his favorites. He has also studied German since fourth grade.

Abraham played first chair in the con-cert band for four years. He was also active in the marching band as the low brass sec-tion leader for two years and brass captain his senior year.

His athletic achievements are equally impressive. He began his running career in ninth grade. In spite of obstacles in his first two years, including a stress fracture at the start of his junior year, he “was able to run again, except now the inspiration for running came from within,” rather than the outside pressure he had previously felt.

That inspiration, along with the coach-ing of his older brother, helped him place sixth at the region cross country meet as a junior, and be named team MVP for help-ing his team qualify for the state champi-onship. “[Abraham’s] work ethic during the season and off season is incompara-ble,” said his older brother and coach, Se-mere Araya.

That same year Abraham set many per-sonal records and broke school records. He was named MVP and placed ninth in the state track meet. He competed in the AAU Junior Olympics in Des Moines, Iowa, the

summer before his senior year. In his senior cross country season he

broke a school record by running a 16:14, and once again led his team to state by placing sixth in the region. But the season also brought more injuries and emotional obstacles. Ultimately he was able to com-pete in the state track competition and beat his personal record by 13 seconds.

Abraham also found time to be an ac-tive member of his community, volunteer-ing at soup kitchens in downtown Atlanta and getting involved with campus beau-tification at Chamblee High through the National Honor Society.

Abraham was also a Simon Schol-ar. This is a six-year program that offers SAT classes, leadership and public speak-ing training, college tours and advising, and provides “a second family and anoth-er support group,” Abraham says. He was also a state finalist for the Wendy’s Heis-man award and Chamblee’s Coca-Cola Athlete of the Year award.

What’s Next:

Abraham will be at Cornell Universi-ty in the fall. He plans to take pre-med-ical courses in hopes of eventually going into dermatology. He also wants to keep training to run track and cross country.

This article was prepared by Mary Hel-en Kelly, a rising sophomore at Furman University.

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Reporter Newspapers Email updatesBe in the know R

ReporterNewspapers.net

PHOTOS BY PHIL MOSIER

Taking advantage of the outdoorsTop, the playground at Morgan Falls Overlook Park is

busy, with the swings in high demand on June 6.

Above, left, Judy Towers shows off her paddle boarding skills on the water.

Above, right, cousins Ashwini Kulkarni, back, and Vaibhaui Begde play badminton.

SS

C O M M U N I T Y


C O L D W E L L B A N K E R AT L A N TA .COM

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Real estate agents affiliated with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage are independent contractor agents and are not employees of the Company. Nothing in this document is intended to create an employment relationship. Any affiliation by you with the Company is intended to be that of an independent contractor agent. The property information herein is derived from various sources that may include, but not be limited to, county records and the Multiple Listing Service and it may include approximations. Although the information is believed to be accurate, it is not warranted and you should not rely upon it without personal verification. ©2015 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Operated by a subsidiary of NRT LLC. Coldwell Banker, the Coldwell Banker Logo, Coldwell Banker Previews International and the Previews logo are registered and unregistered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. 10475ATL_3/15

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Local cities get ready for legal fireworks sales

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Dunwoody Mayor Mike Davis said his

city has not enacted any additional regula-tion measures.

“We don’t view the recent fireworks law as a huge issue requiring the city to enact extra legislation on top of what the state passed,” Davis said. “We’ll keep a close eye on the sale and use of fireworks within Dunwoody, especially in and around the July Fourth holiday.

“Should we determine possible pub-lic safety concerns or issues related to the sale of fireworks exist, we’ll discuss poten-tial actions to address them.”

City spokesman Bob Mullen also said Dunwoody is working with the DeKalb County Fire Marshal’s office on review-ing and enforcing local permitting and li-censing.

Regulating retail fireworks sales also has not made it onto Brookhaven’s agen-da, but police spokesman Officer Carlos Nino said the department is concerned about public safety.

“The No. 1 concern is responding to some sort of horrific accident where fire-works are blamed, such as a house fire or someone severely injured because of the sale of fireworks in the city,” he said. “And in the past we’ve responded to callers who weren’t sure if it was gunshot or fireworks they heard.”

Nino isn’t sure whether the new law will create safety problems within the city.

“It’s really too early say. If the public is careful about them, it will minimize its impact on the department and it will im-prove the local economy,” he said. “We were fully staffed during last year’s Fourth

of July and we will be again, this year.”When he signed the new law, Gov. Na-

than Deal said Georgia should reap the fi-nancial benefits of fireworks sales.

“People in our state are crossing state lines and buying fireworks,” Deal said. “We have so many neighbors around us that already authorize the sale of fireworks, this just made sense. And we have taken every precaution we can to try to eliminate any injuries associated with it.”

The law will allow businesses and nonprofits to pay a $5,000 licensing fee to sell some previously banned fire-works such as firecrackers, torpedos, Ro-man candles and skyrockets. That money is designated for public safety purposes, and the law also creates a new excise tax of 5 percent on every sale.


“People in our state are crossing state lines and

buying fireworks. We have so many neighbors around us that already authorize

the sale of fireworks, this just made sense.

And we have taken every precaution we can to try to eliminate any injuries

associated with it.”

– GOV. NATHAN DEAL

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Local cops advise fellow officers overseasBY ELLEN ELDRIDGE

[email protected]

Brookhaven Police Chief Gary Yan-dura has taken advantage of opportuni-ties to travel abroad for training—both in giving it and receiving it.

Yandura was invited to the Republic of Georgia this May by Georgia Bureau of Investigations Director Vernon Keen-an to assess police services, leadership and management, in the hope of setting up an exchange program.

“We met with police chiefs for seven precincts and had discussions,” Yandura said. “We exchanged basic information.”

The Brookhaven chief said visiting the Republic of Georgia with fellow chiefs from Doraville, Monroe and Gar-den City made him thankful for what he has at home.

The U.S. State Department has had an international exchange program for 25 years, Keenan said. Kennan invited Yandura on the trip to Georgia because they’ve worked together for more than 10 years and Keenan said he has “the ut-most respect” for Yandura, who had also been to Israel through the state-funded program.

“He is experienced in international travel and I wanted to have profession-al chiefs who have been to a third-world country,” Keenan said. “The State De-

partment asked me to come up with rec-ommendations and [Yandura] was one of the first people I thought of.”

Sandy Springs Police Chief Ken DeSimone said it is not unusual for po-lice departments to take advantage of training opportunities, with other cities in the United States and abroad. He said he and other Sandy Springs officers have trained in England, South Korea and Is-rael.

“We are a global society, with crimi-nal networks disregarding boundaries,” he said. “Criminals today link together with sophisticated networks and are very adaptive in their thinking.”

The taxpayers don’t pay for these trips, but the experience gained by their leaders helps communities at home, chiefs say.

In 1991, the Supreme Council of the Republic of Georgia declared indepen-dence from the U.S.S.R., and in 1992 became the 179th member of the Unit-ed Nations. Today, Georgia is a presi-dential democracy.

Yandura said he felt safe in the rel-ative seclusion of one city he visited, which was a four-hour drive into the mountains from the embassy in Tbili-si, the capital. He said he could envision

more and more tourists over the next five years.

The small village reminded Yandu-ra of a ski resort, he said, where maybe 20 people live during the summer but many more come in during the winter months. He described the city as primi-tive but progressing.

Still, he said, the city doesn’t have fire hydrants, and fire trucks only have half-inch-wide hoses. When a fire breaks out, Yandura said firefighters just try to prevent it from spreading and save the buildings around the fire.

Another problem Yandura learned

about involved distrust of police in the Republic of Georgia. Because the coun-try only recently established itself as in-dependent, the citizens don’t have a lot of faith in their police, he said. They also don’t get much of a chance to communi-cate with law enforcement officials, Yan-dura said.

“One of the things we found out was the police are seen everywhere, but they drive around on the streets,” Yandura said. “Traffic is terrible—they [officers] drive with lights activated all the time. They don’t have too much interaction with the public.”

Dunwoody Chief of Police Billy Grogan went to the Republic of Geor-gia in 2010, when he provided leader-ship training to the Georgian Police, and shared his experiences of starting the Dunwoody department from scratch.

“[The Republic of ] Georgia had re-cently fired all of their police officers and was in the middle of rebuilding their de-partment with the help of the Depart-ment of State,” Grogan said. “I also re-cently provided, in April 2015, media relations and law enforcement’s use of social media training to the Georgian Police.”

Grogan said the ability to help train a developing police department in best practices of a professional law enforce-ment department was a great opportuni-ty to showcase law enforcement in Dun-woody.

“It was also a great opportunity to share some of the success Dunwoody has had as a police department, both in starting the department and in our use of social media,” Grogan said. “There was an exchange of information during these training sessions that benefitted all parties, and I was happy to partner with the Department of State to provide this training.”

Grogan said the federal government covered all the costs.

DeSimone said he believes that to be successful, officers and leaders have to be a step ahead.

“Learning from those experts, with-in their arena, provides an added layer of experience, which is very beneficial as we implement those practices at home,” DeSimone said.

SPECIAL

From left, Chief Gary Yandura,

Brookhaven PD, Chief John King,

Doraville PD, Chief Stacey Cotton,

Covington PD, Keith Glass, director

of Public Safety, Monroe PD, and

Chief David Lyons, Garden City PD, exchanged basic information with

their counterparts in the Republic

of Georgia.

SS



SANDY SPRINGS NOTICE OF REZONINGPetition Number: 201501160

Petitioner: Traton Homes, LLC.

Property Location: 900 Spalding Drive

Present Zoning: C-U-P (Community Unit Plan)

Request: Rezone to TR (Townhouse Residential) to construct 82 townhouse units and 17 single family detached units

Public Hearings: Planning Commission June 18, 2015 at 7:00 p.m.

Mayor and City Council July 21, 2015 at 6:00 p.m.

Location: Sandy Springs City Hall, Morgan Falls Office Park 7840 Roswell Road, Building 500 Sandy Springs, Georgia 30350

SANDY SPRINGS NOTICE OF VARIANCE PETITION

Petition Number: 201501478

Petitioner: Larry Viktora

Location: 7589 Van Eyck Way

Request: One (1) primary variances from Section 6.2.3.I of the Zoning Ordinance to allow an accessory structure in the front yard; and

One (1) primary variance from Section 19.3.15.B.1 of the Zoning Ordinance to allow for a pool in the front yard.

Public Hearings: Board of Appeals July 9, 2015 at 7:00 p.m.

Location: Sandy Springs City Hall, Morgan Falls Office Park 7840 Roswell Road Building 500 Sandy Springs, Georgia 30350 770-730-5600

SANDY SPRINGS NOTICE OF VARIANCE PETITIONPetition Number: 201501482

Petitioner: Earl Moccia

Location: 1140 Churchill Downs Road

Request: One (1) primary variance from Section 109-225 (a) (1) & (2) of the Stream Buffer Protection Ordinance to encroach into the seventy-five (75) foot impervious surface setback to construct a new single family residence.

One (1) primary variance from Section 6.4.3.(B) of the Zoning Ordinance to encroach into the minimum front yard to build a single family residence.


Location: Sandy Springs City Hall, Morgan Falls Office Park 7840 Roswell Road Building 500 Sandy Springs, Georgia 30350 770-730-5600



Petitioner: JSB Homes, Inc.

Location: 6890 Peachtree Dunwoody Rd.

Request: One (1) primary variance from Section 109-225 (a) (2) of the Stream Buffer Protection Ordinance for reduction from the seventy-five (75) foot impervious surface setback to sixty (60) feet to construct a multifamily apartment building.


Location: Sandy Springs City Hall Morgan Falls Office Park 7840 Roswell Road Building 500 Sandy Springs, Georgia 30350 770-730-5600



Petitioner: James & Marcia Decker

Location: 5035 Riverview Road

Request: One (1) primary variance from Section 6.1.3.(C) of the Zoning Ordinance to encroach into the minimum side yard to build a shed.


Location: Sandy Springs City Hall Morgan Falls Office Park 7840 Roswell Road Building 500 Sandy Springs, Georgia 30350 770-730-5600

Police BlotterThe following incidents and arrests are some but not all, of the reports filed with Sandy Springs police from

May 23 through June 5.

The following information was provided by the Sandy Springs Police Department from its records and is presumed to be accurate.

ROBBERY � 8600 block of Roswell Road—On May

27, a man reported he was at a sports bar around 2:30 a.m. and spoke to some-one he knew. The man didn’t respond, so the victim said, “I see you aren’t having a good day, so have a good night.” The man later punched him, knocking him down. The victim left the bar and then noticed the suspect and seven other guys were fol-lowing him. They surrounded him and the aggressor told him to empty his pock-ets. He threw down what he had and ran. He called the police from a nearby con-venience store.

� 1100 block of Pitts Road (and Colquitt Road)—On May 28, a man said he was walking near the intersection around 10:30 p.m. when he was approached by two males, one of whom pulled a gun. They took his items from his pocket includ-ing $80 cash, cell-phone and bank cards.

� 5000 block of Roswell Road—A man reported that as he got out of his car at night, another man was staring at him. The man came over and asked him what he was staring at and then pulled a gun, first demanding an apology and then the victim’s personal items.

BURGLARY � 5500 block of Glenridge Drive—On

May 23, a resident reported her apart-ment door had been forced open. Jewel-ry and a television had been taken. She

had been away from about 7:30 p.m. un-til just after 3 a.m.

� 5600 block of Kingsport Drive—On May 24, a man said he found his son’s bedroom window open and a message written on his son’s bedroom chair read: “You’ve got the power.”

� 6300 block of Peachtree-Dunwoody Road—On May 25, a resident said upon returning home that he saw that his front door had been forced open. Missing is an iPad, two personal Dell laptops and two pairs of Beats headphones.

� 8400 block of Roswell Road—On May 26, a 79-year-old woman said someone

took her purse from a TV stand inside her bed-room. She believes that since there was no forced en-try, someone had a

key. Missing is personal documents and some cash.

� 5000 block of Spalding Drive—On May 27, a resident found a rock that had been thrown through a back glass door. The resident found no evidence of any-thing missing.

� 5800 block of Glenridge Drive—On May 28, officers responding to an alarm at 5 a.m. found a door/window shattered and an Apple keyboard hanging out the window. A rock had been used to shatter

CAPTAIN STEVE ROSE, [email protected]

Read more of the Police Blotter online at

www.reporternewspapers.net

CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

SS



Sandy Springs Police Blotterthe glass. It appears two iMac computer were taken.

� 8300 block of Roswell Road—On May 30, a resident said his neighbor called him, telling him a window was broken and it appeared someone attempted or entered the home. The home was clear-ly ransacked; however the only item tak-en was $220 in cash.

�Cedar Run—On May 31, a woman re-turning home from out of town discov-ered that someone forced her front door open and entered. The apartment was ransacked and expletives were written on a bedroom wall. The victim said her daughter had a recent run in with two sis-ters over a guy.

THEFTS � 1100 block of Mount Vernon High-

way—On May 23, staff at a sporting goods store saw a man (on camera) cut-ting off sensor tags on items and then leaving the store without paying for the items, which totaled $181. He got into a Nissan Sentra and left the scene.

� 8300 block of Roswell Road—On May 23, an employee of a liquor store told po-lice that just after 9 p.m. three men came in. Two proceeded to distract the employ-ee while a third took a bottle of vodka, slid it down his pants and left.

� 8700 block of Roswell Road—A wom-an said she accidentally left her wallet on the self-checkout counter at a grocery store. She returned but did not find it. Store surveillance showed a woman tak-ing the wallet, but apparently did not turn it in.

� 8000 block of Roswell Road—A wom-an reported her 2002 Chevy Tahoe was taken. She said she is behind on her Ti-tlemax loan, however Titlemax did not have the car on an impound list.

� 5400 block of Roswell Road—A man reported someone stole his 2007 Vespa LX150 yellow scooter.

� 8500 block of Roswell Road—On May 28, a woman called po-lice to report that two checks were taken from her 91-year-old mother’s room at an assist-ed living center. One of the checks had been cashed for $600 at a Bank of America on Turner Hill Road in Lithonia.

� 6100 block of Peachtree-Dun-woody Road—On May 28, a man re-ported that around 9:30 a.m. he was in the process of checking out of his hotel room and, while doing so, he unloaded his luggage and small children from the elevator. Before he could get one of the luggage carts out, the doors closed and off it went. He followed on another el-evator to the ground floor. The first ele-vator, containing luggage cart and bags, had already lifted off again. When it re-turned, the cart was gone. The officer viewed the video and saw a man wearing a black security type uniform. The man gets on the elevator with the luggage cart. At the time he gets on, he’s holding one laptop type bag. When he gets off at the 6th floor, he has two bags. The cart and bags were found but it appears a gun and a phone charger were taken.

� 6600 block of Roswell Road—On May 28, a woman said she accidently left her

wallet at a coffee shop. The next day the bank called her, telling her that her debit card was used for $600.

ASSAULT � 800 Hammond Drive—On May 25,

around 10:30 p.m. cops responded to a hotel because someone said a woman

had been hit by a car. She told offi-cers that she pulled into the ho-

tel parking lot and intended to book a room. She was ap-proached by a man who asked her to join him in his suite. She refused and he grabbed her keys. She exited her car and began to scream. He en-

tered his car, with her follow-ing him to retrieve her keys. He

drove forward, struck her and then he left the scene. She called the police,

at which time he returned on foot, tossed her the keys, and ran off. She (turns out she’s known him since she was 12) ob-tained his name and date of birth and gave that info to the cops. She was seen and later taken to the hospital for low-er back pain. Hotel staff said no one wit-nessed the incident and no one matching the suspect’s name had booked a room. Turns out he is the boyfriend, whom she is trying to get away from due to his drug use and violent ways.

ARRESTS � 1000 block of Crestline Parkway—

On May 23, a hotel manager reported that someone activated a smoke bomb on the third floor of the hotel just af-ter midnight. The hotel had to be evac-uated due to the heavy smoke. The per-son who was responsible eventually came

forward and was charged with disorderly conduct. There was some damage to the hotel property.

�Hammond Drive—On May 26, offi-cers got a call around 2 p.m. of a man yelling outside of an apartment complex. The man was yelling “Queens, Princes, Kings, Holy Ghosts, he will never take the throne!” as he pointed to the King and Queen Buildings at the Concourse. The 53-year-old man was located and found to have been the same kicked out of a local bar on Roswell Road after refus-ing to pay the tab. That officer earlier had given him a ride to the MARTA station, but he apparently hung around. He was arrested. On the way to jail he told the officer that he was “evil” and “serving the devil” and prayed for the officer’s “chil-dren to suffer.” Alcohol was involved.

� 1100 block of Mount Vernon High-way—On May 28, employees of a sports store watched a man who removed tags from clothing items and then attempted to leave without paying for them. He was detained. Officers spoke with the man, who gave a fake name. A fingerprint scan-ner was employed and verified his real name and a warrant already pending for a failure to appear charge in Sandy Springs. He was arrested.

� 6300 block of Roswell Road—On May 30, a woman was detained and then later arrested after stealing five items of cloth-ing at a department store. She had placed the items in a cart, pushed the cart to a secluded aisle, placed the items in a bag, then tried to exit the store where her hus-band and child were waiting. She was tak-en to the Fulton Jail annex in Alpharetta. The value of the items was just over $81.


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LEGAL NOTICESNotice of Intent to Voluntarily Dissolve a Corporation – Notice is given that a notice of intent to dissolve Confederation of Kenyan Diaspora Organizations Georgia Inc., a Georgia nonprofit corporation with its registered office at 300 Colonial Center Parkway Suite 100N, Roswell, Georgia 30076, will be delivered to the Secretary of State for filing in accordance with the Georgia Nonprofit Corporation Code.

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FREE CONSULTATION WITH THIS AD

We do quality work at reasonable prices.

ApexTREE SERVICE Inc.

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Window Cleaning• Window Cleaning• Gutter Cleaning • Pressure Washing• Family Owned • Licensed and Insured• FREE ESTIMATES

www.WindowCleanAtl.com

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470-222-4369housedox.com

Pre-screened Providers. Pre-negotiated Rates.

Handyman Services

No job too small

References Available

470-545-8408Cell/803-608-0792Cornell Davis, Owner

moving & delivery too!

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• 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





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

North Georgia Lawn Care

Call Tony 404-402-5435

HonestAffordableDependable

Free estimates

Licensed Insured

Commercial & ResidentialJunk Removal

Recycling770-399-6605

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justTRASHit!™

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Locally Owned Since 1997

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

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

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

Call James cell (404) 784-5142home (770) 455-6237

Universal Services LLCHandyman and Home Improvement

• Tub and shower caulking• Carpentry • Plumbing • Electrical • Painting

770-285-7017www.universal-handyman-services.com

• Plumbing • Electrical • Sheetrock • Floors • Tile • Framing • Kitchens • Painting • Roofwork • Concrete • Stained Glass• Antique Door Restorationas well as many other issues...

The Handyman Can

[email protected] Salvesen • 404-453-3438

Appliance RepairALL WORK GUARANTEEDCall Kevin 24/7

770.885.9210• All Major Appliances & Brands• Stoves, Ovens, Dishwashers• Refrigerators, Disposals• Washers, Dryers• 30 Years ExperienceServicing All of Metro Atlanta

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Licensed & Insured Master ElectricianNew wiring • Rewiring • Electrical service

upgrades • Plus more

www.mileselectric.net 404-759-7021

Oriental Rug ShopAntique and Decorative Rugs since 1976

Best Rug Cleaning & Repair5548 Peachtree Ind. Blvd

Atlanta, GA 30341404-995-8400

1.5 miles inside 285 in Chamblee Plazawww.PersianRugParadise.net

2014 Best of Atlanta Award Winner

Carpet / Rug Dealers Category

A+ Angie’s List

SS


A B O V E A T L A N T AB E Y O N D D E L I C I O U S

D i n e a r o u n d D u n w o o d y d u r i n g t h e f o u r t h a n n u a l D u n w o o d y R e s t a u r a n t We e k , J u n e 2 0 - 2 7 . O v e r 2 4 r e s t a u r a n t s f r o m a r o u n d t o w n w i l l p a r t i c i p a t e a n d s h o w c a s e t h e i r b e s t d i s h e s a n d d e s s e r t s a l l w e e k l o n g f o r l u n c h a n d d i n n e r. Lu n c h p r i c e p o i n t s a r e $ 1 0 , $ 1 5 a n d $ 2 5 a n d w i l l i n c l u d e a n a p p e t i z e r s e l e c t i o n a n d e n t r é e s e l e c t i o n . D i n n e r p r i c e p o i n t s a r e $ 2 0 , $ 3 0 a n d $ 4 5 a n d w i l l i n c l u d e a n a p p e t i z e r s e l e c t i o n , e n t r é e s e l e c t i o n a n d d e s s e r t o p t i o n . To v i e w p a r t i c i p a t i n g r e s t a u r a n t s , p r i x - f i xe m e n u s , a n d t o m a k e r e s e r v a t i o n s t h r o u g h O p e n Ta b l e p l e a s e v i s i t D u n w o o d y R e s t a u r a n t We e k . c o m | # D R W 1 5 .

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06-12-2015 Sandy Springs Reporter

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