Dunwoody Crier - February 5, 2026

Flock cameras record license plates and descriptions of ve-

that pass by them. Most

Atlanta cities use the devices, including Dunwoody.

City council wants more info on Flock Safety data collection

By DYANA BAGBY newsroom@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — The Dunwoody City Council is pausing renewal of a contract with Flock Safety until it gets answers about how the company secures data and what it does with information collected from its public safety technology.

Dunwoody Police Chief Mike Carlson asked the council at its Jan. 26 meeting to approve renewing its $200,000 contract with Flock to continue use of its AI-driven surveillance technology at its Real-Time Crime Center. The contract would be funded by the Perimeter Community Improvement Districts.

The PCIDs helped fund the department’s Real-Time Crime Center two years ago where Flock’s technology,

such as license plate readers, live-view cameras, gunshot detection sensors, third-party video cameras and call geolocation, are all linked.

A vote on the contract renewal has been deferred to the Feb. 23 meeting when Flock representatives can attend to answer questions specifically about data security, Mayor Lynn Deutsch said.

“I want to point out that I know that there is a balance here,” Deutsch said.

She noted the Dunwoody Police Department’s Flock drone recently located a woman in crisis and police were able to save her life.

“This is a fine line we're walking,” the mayor said.

See DATA, Page 14

Chamblee basketball splits in matchup with Lakeside DeKalb

By ANNABELLE REITER

annabelle@appenmedia.com

CHAMBLEE, Ga. — The Lakeside

High girls dominated host Chamblee Jan. 27, blasting past the Bulldogs 66-14.

It was a different story in the boys match where the host Bulldogs made easy work of Lakeside, 78-43.

In the girls match, Chamblee

GIRLS: VIKINGS 66, BULLDOGS 14 BOYS: BULLDOGS 78, VIKINGS 43

took their only lead of the game with a running floater by senior Emma Harron. That was their only basket of the first quarter, while Lakeside charged ahead to improve to 15-7 overall this year.

Chamblee recently had a change in coaching, with softball coaches stepping up to fill an ab-

sence. Nathaniel Berryman is the current head coach of the varsity basketball team in addition to his post as the leader of the softball team.

Senior guard Alyssa AustinPerry led Lakeside with 24 points and eight steals. Austin-Perry transferred this season from Greater Atlanta Christian School.

High School Jan. 27. Ndukwe and the Vikings routed the Bulldogs 66-14.

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Judge orders city to surrender files

Sandy Springs notches loss in public records lawsuit

By CARL APPEN carl@appenmedia.com

ATLANTA — A Fulton County judge has ordered Sandy Springs to produce documents it previously withheld from Appen Media Group, granting the newspaper’s motion in an ongoing public records lawsuit with the city.

In a Jan. 22 decision, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Melynee Leftridge ruled Sandy Springs must turn over “supplemental” incident and arrest reports tied to Appen’s prior open records requests, including documents connected to cases the city has considered open investigations.

The order mandates the city release those documents as part of the lawsuit’s discovery phase.

The ruling does not end the longrunning legal battle. The city has 60 days to provide the documents, which both parties will use to further adjudicate the case in court.

The lawsuit stems from Appen’s efforts to obtain public police incident reports from the city beginning in October 2022.

State law mandates public records be open to public inspection but allows certain exceptions. Agencies may withhold certain police records that involve ongoing investigations.

AAPPEN PRESSCLU B

However, the law requires initial incident and crime reports be released even if the case is open.

At the center of the Appen lawsuit is the question of what constitutes an “initial incident report.”

For years, Sandy Springs has made available brief reports stating when and where police are dispatched.

Unlike incident reports provided by surrounding jurisdictions, the Sandy Springs reports typically lack details on the nature of the crime, an accounting of property damage, injuries associated with a crime, whether there were any victims or any arrests were made, and whether any suspects have been identified.

Sandy Springs admits that officers generally write more detailed reports in a second document, often written the same day. The city claims in its legal defense that this second report is not part of the initial incident report, and therefore can be withheld.

In its complaint, Appen cited examples of Sandy Springs reports in which both documents were created at the same time on the same day. When the newspaper filed open records requests for the reports associated with these incidents, the city only provided the

first, one-sentence page.

After trying to mediate the situation, Appen Media brought suit against the city in May 2023 arguing its practice violated the Open Records Act.

After a Fulton County judge ruled in favor of the city in December 2023, Appen appealed the decision to the higher state court. The Court of Appeals then rejected the lower court ruling, stating, “the trial court’s grant of summary judgment was premature. Genuine issues of material fact remain based on this record and thus the trial court erred by granting summary judgment to the City.”

That decision sent the case back to Fulton County Superior Court.

During the initial phase of the suit, Appen Media requested the city provide copies of complete incident reports so the court could compare them with the supposedly abbreviated reports the city gave the newspaper.

The city did not complete that request. Its justification largely mirrored the city’s defense for not handing them over in the first place. Sandy Springs said the underlying cases involve open investigations and therefore, it claims, are exempt from release.

Following the appellate ruling and ahead of upcoming trial proceedings, Appen filed a motion requesting the court order the city to provide those outstanding documents.

It argued the materials will help cure deficiencies identified by the appeals court.

“We cannot say as a matter of law that a narrative report is not part of the initial incident report subject to disclosure … Based upon the record before us which was simply not fully developed as to that

issue,” the appellate court stated.

Citing that ruling, Appen’s motion argued the newspaper, “is entitled to these reports to fully develop the record as to whether these reports should have been initially produced as Appen alleges in its Complaint.”

The city petitioned the court to deny Appen’s request.

Following a Jan 6. hearing, the judge sided with Appen Media.

In her order, Judge Leftridge said the Court of Appeals decision entitled Appen Media to all incident reports related to its requests, “regardless of how they are labeled by the City,” so the record could be fully developed.

The judge concluded the city failed to fully respond to discovery requests despite Appen Media’s attempts to resolve the dispute without court intervention.

She also noted the discovery request sought, “nonprivileged and relevant information.”

As a result, the court granted the motion to compel and ordered the city to produce the previously withheld materials.

Under the order, Sandy Springs must provide the documents within 60 days of receiving the ruling. Leftridge also authorized Appen Media to submit an affidavit seeking reimbursement for reasonable attorney fees and expenses incurred in pursuing the motion.

Since the Jan. 22 ruling, the city has filed two new motions. The first is a request for immediate review and the second petitions the court to reconsider its decision to compel discovery.

Appen Media has filed a response. Meanwhile, the newspaper awaits the city’s documents as the case plays out.

Public support, participation make Dunwoody arts thrive

In a fast-growing city, it is easy to measure progress by new buildings and new businesses. But a truly strong community is also measured by the spaces where people gather, laugh, learn and feel like they belong. That is why Create Dunwoody exists. As a longtime Dunwoody resident and executive director of Create Dunwoody, I believe arts and culture are part of the civic infrastructure that makes Dunwoody welcoming, connected, and vibrant.

We are grateful for the partners who help make this work possible, including Discover Dunwoody, the City of Dunwoody, the Dunwoody Development Authority, the Village Merchant Alliance, commercial property owners and local businesses. We saw that support in action at our highly attended Holiday Celebration and Lantern Parade in November 2025, when families and neighbors turned out in force to celebrate the season together. Create Dunwoody is excited to invite residents to a slate of events and programs that reflect the spirit

of Dunwoody. Our Comedy Festival returned with a sold-out crowd, and our Black History Month Celebration was held at Marriot Perimeter. Come to celebrate Holi, the Festival of Colors, at Wildcat Park on March 7 and our sixth annual AAPI Cultural Celebration on April 26 at Ashford Lane with us.

We are also bringing back our Storefront Art Exhibit featuring Dunwoody High School student artwork, plus a new project bringing small doors to Dunwoody Village this summer.

I’m writing because arts and culture only thrive when the community shows up and when local businesses and civic partners see clear public support. Your attendance, sponsorship and volunteer time directly determine how many free, inclusive events we can offer and how strongly Dunwoody can grow as a city with a true cultural identity. We invite readers to join us and learn more at createdunwoody.org

Rosemary

Watts

Executive

director, Create Dunwoody

A lapse in memory?

I am a longtime, 53-year resident of Dunwoody writing about the half-mile Winters Chapel Multiuse Trail, a 12foot wide concrete path from Dunwoody Club Drive to Charmant Place. The project was completed by the City of Dunwoody in August 2023 at an estimated cost of $1.6 million in taxpayer dollars.

Living in this immediate area, I drive on Winters Chapel Road with regularity, and I can count on my 10 fingers the number of people I have seen on this path in two and a half years.

This path is not used.

No matter, our city has proposed to extend this 12-foot-wide concrete multiuse trail about three-quarters of a mile from Charmant Place to Peeler Road at an estimated cost of $3.5 million.

Dunwoody residents will recall that back in 2023, our city proposed a $60 million General Obligation Bond Referendum to “build or improve physical

assets,” including 12-foot-wide trails like the Winters Chapel Multiuse Trail about which I am writing.

The voter results of a Nov. 7, 2023, vote on these bonds were: No – 4,814 votes – 57% Yes – 3,662 votes – 43%.

It would appear our City Council has had a memory lapse to propose extension of this 12-foot wide “path?”

With this said, a public information meeting open house to discuss this proposal will take place Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, from 5-7 p.m. at the Winters Chapel United Methodist Church, located at 5105 Winters Chapel Road.

I encourage you to be there to remind our City Council that a majority of Dunwoody residents oppose 12-foot wide “paths.” I hope you will join me. Contact your council representative now about this as well.

Gerald McCarley Dunwoody

TALK BACK TO THE CRIER: The Crier is committed to its role as Perimeter’s community thread. As readers have reminded the paper, part of that role means budgeting premium space for letters from residents. Talk Back to the Crier by Sunday night and your note will be on page 3 that week. Email letters to newsroom@ appenmedia.com. The Crier won’t publish it without explicitly getting your approval.

Sandy Springs continues fight to keep citizens in the dark

MIKE PETCHENIK Guest Columnist

Enough is enough.

As a Sandy Springs resident and taxpayer, I’m outraged that our city officials continue to spend our money fighting Appen Media’s open records lawsuit.

I’m looking at you Mayor Rusty Paul and City Attorney Dan Lee.

Open records are the PEOPLE’S records; they don’t belong to an overzealous city attorney who believes he’s above the law. They don’t belong to a police chief who has long enjoyed unfettered power under the current administration. They belong to us.

When crime happens in our neighborhoods, the public deserves to know what actually happened, not a sanitized or heavily redacted version of events.

Protecting an active investigation makes sense. Blaming routine police report narratives for failed prosecutions doesn’t.

As a beat reporter who covered Sandy Springs for more than a decade, I can empathize with my friends at Appen Media. Part of my job involved reviewing dozens of online police reports every day to identify newsworthy incidents.

At one point, when I received the same heavily redacted incident reports, I resorted to requesting 911 audio to understand what actually happened, a loophole city leaders later closed once they caught on to my workaround.

Years later, the same leaders are apparently still at it, sanitizing Sandy Springs crime to keep up appearances rather than educating the electorate about the world around them.

Instead of complying with the law, they’re doubling down.

Instead of doing the right thing, they targeted Appen, passing an ordinance that blocks overnight delivery of their papers, raising the company’s costs, all while justifying it as a measure to stop neo-Nazis from spreading propaganda.

I have deep respect for the officers at Sandy Springs

A Fulton County judge has ordered Sandy Springs to produce documents it previously withheld from Appen Media Group, granting the newspaper’s motion in a long-running lawsuit over access to police records.

Police and count many of them as friends. This isn’t a criticism of their work. This is about the decisionmakers keeping that work hidden from the public.

Sandy Springs leaders should remember what happened after my former WSB-TV colleague, newsroom legend Richard Belcher exposed obfuscation inside the Atlanta Watershed.

Belcher sought open records on water bills tied to then-Mayor Kasim Reed and his family. A whistleblower leaked texts in which a public information officer instructed her staff to stall the request, to be as “unhelpful as possible,” and to provide records in the most “confusing format available.”

Belcher’s subsequent reporting, including a brilliant on-camera confrontation with the public information officer, led to the first known criminal prosecution of a PIO for violating Sunshine laws and a large monetary settlement.

Paul, Lee, and the City Council would be wise to avoid ending up in the crosshairs of an attorney general’s investigation.

There’s real merit to the Washington Post mantra, “Democracy Dies in Darkness,” and it’s time for Sandy Springs to finally see the light.

Mike Petchenik is a Sandy Springs resident and a veteran reporter formerly with WSB-TV.

PUBLIC NOTICE

The Dunwoody Art Festival will return to Dunwoody Village Parkway on May 9 & 10, 2026. Dunwoody Village Parkway, between Mt. Vernon Hwy. and before the front entrance to CrossFit Dunwoody, will be closed to vehicular traffic, beginning Friday, May 8 at 6 pm until Sunday, May 10 at 10 pm. All businesses will remain open and have access to their establishments. For more information, visit www.SplashFestivals.com

Connect-It

TYPE CAST

1. Loser’s trick. Type of punch. Not bold.

2. Versifier’s output. Ape. Type of case.

3. Type of training. Shopping aid. Ort.

4. Bay window. Type of wolf. Stringed instrument.

5. Type of shelter. The Good Book. Proclamation.

6. Like cold, blustery weather. Type of helmit. Grab.

2/5/26 Sudoku PuzzleJunction.com

7. Type of horse. Say something. Pound sound.

1 Loser’s trick. Type of punch. Not bold

2. Versifier’s output. Ape. Type of case

To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and box must contain the numbers 1 to 9.

How to Solve: Each line in the puzzle above has three clues and three answers. The last letter in the first answer on each line is the first letter of the second answer, and so on. The connecting letter is outlined, giving you the correct number of letters for each answer (the answers in line 1 are 4, 5 and 5 letters). The clues are numbered 1 through 7, which each number containing 3 clues for the 3 answers on the line. But here’s the catch! The clues are not in order - so the first clue in Line 1 may (or may not) actually be for the second or third answer in that line. Got it? Good luck!

3. Type of training. Shopping aid. Ort.

4. Bay window. Type of wolf. Stringed instrument

5. Type of shelter. The Good Book. Proclamation.

Like cold, blustery weather. Type of helmit. Grab

Type of horse. Say somethin

How to Solve: To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and box must contain the numbers 1 to 9.

How to Solve: Kakuro, also known as Cross Sums, is a challenging number puzzle, solved in a crossword style grid. The rules are easy: A number above the diagonal line in a black square is the sum of the white squares to the right of it. A number below the diagonal line is the sum of the white squares in the sequence below it. You may only use the digits 1 to 9, and a digit can only be used once in any sequence.

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This 1919 Pitts and Sullivan family photograph was taken at Morgan Falls and appeared in the Georgia Power Magazine. Front row, from left: Nancy Coleman Sullivan (1866-1931), Rosa Reed Sullivan (1885-1978), Irene Sullivan Pitts (1903-1998) holding baby Roy Clifton Pitts (1919-1987) in her lap, Georgia Burgess Reed (1848-1938). Back row: from left, Dave B. Sullivan (1832-1928), Charles W. Sullivan (1859-1939), W. Cliff Sullivan (1884-1938), Roy T. Pitts (1896-1956) and James Wiley Reed (1842-1919).

Sullivan family history, from Morgan Falls to Tallulah Falls

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF Columnist

In the previous Past Tense, I shared the story of James Stanford Pitts, ancestor of Gail Pitts and namesake of Pitts Road. In the early 1900s, James S. Pitts worked for Georgia Railway and Electric Company, which later became Georgia Power Company. Looking to the Sullivan side of Gail Pitts’ family tree, several family members worked for Georgia Power Company in the first half of the 20th century.

Gail’s paternal grandparents, Roy Thomas Pitts (1896-1956) and Irene Sullivan Pitts (1903-1998), married on April 28, 1918. Irene Sullivan’s father and Gail Pitts’ great grandfather, William Clifton (Cliff) Sullivan (18841938), began his career with Atlanta and Water Power Company in 1902. He worked as a water boy at Morgan Falls, during construction of the dam and the Bull Sluice Plant. Sullivan was promoted to operations, then became superintendent of the plant in 1913. (Atlanta Constitution, Oct. 21, 1938, “Utility Official of Tallulah Dies”)

Cliff Sullivan became foreman of the Morgan Falls plant in 1923. In 1926, he was named foreman of the Tallulah Falls hydroelectric plant, the largest in

Georgia, and in the 1930s, Cliff Sullivan was appointed superintendent of all six North Georgia hydroelectric plants. The plants were located on the Tallulah and Tugaloo Rivers. (“History of the Georgia Power Company, 1855 to 1956,” by Wade H. Wright)

Cliff Sullivan married Rosa Nevada Reed (1885-1978) in 1902. From her family history archives Gail Pitts shares, “Cliff and Rosa Sullivan had four children: Elizabeth (Irene), Frederick Reed (Fred), Ollie Austell (Ollie), and Choice Felton (Felton). Irene worked at the downtown Atlanta Rich’s store, while husband Roy Pitts worked for Georgia Power. All three of Cliff and Rosa’s sons worked for Georgia Power during their lifetimes. Felton retired as an operator at the Tallulah Falls hydroelectric plant.”

According to his 1938 obituary, “Mr. Cliff Sullivan was widely known among Atlantans who have gone to Lakemont for visits and among those who maintain residences there. He was counted one of the power company’s most valued employees.” Cliff Sullivan and Rosa Reed Sullivan are both buried in the Old Roswell Cemetery.

Award-winning author Valerie Biggerstaff is a longtime columnist for Appen Media and the Dunwoody Crier. She lives in Atlanta. You can email Valerie at pasttensega@gmail.com or visit her website at pasttensega.com.

Local theater students shine at junior festival

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Students with Davis Campbell Theatrics and City Springs Theatre Conservatory in Sandy Springs were awarded for their performances Jan. 16-18 at the 2026 Junior Theater Festival Atlanta.

The annual festival brings theater groups together to participate in musical theater workshops. Each group comes prepared to impress theater professionals with a 15-minute performance of a Broadway Junior musical.

Davis Campbell Theatrics earned the award for Excellence in Dance after impressing judge Nina Meehan with their “fierce” and “fun” performance of “Mean Girls Jr.”

Students Caitlyn Whitney and Maddie Dunn were awarded for their student direction and choreography. Participants Anya Kumar and Peyton Mitchell were named Junior Theater Festival All-Stars, a distinction that goes to a select group of performers.

City Springs Theatre Conservatory performed “Disney’s Frozen Jr.” and earned one of the festival’s top awards – the All Festival Performance Group.

“This presentation contained showstopping solo performances while demonstrating gorgeous vocals and a creative, captivating use of the ensemble,” judge Marissa Davis said.

Performers Kennedy Johnson and Jackson Arthur were named Junior Theater Festival All-Stars. Four participants, Arthur, Katie Kraushaar, Ivy Stull and Zoe Toles, were selected for a callback to a project promoting musical theater in schools.

In all, 141 groups across 30 states, the United Kingdom and Australia participated in the Junior Theater Festival.

Hannah Yahne

16-18.

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Consultant: Brookhaven should work with county to revive Buford Highway

By CARLOS MONCADA newsroom@appenmedia.com

BROOKHAVEN, Ga. — An economic development consultant is urging the City of Brookhaven to partner with DeKalb County to establish a special tax district aimed at revitalizing Buford Highway.

At a Jan. 27 City Council work session, Geoff Koski, president of KB Advisory Group, said that Decide DeKalb, the county’s economic development arm, could sponsor a special tax district to harvest revenue for revitalization.

The tax allocation district — or TAD — could be used to generate public funds for improvements that would attract redevelopment to the underserved, somewhat blighted commercial corridor.

“You have [DeKalb] that is actively pursuing TADs throughout the county, sometimes within city boundaries,” Koski told council members. “That is an opportunity that presents itself — and maybe the best opportunity.”

Koski’s presentation outlined various economic development tools available to encourage investment along the seven-lane highway that runs about 6 miles through the southeastern part of the city.

His Atlanta-based firm was awarded a contract last year to draft a redevelopment plan, which the council adopted at their regular meeting that followed the work session.

Koski told council members that a county-led TAD, with consent from the school board, likely was their best option over implementing a special service district (SSD) or a community improvement district (CID), both of which would require additional property taxes.

TADs, on the other hand, freeze property taxes within the district that are paid to governments. As valuations rise, the additional tax revenue generated is set aside in a special account for infrastructure improvements, like streets, landscaping and sidewalks to promote revitalization.

TADs generally run for 25 or 30year terms. Once the TAD ends, all tax

revenues revert back to the general tax base.

“There’s about 100 active TADs in Georgia,” Koski said. “So, the cities are very active in using these.”

Yet TADs are not without controversy.

Atlanta, for instance, is looking to extend its eight TADs, set to expire over the next 5 to 13 years, beyond 2050. However, critics argue that the districts fuel gentrification and mainly benefit large developers.

Brookhaven has spent years trying to draw private investment to Buford Highway, home to some of the region's largest and most ethnically diverse immigrant communities.

“There's big ideas for Buford Highway, but the implementation has been held back because the market hasn't been showing up,” Koski said.

He said Brookhaven would face challenges in establishing its own TAD, which would require authorizing legislation as well as voter approval through a citywide referendum.

The city's relatively low property tax rate of 2.74 mills also poses an

Brookhaven City Council member John Funny said he wants to attract more affordable and workforce housing along Buford Highway.

obstacle, Koski said. “As you all created Brookhaven, part of the deal was you kept property taxes low,” he said.

“That’s good for your taxpayers. But when your millage rate is low, that holds you back a bit on what you can do with a TAD.”

Council member John Funny, whose district includes Buford Highway, said his goal is to promote mixed-use development — including

affordable and workforce housing — while safeguarding existing residents from being priced out of their communities.

“Buford Highway is one of the primary corridors within the city that has a lot of vacant lots and a lot of opportunities for redevelopment and/ or new development,” Funny said. “So it is a priority, and I'm very concerned about how that happens.”

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Teen triathlete offers free riding lessons to kids

By HANNAH YAHNE hannah@appenmedia.com

MILTON, Ga. — Jonathan Thai fondly remembers the freedom he felt as a kid riding his bike down the Big Creek Greenway with his dad.

That feeling turned competitive when Thai entered his first triathlon in middle school. Now, at 17, he’s preparing to compete in the World Triathlon Winter Championships in Italy.

“I understand that I’m very privileged to have all these experiences and be able to do the things that I can do, like be a triathlete,” Thai said. “I recognize that there’s people in my community, like how my parents grew up, that didn’t have access to all of those resources.”

His mom never experienced that feeling of freedom that Thai says comes with riding a bike. She was gifted a bike from her dad, who found it on the side of the road. It broke after one day, and her family couldn’t afford a new one.

As a freshman at Milton High School, Thai started volunteering with iCan Bike, a non-profit organization helping neurodivergent children learn how to ride bicycles. He also volunteers with Meals by Grace, a food pantry in North Fulton.

“I just wanted to find a way to combine my passion for cycling and my sports background with how I could help the community through volunteering further,” Thai said.

Finding a way forward

Thai was already brainstorming ideas for his own nonprofit before learning that national retailer REI stopped offering “experiences,” which included classes and day tours of various outdoor activities. One of these experiences was a paid training program offered at the REI in Alpharetta where kids could learn to ride bikes.

Thai recognized the impact that this would have on kids. From learning the rules of the road on a bike to how to pump up a tire and use the brakes, Thai said there’s a lot to learn before riding safely.

“I realize that it’s also disproportionately affecting kids from underserved communities,” Thai said. “Not being able to ride also kind of puts them more at a disadvantage.”

He wants everyone to feel the freedom he experienced as a kid, whether that be to play with friends or run errands when their parents aren’t home.

“Biking is a really sustainable form of transportation for the whole community,” Thai said. “I realized that I could use my resources to help … not just all people, but the underserved community in specific.”

Thai launched the Pedal Forward Foundation in January 2025 to provide free bike lessons and equipment to kids in underserved communities.

He found an attorney who helped him attain nonprofit status pro bono, which Thai said was huge since the organization had no funding at the time.

Securing insurance for the nonprofit was also a problem, Thai said. He found momentary relief among certified instructors at the League of American Bicyclists, who led his first three camps and provided coverage.

By July, Thai became a certified cycling instructor through the league so that his camps could remain insured.

“I knew I couldn’t depend on them for eternity, so I became a league cycling instructor myself to get the

insurance,” he said.

Pedal Forward needed volunteers to maintain a one-to-one ratio between kids and instructors. At first, his triathlon teammates volunteered their time, but as their schedules got busier while Thai’s nonprofit grew, he had to find ways to attract more volunteers.

“That’s when I started partnering with the Young Men’s Service League that I was a part of,” Thai said. Pedal Forward partners with chapters of the Young Men’s Service League in Alpharetta, Milton and North Fulton, allowing members to complete their annual service hours at Thai’s nonprofit.

When members of the National Charity League overheard Thai talking about his nonprofit, the Roswell/Alpharetta, Milton and South Forsyth chapters partnered with Pedal Forward to host a bike drive ensuring every participant has access to a bike and helmet.

“I was kind of amazed how fast it took off and how the community came together to help this idea that I had and make it a reality,” Thai said.

After camps finished for the year, Pedal Forward partnered with Bike Alpharetta to clean, repair and donate 277 bikes and over 300 helmets to North Fulton Community Charities for its annual Toyland event.

Bringing it full circle

In one year, Pedal Forward has mobilized 260 volunteers and impacted over 200 kids.

“Teaching them how to ride and seeing the joy that they get from it is just amazing for both the kids and the volunteers,” Thai said.

Since June, Pedal Forward has raised over $25,000 through creating fundraising efforts like hosting a movie premiere for donations and selling merchandise.

The nonprofit has partnered with cities and schools to promote biking as safe and efficient transportation. Thai hosted a camp leading up to the Georgia Department of Transportation’s Safe Routes to School initiative last fall.

In October, he partnered with the City of Roswell to host a camp during Hispanic Heritage Month. Thai said it was an amazing experience, especially because some of his volunteers could provide Spanish translations for families.

Pedal Forward’s impact expanded outside of North Fulton last year when Thai helped a South Atlanta elementary school organize a bikeathon fundraiser. He will receive a proclamation from Fulton County in February recognizing his work.

Thai said starting something aligned with his passions that positively impacts young people has transformed him. He loves seeing the joy on kids’ faces as they take part in an experience he enjoyed so much while growing up.

“Some of these kids want to do all this stuff, but don’t have access to do it,” Thai said. “So, to be able to provide this service to them has been great.”

Two of Thai’s triathlon teammates recently started chapters of Pedal Forward in New York and Tennessee. The New York chapter is scheduled to offer its first camp in the spring.

In Tennessee, Pedal Forward has partnered with the Boys and Girls Club of America to provide camps every week starting this month.

Pedal Forward Georgia meets for camps at the Union Hill Pavilion in Alpharetta. The three-hour camps help kids get comfortable on a bike before ending the lesson with a ride down the Big Creek Greenway.

“Going from not being able to ride at all to riding on the Greenway was kind of a big moment for them and for me,” Thai said. “Riding on the Greenway was one of the biggest parts of my childhood … I wanted to give that to them too.”

Pedal Forward’s first camp of the year will be March 7 from 2-5 p.m. Every kid that registers without a bike or helmet during registration will be provided one.

To donate or learn more about the Pedal Forward Foundation, visit their website or email info@ pedalforward.net.

Is this your situation: Confused about starting estate planning

Most people do not like to think about estate planning, but it’s important for everyone to have their affairs in order and assets protected, especially if they have family or loved ones. As the saying goes, “hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.”

Consider the following stress-free tips to help you plan your estate.

Involve your loved ones

Although your family may not like the conversation, it’s essential to make your requests known and allow them the opportunity to share their wishes as well. Explaining your plan to your family could reduce the burden they feel when it’s time to make tough decisions.

Start early

It’s better to have a plan and not need it than to leave your family unprepared should anything unfortunate happen. Even if you’re earning an entry-level salary or paying off debts, it’s important to clarify your wishes. This is particularly vital if you are married or have young children.

Meet with an estate-planning professional

When you meet with an estateplanning professional, you can solidify the details. Do your research ahead of time (learn the difference between a will and a trust, for example), so you can present a

comprehensive list of questions to the attorney. Your attorney will walk you through the necessary components of an estate plan and ensure that your plan complies with the law. There are advanced types of planning to protect your assets from lawsuits, creditors, Medicaid,

long-term care costs, family members, divorces, blended families, remarriages, tax avoidance planning, and keeping your assets in the bloodline after your death.

Update your estate plan annually

Your life can change dramatically in the course of a few years. Ensure that your will is current and accurately reflects your wishes. Most professionals recommend updating your estate plan annually so that you can be ready for any of life’s twists and turns.

Regardless of your age, it’s important to plan ahead to spare your family the difficult decisions involved in handling your affairs. Start planning today and protect yourself and your loved ones. Give us a call, and we’ll be happy to go over your particular situation and advise you on the next steps.

• Does my Will protect my “stuff”? (It does not.)

• Should I upgrade my Will to a Trust?

• What do I need to know about Revocable Living Trusts?

• How do Irrevocable Trusts work?

February/March Workshops:

• Medicaid. What’s true and what’s not?

• How do I protect my assets for my family and legacy?

• How do I remain in control?

• How do I avoid losing everything to nursing home costs?

• How can my family avoid probate?

Attend our FREE Educational Workshops. Reserve your Spot and Get a FREE Consultation for attending the Workshop (a $500 Value) CODE: herald2023

The most dangerous place for seniors

Brought to you by – Bath and Kitchen Galleria

The bathroom, a place we take for granted, transforms into one of the most hazardous areas in the home for aging seniors. With slippery surfaces, high tub walls, and the need for frequent maneuvering, the risk of falls—the leading cause of injury among older adults—spikes dramatically. John Hogan, President of Bath and Kitchen Galleria and Aging in Place Expert says, “Proactive bathroom modifications are not merely an upgrade; they are an essential investment in the long-term safety, independence, and dignity of our seniors.”

To mitigate the dangers, several specific aspects of the bathroom should be modified to create a supportive and accessible environment:

Shower and Bathtub: The single greatest fall risk is often stepping over a high tub wall. The ideal solution is a curbless or low-threshold walk-in shower to eliminate this barrier entirely. For added security, install a permanent shower seat or bench and a handheld showerhead to allow for comfortable, seated bathing. Shower floor should have non-slip tile surfaces.

Grab Bars: Strategically placed sturdy, professional-grade grab bars are critical. They must be securely anchored into wall studs, not just

the drywall. Placement is key: near the toilet to assist with sitting and standing, and both inside and just outside the shower/tub for secure entry and exit. Modern grab bars come in a variety of stylish finishes to seamlessly blend with your décor.

Toilet Area: A standard toilet can be difficult to use for those with limited mobility. Installing a comfort-height or raised toilet seat reduces the strain on joints and makes the transition from sitting to standing much easier. Pairing this with well-placed grab bars provides a significant boost in stability.

Flooring and Lighting: Replace slippery tile or remove loose bathmats and throw rugs, which are tripping

hazards. Install slip-resistant flooring throughout the bathroom. Finally, good lighting is paramount. Bright, even lighting—including motion-sensor nightlights—helps seniors navigate safely, especially during middle-of-thenight trips.

By implementing these thoughtful changes, the bathroom can evolve from a high-risk area into a secure, comfortable, and accessible space that supports an aging senior’s desire to age in place safely at home. For more information visit Bath and Kitchen Galleria’s showroom at 10591 Old Alabama Rd Connector in Alpharetta (no appointment needed) or call them at 678-459-2292.

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Data:

Continued from Page 1

Following the meeting, Deutsh said she thinks there are a lot of concerns about the security of the Flock data “and then what Flock is doing with the data.” Dunwoody has roughly 80 Flock cameras in operation.

“I think we need a conversation with Flock,” she said. “There have been a lot of a lot of recent incidents – not here, but just globally, that have raised these questions.”

In Metro Atlanta, a Sandy Springs officer resigned in August after an internal investigation alleged that he used the city's Flock camera network to help develop a surveillance product for a private company where he also worked.

Also last year, Sandy Springs police were reported to have used the city’s contracts with a data collection firm to assist in ICE immigration enforcement.

Nationally, the use of automated license plate reader technology has sparked debate over the balance between public safety and privacy. Law enforcement agencies say license plate readers systems help solve crimes, recover stolen vehicle and locate missing persons more quickly.

But civil liberties advocates warn that the technology can collect location data on large numbers of lawabiding drivers. Critics also raise concerns about data retention, sharing with outside agencies and the risk of misuse or data breaches.

Other critics ask why there is no public input into how a private company can use its technology, paid for

Basketball:

Junior forward MacKenzie Burkhardt was another source of sparking turnovers for Lakeside with 13 points and seven steals.

DeKalb County’s fourth leading scorer from last season, Gabriella Benjamin, had a down night scoring with 15 points but also contributed seven rebounds and four blocks.

Benjamin became the leading scorer in program history this season, passing Adia Bouldin who graduated in 2023. Benjamin surpassed 1,500 career points as a junior last week.

Lakeside head coach Lakia Morton, who has been with the Vikings for nine years, said upholding her program’s standards is a top priority even in less competitive games.

“We didn’t have that day of practice yesterday, so everybody had to kind of rev the motor a little bit,” she said referring to cancellations due to the recent ice storm. “But [Burkhardt], she’s always ready to go so we don’t need to worry about that.”

with tax dollars, to watch the public. More states are also enacting privacy laws and restricting license plate readers.

Flock, an Atlanta-based private company, is valued at $7.5 billion, according to Forbes magazine and is reported to have 80,000 AI-powered cameras throughout the U.S.

The company has continually said its data is safe and denies sharing it with ICE. In a victory for the com-

pany, a federal judge ruled Jan. 27 that Norfolk, Va., Police Department’s use of Flock automated license plate readers does not violate the Fourth Amendment privacy rights.

Nearly all metro Atlanta police departments use Flock Safety’s technology, according to Flock. The company works with more than 5,000 law enforcement agencies across the U.S., as well as businesses, malls, HOAs and health systems.

quarter. McDow led the team with 14 points.

All 14 players on Chamblee’s roster contributed points in the 78-43 victory. With region play winding down and three games remaining, the Bulldog bench will need to stay ready in case they are called upon.

Chamblee head coach Chris Terry said the “one shot” motto he discussed at winter sports media has continued to be a lasting message for his team.

Last year, the Bulldogs’ season ended in the region tournament off a gamewinning shot by Shiloh. This year, they have repeatedly emphasized that every possession matters in close games.

Terry said the win over Lakeside was good for team morale after missing practice due to the cold and ice.

“We wanted to get the bad taste out of our mouth from a tough loss to Tri-Cities and start to [be] back to the team that we expect to be for four quarters,” he said. “Everybody got to touch the ball a little bit. When we can do that in a win, it’s always a good thing.”

The Lakeside girls team is sitting in third in Region 4 of 5A after four region losses to Woodward, Tri-Cities and Shiloh. After splitting the series with Shiloh, the Vikings’ Jan. 30 matchup with

Tri-Cities will determine the standings going into the region tournament.

tion going further into the bench than normal.

Chamblee has to face Tri-Cities once more in their last game of the season Feb. 5. Sitting at fourth in region standings, the Bulldogs would need to be unseated by Dunwoody, who is No. 5 and suffered two losses to Chamblee. Four teams from Region 4-5A will move on to the state tournament next month. Continued from Page 1

In the boys game, Chamblee won the tip-off and never lost steam afterward, even with the Bulldogs’ rota -

Junior Eston McDow connected on a 3-pointer from the corner to get the Bulldogs on the board in the first

City of Dunwoody To Hold

A Location and Design Public Information Open House For PI(s) 0019785

Village Crossing Project Dekalb County

On Tuesday, March 03, 2026 (date) at Vintage Pizzeria (5510 Chamblee Dunwoody Road) (location), the City of Dunwoody will hold a Public Information Open House concerning the proposed Village Crossing project. This project proposes to transform Chamblee Dunwoody Road between Womack Road and Roberts Drive through Dunwoody Village to provide context-sensitive, multimodal, complete street improvements including bicycle and pedestrian facilities.

The purpose of this Location and Public Information Open House is to provide the public with an opportunity to view the project, ask questions, and comment on the project.

The Open House will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. It will be informal, and the public is invited to attend anytime during these hours. There will be no formal presentation. A court reporter will be available to allow the public an opportunity to make verbal comments about the project.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Information: The meeting site is accessible to persons with disabilities. Accommodations for people with disabilities can be arranged with advance notice by contacting Michelle Hirose at michelle.hirose@ dunwoodyga.gov or 678-382-6812.

Project information may be viewed online at www.dunwoodyga.gov/ villagecrossing. Comments will be accepted concerning this project until Tuesday, March 17, 2026. Written statements may be submitted to:

Michelle Hirose Public Works Deputy Director City of Dunwoody 4800 Ashford Dunwoody Road Dunwoody, Georgia 30338

Riverwood guard Kaleb Bilal goes up for a jumper at Riverwood High School Jan. 23. Bilal led the Raiders with 26 points in the 68-52 win over Creekview. RAIDERS 68, GRIZZLIES 52

ANNABELLE REITER/APPEN MEDIA

Riverwood rolls over Creekview

By ANNABELLE REITER annabelle@appenmedia.com

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — The Creekview boys basketball team was unable to stay composed after traveling to Riverwood Jan. 23, with fouls piling up to culminate in a 68-52 loss.

The boys are at the bottom of the region standings with a 0-9 (7-13 overall) record.

Riverwood boys are sitting in fifth place in Region 6 of 5A, needing to unseat either Lassiter, Woodstock, Sprayberry or Pope to make the state tournament.

Riverwood head coach Buck Jenkins complimented senior Kaleb Bilal, who led the team with 26 points in the win.

“I’m proud of the fact that we have so much resilience [through many injuries],” Jenkins said. “They continue to fight and battle, even though it’s somebody different that has to step up, game in and game out. Our goal is to be playing our best basketball once the region tournament starts.”

Kaleb’s older brother Karris is a Riverwood alum and posted a doubledouble of 17 points and 12 rebounds in the Raiders first program championship in 2024. Karris played one year at Vanderbilt and now plays for Louisiana University.

The dominant win over Creekview evened the Raiders’ record this season at

10 wins and 10 losses.

The Grizzlies kept the first quarter close, recovering from a 3-9 start to cut the deficit to two points on two occasions before the Raiders stormed ahead.

Going into the second quarter, the lead was five points and stretched to 11 by halftime. The second half was all Riverwood. Creekview didn’t reduce the deficit enough to put themselves in position to take back the lead at any point.

Each team had one player foul out of the game in the fourth quarter, but even with several players sitting due to injuries, Riverwood’s rotation didn’t drop the ball.

Creekview started to heat up from beyond the arc in the final frame and outscored the Raiders by 3 points in the period, but they couldn’t get within striking distance because of six missed free throws in the fourth.

Riverwood, on the other hand, made the most of their appearances at the charity stripe going 15-20 from the freethrow line.

The Raiders will have to continue capitalizing on their opportunities if a state playoff run is in their future.

Creekview’s girls basketball team is ranked No. 2 in 5A behind region foe River Ridge and No. 14 in the state. They routed Riverwood girls 54-10 prior to the boys game.

OPINION

Pennies, pee-cans and puh-kahns

STEVE HUDSON Columnist

I found myself thinking about Grandma’s house the other day. It was a big ol’ white frame house, or at least it seemed big to elementary-age eyes. But of course, most everything seemed big back then. That’s part of the magic of being a kid, I guess.

Anyway, the house was classic in that way that grandma’s houses always are. This one sat a few yards off East Ponce de Leon Avenue between Clarkston and Stone Mountain. Daddy talked about it a lot, about how he’d hunt quail and rabbits in the fields around it growing up. Sometimes he’d talk about taking the streetcar from the house into town – to Atlanta, I always assumed, though it occurs to me just now that he might have had somewhere else in mind.

The house had a porch. On the porch were three or four springy metal yard chairs, chalky white in the way that only old metal porch chairs can be. If you sat in one, it left a mark on your jeans. But those chairs had bounce. You could get ‘em going pretty good if you tried. But usually, you just sat and talked to Grandma or whoever else happened by, content just to be there on the porch.

That’s when maybe, if you were lucky, you got to see a train.

Ahh, the trains! Just across the road from Grandma’s was the rail line, where trains passed several times a day.

Kids love trains, and I was a card-carrying kid. Sometimes, when I figured nobody was looking, I’d sneak across the road and find a path

through the blackberry bushes and up to the tracks. Yeah, it was dumb. But it’s not like you never did that too…

Anyway, once at the track, I’d find that certain crosstie, the one with the crooked spike different from all the rest, the one that was easy to spot. That was the marker, and that’s where I’d put the penny. Why? Well, that should be obvious. Squashed pennies are lucky. Sometimes, it was rumored, they even turned to gold.

Anyway, penny placed, I’d return to the porch – and the wait would begin.

Sooner or later, a train would come along, screaming mechanical shrieks as it flew by the house oblivious to the kid watching from the porch. It would roar off down the track, fading away to nothing as the loud and belligerent often do, eventually. Then it would be gone.

And then I’d wait for my chance to return to the track and that one certain rail tie. I’d look for the squashed penny until I found it, savoring the notion of the luck it would surely bring, though I was always a little disappointed that it had not turned to gold. Maybe if I’d first slapped on a little gold paint? Nah, it’d probably still just be a squashed penny. Adding fake color wouldn’t (doesn’t) make any difference at all.

But a squashed penny doesn’t need gold. It’s got great value all its own. It’s real. And because it was real, it would still bring me luck. Wouldn’t it?

Sure it would! With just a little luck, maybe I’d find a chest of gold bars. After all, there was that legend that somebody or other had buried some Confederate gold thereabouts. Somebody, someday, surely had to find it. Why not today, and why not me?

Or if that squashed penny brought me a little more luck, well, then maybe Kelly Sue, angel of the third grade, would give me a kiss. They were pretty much the same, the gold and that kiss, and pretty much equally unobtainable, though I’d have been happy with either one.

But I digress.

What I started out to tell you about is the great debate, the greatest debate of all, that scion of all debates past, present and future and the one among them all that will surely shape the history of humankind:

Is it pecan, or is it pecan?

Actually, I should clarify: Is it “puh-KAHN,” as in something that makes pralines and pies, or is it “PEEcann,” as in that thing Uncle Rudolph kept under his bed?

Yeah, I thought that’d make you sit up and pay attention.

Anyway, it was all this recollecting about Grandma’s house that made me think of pecans (notice how adroitly I’ve sidestepped the whole pronunciation thing?) because, in the side yard, there had for many millennia been three enormous pecan trees. I’m told I played among them as a young child, for I did a lot of my early growing up in a little brick house next to Grandma’s. The pecan trees would have been just across her back yard, patrolled by the chickens which came to chow down on the birdseed that Grandma liked to pour out on a big, round, white metal table that might, at one time, have gone with those porch chairs.

Big trees…giant trees…were they really as big as I thought?

There was just one way to find out. I’d have to make a pilgrimage. I’d have to go see if what I remembered was what I remembered.

“Let us go to the Land of My Youth,” I said to her at supper the other day. “Let us go see where Grandma lived, and see where trains turned pennies to gold, and see if the pecan trees were big as Olympian gods. Let us go and see what remains, see what stirs memories, see what there is there which might be bigger than memory itself!”

(I didn’t really say it that way, though I could have. But that’s pretty much the gist of it.)

And so off we went, off to that place on the road from Clarkston to Stone Mountain.

We drove down 575 and then 75 and then around 285 and past 85 and then on to the exit for East Ponce de Leon Avenue, where we left the Interstate and headed east. Now and then, but not nearly as often as I’d have liked, I saw something that made memory flicker.

“We’re getting closer,” I’d say, hoping – though mostly we drove through a landscape that wasn’t familiar at all, a landscape far from even my most flexible recollections.

But then there it was: the place, the track, the whole thing. It was right there. Only it wasn’t.

It wasn’t.

I pulled off the road, stopped, looked. Everything was different. Everything was gone. And the pecan trees were nowhere to be seen.

After a while, and with a long, slow sigh, I put the car in gear. We turned back onto East Ponce de Leon, turned right, turned toward home.

The ride back was quieter than usual.

“I wonder what happened to the pee-cann trees?” I said at last.

“‘Puh-kahn,’” she said gently. I guess I’ll never know.

Some interesting facts about our local area

RAY APPEN

Publisher Emeritus ray@appenmedia.com

So, I have wanted to write a census column – or columns - for quite some time. I just have the idea that with enough digging, that there is some good stuff buried in all the data. So, I started looking just after the new year. Most of the data I have been mining is from the 2020 United States Census, so it is somewhat dated but still relevant. I looked at data for four cities –Alpharetta, Roswell, Johns Creek and Milton – for no particular reason other than they are in our distribution footprint. I really did not have a preconceived agenda as to what I was looking for other than to see if I could find interesting or surprising stuff. Most of my data came from QuickFacts. census.gov and some came from Claude – Anthropic’s Ai app.

Factoid 1: One of my cities is not majority white! Any guess? The answer would be Johns Creek. According to the 2020 census data the city is composed

of 49.8% white and 50.02% every other race. The other 3 cities ranged from 65% white in Roswell to mid 50s in Milton and Alpharetta. “Asian” was the largest secondary percentage in Johns Creek at 28.3% followed by 20.7% in Alpharetta and 16.5% in Milton.

Related factoid: According to the U.S. Census Bureau (in 2012), the United States overall is projected to become a minority white nation around 2043, with non-Hispanic whites making up 49.7% of the population. Other projections which take immigration, birth and death rates into consideration suggest a slightly later date – around 2046 or 2047. According to Claude, at that time, our population breakdown will be:

Non-Hispanic white – 49.7%

Hispanic – 24.6%

Black – 13.1%

Asian – 7.9%

Multiracial – 3.8%

Factoid 2: One city had the highest percentage of households where a language other than English was spoken. Again, it’s Johns Creek at 37.6%. It is closely followed – surprisingly – by Alpharetta at 31.5%.

Factoid 3: The percentage of owneroccupied housing was highest – again – in Johns Creek at 79.7%, followed by Milton at 73.8%, Roswell at 71.2% and Alpharetta at 68%. Go figure. Obviously, if it is not “owner-occupied,” it is rented.

Factoid 4: Which city has the highest percentage of adult residents who do not have health care coverage (as of 2020 data)? The answer was Roswell at 10.2%, followed by – surprise – Alpharetta at 6%, Milton at 5.3% and Johns Creek at 4.4%. According to Claude, in 2024, an estimated 8% (27.1 million people) of all Americans had no health care coverage, and among working age Americans (age 18-64), 11.6% (27.8 million) did not have health care coverage. Of note, there is a high correlation between race and whether or not someone has health care coverage. Hispanic adults have the highest uninsured rate at 23%, followed by Black adults at 12.3%, Asian adults at 6.9%, and white non-Hispanic adults at 6.8%.

Factoid 5: Which city has the highest “retail sales per capita” and why? The number one city – by a huge margin - is Alpharetta with an average retail sales per capita of $49,222, followed by Milton

at $37,561, Johns Creek at $10,140 and Roswell at $8,909. Why? Johns Creek and Roswell have significantly higher average median household incomes, yet Alpharetta by far averages the highest sales per capita. The answer – I think – is that those numbers can be skewed when a city is a shopping destination for those who live outside the city; a city is a retail hub or a job engine; or the city has lots of big-ticket sales (like those generated by auto dealerships). “Check” on all the above for Alpharetta, I guess.

Next census column we will look at trends in the demographics of the working age population. Is our workforce expanding or contracting? Why? Should we care? Stay tuned.

Note: Now that the AJC no longer prints a newspaper, Appen Media is just about the last reliable local print news source you have. To stay in the game, we really do need your financial support –honestly. If you care, please support us by mailing a check to Appen Media, 319 North Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009 or go to our website at AppenMedia.com and click on the red bar in the upper right side of the home page to select a contribution level and payment method.

Consider all the angles if you’re tempted to refinance

Refinancing has once again taken center stage in the mortgage world, with more than 60 percent of all current mortgage applications now driven by refinance activity. On the surface, that sounds like good news: rates are easing, consumers are acting, and opportunity appears to be in the air.

But the real question is not can you refinance. The real question is: should you?

Because while some refinances are financially sound, others are simply wellmarketed transactions designed to solve a lender’s problem — not the borrower’s. Having spent decades in this business, I’ve seen every version of the mortgage cycle. I’ve watched seasoned professionals navigate both rising and falling markets with discipline. And I’ve also seen a wave of loan officers enter the industry during the sub4 percent rate era who genuinely believed that environment was normal,

permanent and guaranteed. Many built lifestyles around volume that was never sustainable.

Now that volume has been cut in half, some are desperately trying to recreate 2021 by convincing homeowners to refinance into deals that may not actually benefit them.

That’s not cynicism. That’s market reality.

Consider why your current mortgage servicer might suddenly be calling you with an “exclusive refinance opportunity.” Mortgage servicing rights are essentially an income stream purchased based on the expectation that you’ll keep making payments for years. If rates fall and you refinance with another lender, that income stream disappears. So, servicers often attempt to “recapture” you before you shop the broader market. That motivation isn’t inherently evil — but it is financial, not fiduciary.

And that distinction matters.

Let’s walk through a practical example.

A homeowner has a $500,000 loan at 7 percent on a 30-year fixed mortgage. They’re offered a refinance to 6 percent. Sounds compelling, right?

But closing costs in many markets run around 2 percent of the loan amount

— roughly $10,000. Often, borrowers are told there are “no out-of-pocket costs” because those fees are rolled into the new loan balance, increasing it to $510,000. That’s not free. That’s financed.

The monthly savings in this scenario might be around $270. Helpful — but when you divide $10,000 in costs by $270 in savings, the break-even period stretches beyond three years.

Now ask the uncomfortable but necessary follow-up:

If rates fall again to 5 percent next year, do you refinance again and spend another $10,000?

This is where strategy matters. Personally, I advise clients that most refinances should break even in 18 months or less, unless there’s a compelling long-term objective involved.

There are absolutely valid reasons to refinance:

• Debt consolidation

• Home improvements

• Cash-flow restructuring

• Long-term stability

Those can be thoughtful, strategic decisions when structured properly.

What concerns me is when refinancing becomes a product being sold rather than a solution being

designed.

Your home is likely the largest financial asset you will ever manage. Treating that decision like an online impulse purchase is risky. You wouldn’t choose a cardiologist based on who had the flashiest ad in your inbox. You’d look for credentials, experience, and trust. The same logic applies here.

This isn’t about finding the lowest advertised rate.

It’s about finding the right adviser. So take your time. Do the math. Ask hard questions. Review reputations. Understand the long-term implications — not just the monthly payment. Because refinancing can be a powerful financial tool.

But only when it’s built around your best interest, not someone else’s production quota. So, is it time for you to refinance?

DC Aiken is Senior Vice President of Lending for CrossCountry Mortgage, NMLS # 658790. For more insights, you can subscribe to his newsletter at dcaiken.com.

The opinions expressed within this article may not reflect the opinions or views of CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC or its affiliates.

What is the Education Answer Book?

For more than 35 years, Appen Media Group has published The Answer Book – a comprehensive local community guide. The Education Answer Book provides a packaged guide containing the most important information needed by current and new residents who make decisions about higher education, day care, pre-schools, private schools, tutoring, coaching and child development.

What makes us different?

• Highest circulation community guide in the market

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