Dunwoody Crier - January 29, 2026

Volunteers honor MLK with service projects

By SARAH DONEHOO newsroom@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. – Dozens of volunteers gathered Jan. 19 at the Dunwoody Nature Center to lend a hand planting 84 trees on behalf of Trees Atlanta.

Before the project began, Michael Lupsha, a senior manager for Trees Atlanta, thanked the volunteers for their assistance.

“This is a unique and fun volunteer experience. It’s a really

great way to engage with fellow community members and with nature,” Lupsha said.

Volunteers, he said, should take pride in turning out.

“Take a moment today to sit back and take it all in. You’re in nature and with some like-minded people who are passionate about this,” he said.

One of three service projects organized by the City of Dunwoody in partnership with the Dunwoody-Atlanta chapter of Jack and Jill of America, the tree

planting drew students, families and residents, all primed to create new connections.

Groups of three to four people dug holes for a native tree species to be planted, then settled it with topsoil and mulch before pouring water around the newly planted tree.

Community service on Martin Luther King Day is big in Georgia, said Nancy Longacre, Dunwoody Nature Center executive director.

See SERVICE, Page 7

Wildcats’ Smith splashes with 8 straight 3-pointers

DUNWOODY, Ga. — The Dunwoody Wildcats boys basketball team secured their 10th win of the season Jan. 20 against Lakeside High.

Senior guard Brendan Smith stood out, shooting nearly 73 percent from beyond the arc. He made eight straight 3-pointers to start the game.

Wildcats announcer Steve Foman said he has never seen anything like Smith’s performance. He has followed the team since 2002 and has held the announcer role since 2010.

Other spectators called

the feat “amazing” and “sick.”

The Wildcats handed the Vikings a brutal 71-40 beatdown. Smith wasn’t able to continue his streak as the starters were pulled for most of the second half due to the wide lead.

Fellow senior Holden Verlander was the second leading scorer for the Wildcats with 11 points.

Dunwoody is currently sitting at fifth in Region 4 of 5A and needs to unseat either Decatur, Woodward, Tri-Cities or Chamblee to make it to the state tournament.

Annabelle Reiter

Georgia health officials urging flu vaccinations

By TY TAGAMI Capitol Beat

770-442-3278

AppenMedia.com

319 N. Main Street Alpharetta, GA 30009

HANS APPEN

NEWS TIPS

Contact reporters directly or send story ideas to newsroom@appenmedia.com.

LETTERS, EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Send your letters, events and community news to newsroom@appenmedia.com. See appenmedia.com/submit for more guidance.

ADVERTISING

For information about advertising in the Dunwoody Crier or other Appen Media properties, email advertising@appenmedia.com or call 770-442-3278.

CIRCULATION

To start, pause or stop delivery of this newspaper, email circulation@appenmedia.com or call 770-442-3278.

ATLANTA — Hospitalizations for flu spiked in the last full week of December, resulting in several deaths in Georgia and an urgent call by state health officials.

The Department of Public Health is urging people to get vaccinated amid projections of more infections.

“Flu activity is widespread and severe in Georgia, and cases are likely to increase following the holidays and as Georgians return to work and school,” the agency said in a statement. “The Department of Public Health strongly urges you to take advantage of the health benefits the flu vaccine provides as soon as possible.”

The agency reported more than 500 hospitalizations during the week ending Dec. 27, a more than six-fold increase from the week that ended Dec. 6.

It reported seven deaths in that last full week of December.

The state warnings came as the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported influenza cases had increased by a third nationally for the week ending Dec. 27, with deaths up nearly 1 percent and one pediatric influenza-associated death during the

2025-26 season.

The CDC’s acting director, Jim O’Neill has also revised recommendations for pediatric vaccinations, including for flu. The federal government previously recommended annual vaccination for children over 6 months old, but O’Neill changed that blanket advice slightly, advising medical consultation first.

His memo to other federal agencies the

first week of January said the flu vaccine “should not be recommended for all children,” but it should be available through insurance to those over 6 months old “through shared-clinical decision making.”

This story is available through a news partnership with Capitol Beat News Service, a project of the Georgia Press Educational Foundation.

State lawmaker charged with relief aid fraud

By TY TAGAMI Capitol Beat

ATLANTA — Former state Rep. Karen Bennett, D-Stone Mountain, became the second Georgia lawmaker to be indicted in federal court in the past month over alleged fraud concerning COVID-19 federal assistance.

Bennett, who resigned her seat effective Dec. 31, pleaded not guilty Jan. 5 to allegations by federal prosecutors that she made false statements in writing to obtain $13,940 in

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits in 2020.

Bennett allegedly claimed she could not operate her physical therapy business while quarantined at home, but prosecutors allege her role was administrative and that she could work from home.

U.S. District Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia Theodore S. Hertzberg filed false statements charge against Bennett.

A judge released her on a $10,000 bond after she pleaded not guilty.

Rep. Sharon Henderson, D-Covington, pleaded not guilty Dec. 8 to theft of government funds in connection with COVID-19 relief, and was also released on a $10,000 bond.

Henderson was still listed as a state representative on the Georgia General Assembly website as of Jan. 6.

This story is available through a news partnership with Capitol Beat News Service, a project of the Georgia Press Educational Foundation.

ASK APPEN

TALK BACK TO THE CRIER

City has ignored obligations to stormwater management

I read with both interest and frustration Danny Ross’s Jan. 8, 2026 “Talk Back to the Crier” regarding Kingsley Lake. Unfortunately, the City of Dunwoody’s treatment of the Kingsley Lake homeowners mirrors the experience my neighbors and I have endured as owners of a pond and creek along Bend Creek Road and Mill Trace.

As Dunwoody has grown, development has dramatically increased stormwater runoff. That water flows through neighborhoods and streets, enters city-owned pipes, and is then discharged into private creeks and ponds, including the creek that runs behind my home and across my property. This is precisely the “uncompensated public use” Mr. Ross describes. The city has failed to adequately maintain or expand its stormwater infrastructure to accommodate this growth, resulting in severe erosion of the creek on my property and extensive sediment buildup in the downstream pond. The consequences have been substantial. In 2018, an upstream

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.

neighbor alerted the city that mismanaged stormwater had carved a steep and dangerous embankment in his backyard. The city responded by undertaking an expensive streambank stabilization project on his private property — an implicit acknowledgment that inadequate infrastructure caused the problem. Yet the design and execution of that project worsened erosion downstream. On my land, the creek has eroded so rapidly that a small bridge I built around 2021 is now at risk of collapse. Soil that once formed stable streambanks upstream now sits as sediment in the downstream pond, which has effectively become a

to absorb the physical, financial and safety consequences of public stormwater systems while the city avoids accountability. Mr. Ross is right to call this what it is. This is not a gratuity. It is the ongoing, uncompensated use — and damage — of private property for public benefit.

mud pit.

Despite these impacts, the city has refused to accept responsibility for the damage caused by decades of insufficient stormwater management. Complaints were ignored. Only after my neighbors retained legal counsel did the city respond — by asserting that it could not restore the downstream pond because it is private property. No explanation was offered as to why the city could intervene on one private property upstream but disavow responsibility downstream.

Kingsley Lake is not an isolated case. It is part of a broader pattern in which private landowners are left

Kingsley Lake ready to take on city

I applaud Danny Ross for his tenacity in continuing to report on the Kingsley Lake Spillway issue in plain and simple terms, that the City of Dunwoody chooses to hide behind their so called “Gratuity Clause” iron curtain, rather than try to work together to resolve the problem. We all have to pay for the resources that we use to enhance our wellbeing and way of life, and the City of Dunwoody should not be exempt from doing so. There is no reasonable explanation for residents on Kingsley Lake to be shut out by our representatives and

told in explicit terms, “this is not up for debate,” while the city expects us to foot the bill for damage that our generosity in allowing six municipal drains to filter through our private system into the cityowned detention facility, at no cost, is outrageous.

The City of Dunwoody might not be open to a “debate,” but we can assure you that the homeowners on Kingsley Lake most definitely are ready to bring it on.

Assessing the value of screens vs. people

We have three children. When they were growing up, we didn’t have TV or game consoles in our house for a long time – like for 5 or 6 years – maybe longer. Then I caved. We have had a beach house on a very remote (accessible only by boat or plane) barrier island in the panhandle of Florida for 26 years. No stores, no courts, no restaurants, no roads – just friends, beach, wilderness, shells, boats and fish. We did not have TV there for over 20 years – by choice. I have never liked TV; I read instead. My wife Christina reads. My children read, still.

I have an old friend who worked in senior management for years in the cable industry. So, she advocated always for broadcast – cable specifically. I think it drove her crazy – or at least bugged her –that I was so anti-screens, anti any form of broadcast or narrow cast or, today, anti-streaming.

Today we have TVs at home in Alpharetta and down in Florida. We stream. We Netflix. We binge watch those mini-series. Well, they do; I don’t. I haven’t caved yet – at least for myself. I’ll occasionally watch the news but other than that, I read – not on screens.

The same thing goes for social media. I am going on maybe five-plus years with no Facebook. I deleted Instagram a couple of years ago. Never used Twitter, LinkedIn or any of the other social media platforms. Yes, I do miss seeing how old friends are doing on Facebook and sort of miss the entertainment of Instagram, but I gladly give that up to restore my

available time to learn, time to read, time to stay personally – as in face to face –connected with friends. It’s a trade-off I gladly make.

Now Chat GPT. Yes, I use it, but… my radar is up. I see where we’re going with it. I see what change is coming –unstoppable – down the tracks – like now. And I don’t like it. I think it scares me. I think I don’t want to give up what I would or will have to in order to allow Chat more substantively into my life. Yes, there are benefits to consider, but everything has a cost – everything. The cost involved is our time, our purpose and our attention. Taken perhaps to an extreme, I would suggest that our very humanity is the ultimate cost on the table.

A reader chewed me out recently for trashing screens – and streaming “vomit.” I don’t blame her, actually. She pointed out all the benefits – the time savings, the learning opportunities and more. I get it. But, I also get human nature and most people’s – including and especially me – inability to resist the pull of the screens and the collateral time-destroying disconnecting impact of our addiction to screens. Like I said, everything has a cost.

So, I am focusing on my “why” and my “what” for the new year. What do I want to use my time for and why. Where is the meaning? What activities nourish my soul, make me feel like a contributing member of the human race – part of the tribe? What is more important to me, learning or being entertained? What is more important to me, screens or people? Isn’t that what all this comes down to – choosing between screens or people? And isn’t that a “thing” that we do have to choose?

And your choice for 2026?

VPs (VICE PRESIDENTS)

1. Eisenhower’s VP. Wine country. Pie type.

2. Redhead’s dye. Washington’s VP. Sweater eater.

3. Clinton’s VP. Health check-up. Lure.

4. Sop up. Jefferson’s VP. Arizone city.

5. Pesky insect. “Peter Pan” Pouch. FDR’s VP.

6. Reagan’s VP. Outdoor fete. Type of sandwich.

1/29/26 Sudoku PuzzleJunction.com

7. Yellow-breasted songbird. Harrison’s VP. Send packing.

1 Bakery buys Witchcraft trials place. Bubbly drink.

2. Oak dropping. Pacific Islands hard drink. Moxie

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. Honeyed beverage. West Point student. Clan emblem.

4. Poker ploy. Beer

5.

GIRLS: TIGERS 48, SPARTANS 29; BOYS: TIGERS 68, SPARTANS 33

North Springs falls to dominant Tucker

By ANNABELLE REITER annabelle@appenmedia.com

TUCKER, Ga. — Tucker High School held visiting North Springs boys and girls basketball teams to just over 60 points combined in two dominant wins Jan. 20.

Tucker, North Springs and eight other schools are competing for four spots in the state tournament.

Region 5 of 4A boasts several teams ranked in the state and the No. 1 girls player in the class of 2026, Kate Harpring, who scored her 3,000th career point for Marist the same night.

The girls faced off first, and after making the first basket of the game, North Springs did not lead again for almost the entire 32 minutes of play. Tucker emerged victorious, 48-29.

North Springs, with a number of multi-sport athletes, struggled to get their offense flowing.

Senior Alanna Moran led the team with 13 points in the loss. She also has varsity letters in volleyball and flag football.

It seemed as if all-region softball player Leila Madesko was heating up when she hit a deep 3-pointer as a second

Tucker defender came to close out on the shot. She wasn’t able to connect on another bucket afterward but posted three rebounds and three assists to boost her team.

Malaysia Buford provided a spark of

athleticism and put up four points for the Spartans.

also connected on the first bucket , but never saw the lead again.

The lead stretched after each buzzer, culminating in a 68-33 result. Only Southwest DeKalb has held the Spartans to fewer points this season with a 61-27 defeat Nov. 18.

The first quarter was a low-scoring affair, sitting at 7-2 going into the second frame. Both teams took their time to find some rhythm, but in the second half Tucker left North Springs in the dust after holding them to less than 10 points in the first two quarters.

Tucker tripled their first half score by the end of the fourth period, never allowing the lead to slip significantly.

Senior Jonna Snelling led Tucker with 18 points and four assists off the bench. Snelling’s older brother, Asher Woods, is a starting guard and 1,000-point scorer at Tulane University.

Guard Harmonie Cooper was right behind with 16 points, six rebounds and eight assists.

Tucker had two players in doubledigits for rebounds – senior captain Elaina Parker with 12 and junior Mya Sales with 10.

Tucker head coach Shana Herman said Madesko has hit shots like the deep 3 for the last three years matching up.

Herman said once the Tigers started playing aggressive team defense and involving all five players on the court, they got more opportunities.

“Defense has been our main focus for the last three games,” she said. “I’m just trying to build us to get a little tougher, and the transition is gelling a little bit more.”

Herman shared her pride in what the upperclassmen have accomplished in her three years as head coach, and she complimented the freshman class which is “eager and working really hard to build on what the upperclassmen have started.”

In the boys matchup, North Springs

Last week, Tucker forward Adarian Johnson told Appen Media that he had only gotten minutes with his identical twin Adrian during a scrimmage this season. Only distinguishable during warmups by their red or white shoes, that changed against North Springs when the brothers got some dual minutes.

Tucker head coach James Hartry said Adrian plays better when on the court with his brother.

Both twins have received recruiting attention, but all of Tucker’s seniors remain unsigned despite offers. Hartry said he believes in their abilities at the next level.

With point guard JaKobe Williams out due to a knee injury, Adrian stepped up along with underclassmen guards Vance Wilder Jr. and Sterling Pritchett.

Pritchett led the Tigers with 14 points, and Wilder Jr. poured in 10 in the first half. Center Julian Glenewinkel posted 10 points, nine rebounds and a block.

After starting at Tucker as an assistant coach in 1997, Hartry announced his retirement this week to conclude a legendary career in DeKalb County. He has spent 26 years as Tucker’s head coach.

“I’m not getting any younger,” he told Appen Media. “That’s just the way the ball bounce.”

He looks forward to getting Hawks season tickets and spending more time with his family in his new stage of life.

Assistant coach Cameron Tatum, who was coached by Hartry on the 2005 team that made the title game, is poised to take Hartry’s place.

Service:

Continued from Page 1

The holiday has centered around volunteer work to strengthen communities and carry on the legacy that Martin Luther King left on the country.

In addition to planting trees, Dunwoody residents also had opportunities to plant daffodils at the veterans memorial in Brook Run Park or clean up garden beds at the Brook Run Community Garden.

The maintenance of the Dunwoody Community Garden was coordinated by board members Cyndi McGill and Pam Robinson who helped guide volunteers.

Volunteers and members of the garden’s board cleared overgrown weeds, removed debris, layered mulch and soil, fortified the wooden sides of each plant bed, built tepees to protect new plants and drilled numbered placards onto each bed and rebuilt some beds.

Renovation and refurbishment of the garden included preparing plots that will grow vegetables to be harvested for Malachi’s Storehouse, Robinson said.

Two volunteers at the Dunwoody Community Garden help build a tepee for garden beds intended to grow vegetables later in the year on

Volunteers at the Dunwoody Community Garden and Orchard spread soil on a plant bed Jan. 19 as part of Dunwoody’s 10th annual Day of Service honoring Martin Luther King.

Some libraries aren’t just for books; some lend seeds

The local library is a great way to get involved with your community. They offer all kinds of events and activities. I enjoy being at the library so much I decided to volunteer there. While I was volunteering at the Roswell Public Library, I became aware of their seed library. Being a Master Gardener, this grabbed my attention.

To learn more about the Roswell Seed Library, I interviewed the library staff currently responsible for maintaining it. Here’s what I learned:

Q: Why was the seed library created at the Roswell Library?

A: The Roswell seed library, like most seed libraries, was developed to inspire people to grow their own food, explore healthy eating, learn about the environment and connect library resources with hands-on activities. By freely offering seeds to the community, the library promotes learning, self-reliance and the joy of sharing.

In doing some research I discovered that seed libraries started taking off in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic when everyone was stuck at home. The first public library in the United States to start a seed library was the New York Public Library in 2004. Today there are over 500 volunteer-run seed libraries available worldwide.

Q: Is Roswell the only Fulton County library with a seed library?

A: No — Alpharetta, Milton, Sandy Springs and Adamsville-Collier Heights all have seed libraries. However, Roswell’s newly revitalized program introduces unique features and practices that set it apart.

Q: How does the seed library work?

A: Unlike traditional library materials, the Roswell seed library is open to everyone. No library card is required. Families can check out up to five seed packets per month, with a limit of one packet per variety. To participate, visitors simply record their selections on the sign-out sheet adjacent to the seed library, which is housed in a vintage card catalog. The program operates on an honor system and no seed or harvest returns are required. Seed library policies and procedures may vary from library to library.

Q: What type of seeds are typically available at the Roswell seed library?

A: The collection includes a wide

The Roswell Seed Library freely offers seeds to the community and is hosting a Seed Swap Jan. 30.

selection of seeds for fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers, which offer residents the opportunity to grow everything from kitchen staples to colorful blooms.

Q: What other resources and services does the Roswell library provide in coordination with their seed library?

A: To help gardeners choose the right seeds, the library offers a comprehensive seed catalog, complete with visual guides showing what type of plant each seed produces and additional details about each variety, such as growth habits and ideal planting conditions. Monthly planting and gardening calendars are also available to help residents plan and maintain their gardens. There’s typically a variety of seasonal gardening books as well as cookbooks on display.

Plus, there’s always something new to surprise and delight at the Roswell seed library: seedling giveaways and a pumpkin raffle in October. Monthly limited-edition, themed grab-and-go seed bundles are popular and are available while supplies last. Examples of past seed bundles include: a taco pack (jalapenos, tomatoes and cilantro), a pickling pack (broccoli, carrots and cabbage), and a pizza pack (peppers, basil and tomatoes). Each pack includes a sample recipe.

Q: Are seed donations accepted?

A: Seed donations are not currently being accepted, due to some licensing/

patent restrictions and fear of spreading disease. However, patrons are encouraged to bring any leftover seeds they have harvested or any store-bought seed packets to periodic seed swap programs hosted at Roswell Library. Seeds should be dried and packaged in small containers with pertinent growing information prior to the event.

Q: When’s the next seed swap?

A: National Seed Swap Day is celebrated on the last Saturday of January. To honor this tradition of swapping seeds with neighbors, the Roswell Library will host a Seed Swap on Friday, January 30, 2026. It’s a day for gardeners to gather to swap seeds, share gardening tips and prepare for spring planting.

The library plans to have seeds available and will offer raffles and prizes to those who attend. In addition, North Fulton Master Gardeners will offer advice and be available to answer questions. Any gardener who attends is encouraged to bring their gardening stories and photos to share. For more information, check out the library’s website for details: www. fulcolibrary.org/locations/roswell

Next time you visit the Roswell library, be sure to ask about their seed library. And if your library does not yet have one, maybe you can get one started.

Just thought I’d plant the seed in your mind.

NANCY PUCKETT/PROVIDED

About the author

This week’s “Garden Buzz” guest columnist is Nancy Puckett, a North Fulton Master Gardener since 2016. Nancy has volunteered with numerous Master Gardener projects. Her gardening passions are herbs, ferns and hostas. She especially enjoys preparing lavender and rosemary sachets for greeting cards. In addition, she also volunteers part of her time at the Roswell Library.

Happy Gardening!

North Fulton Master Gardeners, Inc. is a Georgia nonprofit 501(c) (3) organization whose purpose is to educate its members and the public in the areas of horticulture and ecology in order to promote and foster community enrichment. Master Gardener Volunteers are trained and certified by The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension. Previous Garden Buzz columns are featured at: https:// appenmedia.com/opinion/columists/ garden buzz/.

Save the date for North Fulton Master Gardener’s 25th annual Garden Faire April 11, 2026 in Alpharetta

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

• 20,000 copies printed – high quality magazine format!

• 95% home delivered in gated, estate, and high end communities

• All original content - local news and information from Appen Media Group

• Since 1990, Appen has published the most successful & most popular community guides

Content

• School Maps, Test Scores, SAT rankings

• Private Schools Overview

• Local colleges

• Scholarship information

• Undergrad/Graduate programs

Deadline: 2/23/26

Distribution

• 95% Home Delivered to gated, estate, country club, and other high end communities

• Content Posted all year long on highest hit website in region: AppenMedia.com

• Promoted all year long in the highest circulation newspapers in North Atlanta

• Highest circulation of all regional community guides

A sport blows away the competition in Georgia

The fastest growing sport by far in Georgia and in all the United States is – you guessed it – pickleball.

The sport was invented in 1965 by three residents of Bainbridge Island, located a short ferry ride from Seattle, Washington. Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell and Barney McCallum wanted a new fun game with their children in mind, but one which adults could enjoy as well. According to the website Pickleball Yard, the three men tested and refined ideas over a summer. They lowered the net, used a plastic ball and cut simple paddles from plywood. Today paddles are generally made of graphite, and the balls, which are still plastic, are specially designed with as many as 40 round holes in them.

The men came up with rules: serves were underhand, the ball had to bounce on each side of the net to make play fair for all ages, and the court was small so the game was quick. The court is 20 by 44 feet, with a 7-foot “kitchen” on each side of the net with strict rules to prevent smashing the ball. For example, a player cannot volley while standing in the kitchen.

What started out as a backyard fun game using a badminton net, a wiffle ball, and ping-pong paddles has become a steamroller success story. Its wide acceptance is due to its easy playing, its quick learning and because people of all ages and levels of skill can play. The sport mixes elements of tennis, badminton and ping pong.

When pickleball came to Georgia in the early 1990s, it was most popular with active retirement communities, parks and recreation centers. The Atlanta area was one of the first to commit to the sport. The city of Macon strongly supported pickleball infrastructure and built the largest indoor pickleball facility in the world at the time.

In 1984 the first national oversight organization, the United States Amateur Pickleball Association (USAPA) was established. It later changed its name to USA Pickleball Association and finally in 2020 adopted its current name, USA Pickleball. It is the national governing body for the sport charged with guiding events

DEATH NOTICES

Gerda Gardner, age 94, of Alpharetta, GA passed away on January 15, 2026. Arrangements by Northside

and setting the rules.

Estimates vary, but it is estimated that there may be more than 300 pickleball facilities in Georgia, including dedicated indoor clubs, parks and recreation centers and private clubs such as the YMCA.

It is not exactly clear how the sport got its name. The most likely version is that when pickleball grew in popularity the inventors give it its unique title inspired by boat rowing where the term "pickle boat" refers to the team that is made up of rowers passed over by other boats. The game was a mix of leftover equipment from several sports just like left over rowers.

One of the individuals responsible for the success of pickleball in Georgia is Alpharetta resident Chris Wolfe. As a youngster in Florida, Chris learned to play tennis. As a young adult he won two state championships. His first experience with pickleball was in Greensboro, North Carolina where he played in a senior center. “Players were in their 70s, and they were thriving,” Chris notes. For 15 years Chris was a morning show host on local radio stations in Florida, New Mexico, Minnesota and for two years on B98.5 in Atlanta.

In 2016 Chris moved to Georgia and helped build the sport in Atlanta. He was a

Herbert “Larry” Smith, age 84, of Roswell, GA passed away on January 17, 2026. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

cofounder of Atlanta Pickleball Center and started a major pro-level tournament called the Atlanta Open which later changed its name to the Atlanta Slam. Today he is director of pickleball operations and a Master Instructor at the Atlanta National Pickleball Club in Alpharetta which opened in November, 2025 with 18 indoor courts.

Chris says “the beauty of pickleball is that it is not intimidating for newcomers to the sport. You can just pick it up and play a game. You don’t have to be a pro to play. It is primarily a social game for all ages.”

The sport keeps growing locally. Rena Millwood, who lives in Gainesville, is one example of a fan. “I would play every day if I could,” she says, but she does manage to play at least 3 to 5 times a week at various locations in Northeast Georgia. More importantly, she is opening a new pickleball facility in Flowery Branch this spring with her two partners Lew Halski who played professionally and ranked in singles and Trey Greene a local businessman. It is currently under construction. “It is called Around the Pickle and will have 18 indoor courts in 3 buildings and 12 outdoor courts,” Rena reports. She says, “the pickleball community is very welcoming. That is what makes it so wonderful.” For

Raymond Smith, age 81, of Alpharetta, GA passed away on January 15, 2026. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Rena Millwood and two partners will open a new pickleball facility in Flowery Branch this spring to be called Around the Pickle. Rena says she would play pickleball every day if she could. The photo shows Rena with paddle in the midst of a game.

more information, go to the Facebook page Around the Pickle or the website aroundthepickle.com.

A special thank you to Jennifer Dickson for her help with this column.

Bob is a Member of the City of Alpharetta Historic Preservation Commission and Director Emeritus of the Milton Historical Society. You can email him at bobmey@bellsouth.net. Bob welcomes suggestions for future columns about local history.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

The City of Dunwoody Zoning Board of Appeals will meet on Thursday, March 5, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. in the Council of Chambers of Dunwoody City Hall, located at 4800 Ashford Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody, Georgia 30338, for the purpose of due process of the following:

ZBA 25-21, 1140 Bellewood Square, Dunwoody, GA, 30338: Two variances: one from Sec. 27-58 to allow a porch to encroach into the rear setback and one from Sec. 27-58 to exceed the maximum lot coverage to allow construction of a porch.

ZBA 26-02, 5312 Claridge Square, Dunwoody, GA, 30338: Variance from Sec. 27-58 to allow a porch to encroach into the rear setback.

ZBA 26-04, 1506 Withmere Close, Dunwoody, GA, 30338: Variance from Sec. 27-58 to allow a home addition to encroach into the side setback.

ZBA 26-05, 5035 Vermack Road, 1877 Vanderlyn Drive, Dunwoody, GA 30338 : Variance from Sec. 16-91 to construct site improvements associated with the proposed Dunwoody High School stadium without providing additional stormwater management measures.

Should you have any questions or comments, or would like to view the application and supporting materials, please contact the City of Dunwoody Community Development Department at 678-382-6800. Members of the public are encouraged to call or schedule a meeting with the staff in advance of the Public Hearing if they have questions or are unfamiliar with the process. The staff is available to answer questions, discuss the decision-making process, and receive comments and concerns.

Appen Media Group publishes 7 award winning publications, home-delivered, with a combined circulation of 114,000 every week* and is the #1 source for hyper-local news in the areas we serve.

Are you a business owner/manager looking to increase sales & gain new customers/clients?

Learn how to reach this attentive and affluent audience with a customized marketing plan just for you!

Call 770-442-3278 or email: advertising@appenmedia.com to get started!

*Decaturish Ink currently publishes on the 2nd & 4th Thursdays of every month. All other publications publish every Thursday.

The City of Dunwoody and the City of Peachtree Corners To Hold

A Location and Design Public Information Open House For P.I. No. 0019791

DeKalb and Gwinnett Counties

On Thursday, February 12, 2026 (date) at the Winters Chapel United Methodist Church located at 5105 Winters Chapel Road (location), Peachtree Corners, GA, 30360, the City of Dunwoody and City of Peachtree Corners will hold a Public Information Open House concerning the project listed above.

The project will add a shared use path along the west side of Winters Chapel Road from Peeler Road to Charmant Place. The project will provide connectivity to the existing Winters Chapel Road shared use path north of Charmant Place in addition to future paths along Winters Chapel Road to the south and Peeler Road to the west. The route begins and ends in Dunwoody (DeKalb County), with a 0.2-mile segment through Peachtree Corners (Gwinnett County). Intersection improvements will be implemented at Peeler Road and Sumac Drive with a dedicated pedestrian crossing added at Sumac Drive. The design will avoid the cemeteries throughout the corridor by adjusting the path alignment and using retaining walls as needed. All driveway and side street crossings will be reviewed for ADA compliance and to minimize impacts to private property.

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 any time 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 people with disabilities. Accommodations for people with disabilities can be arranged with advance notice by contacting Ms. Tiffany Siegel at 678-382-6869 (Tiffany.Siegel@dunwoodyga.gov).

Written statements will be accepted concerning this project until Monday, March 02, 2026. Written statements may be submitted to:

Ms. Tiffany Siegel

Capital Projects Manager City of Dunwoody 4800 Ashford Dunwoody Road Dunwoody, Georgia 30338

Big

David

Amour

Barbara Anderson

Kerry Arias

Scott Baynton

Joseph Bell

Rita Brown

Carl Abernathy

Bruce Ackley

Salpi Adrouny

Alpharetta Lions Club

Omar Altalib

Dave Altman

Ron Altman

Joel Alvis

American Legion Post 201

Alice & Dr. Richard Appen

Stewart Applbaum

Gaye Armstrong

Mary Asbury

Carolyn Axt

Bangkok Boxing LLC

Sandra Balmer

Shannon Banna

Beth Barnes

Michael Baron

Janet Bass

Caitlin Bates

Jannet Bauer

Barbara Bauschka

Miriam Beattie

Kathy Beck

Laura Bentley

William Bentley

Leslie Berry

Tom Billings

Caroline Blackmon

Tochie Blan

Ron Boddicker

Jodi Bogen

Sherri Bolles-Rogers

Helen Borland

Debra Bowen

Joe Bowen

Kenneth Bowman

Ryan Brainard

Mark Brandus

Mel Brannen

Amy Bratten

Carol Bright

Linda Brill

Dorothy Brouhard

Erendira Brumley

Bernhard Burgener

Alvin Burrell

Mike & Theresa Buscher

Mary Busman

Clea Calloway

Mark Casas

David Conti

Theodore Davis III

Maureen Drumm

Charlcie Forehand

Kirk Canaday

James Carr

Bridgette Carter

William Carter

William Cartwright

Linda & Frank Catroppa

Pat Check

Virginia Christman

Ann Coaloa

Kim Coggins

Evelyn Collazo

Michael Mackenzie

Communications

Joan Compton

Kathleen Cook

Carol Cookerly

Terri Coons

Sarah Cox

Rhonda Cude

Connie Cunningham

Christopher Cupit

Bart Dean

Duane DeBruler

Marilyn DeCusati

Rebecca Donlan

James Dorsey

Tom Driscoll

Michael Dudgeon

Jeanette Dummer

DutchCrafters Amish Furniture

Thomas Edmonds

William Edmundson

Denise Eicher

Mim Eisenberg

Danny Elkins

Su Ellis

Grady Evans

Steve Fabian

Carol Fain

Martha Fasse

Nell & Doug Fernandez

Renai Fitzpatrick

Daniel Fleck

Lee Fleck

Laura Floyd

Andrew Flynn

Cathy Flynn

Paul Folger

Adrienne Fontaine

Mary Ford

Nanci Foster

Support Local News

Join Appen Press Club

CHARTER MEMBER

MEMBER+

Aileen Horton

Deborah Jackson David Johnson Ali Mahbod

Richard Matherly

MEMBER

Evan McElroy

Vickie McElroy

Patricia Miller

Anne Peer

Jennifer Phillippi

Amy Frederick

Kelly Frommer

Carol Fry

Tim Fulton

Andrew Garner

Tracey Ganesh

Steve Garrett

Daniel Gay

Matthew Geller

John Gibbs

John Gilberto

Leslie Gilliam

Bailey & Ryan Gladysz

Michelle Glotzbach

Harvey Goldberg

Christopher Goodrich

Jim Gray

Ralph Griffin

Elaine Gwynn

Carolyn Hall

Marilee Hamilton

Susan Hanna

Marion Hannah

Roxanne Hazen

Joe Hirsch

Penn Hodge

Dianne & Steffan Holmquist

Joan Hostetter

Julie Hostetter

Krista Howland

Austin Hughes

Jacqueline Hursh

Paul Huth

Sue Jacques

Lynn Johnson

Tyler Jones

Zach Jones

Arthur Kebanli

Laura Keck

Mark Kelly

Nancy Kennell

Randall Kent

Carol Kerr

Allison Kloster

Dyna Kohler

Brett Koutnik

Larry Krueger

Jess & Chris Kysar

Malinda Lackey

Brandon Leach

Dennis Lee

Lynn Thomas

Truett

Rundle

Robert Popp

Dave Rhinehart Sergey Savin

Heather Sawyer Kate Seng

Ken Leffingwell

Carol Lehan

Melissa Libby

Bonnie Lind

Francia Lindon

Karen Lippert

Harlan Little

Ross Long

Kyser Lough

Rita Loventhal

Jerry Lucas

Brenda Lundy

Harry Lutz

Rita Loventhal

Karen Magill

Freda Manning-Rumph

Kyile Marshall

Julie Martin

Carla Masecar

Valerie Matthews

Theresea Mattioli

William Maxwell

Rachel McCord

Austin McCully

Diane McDonald

Karen McEnerny

Jack McGinnis

Lynn McIntyre

Mike McLoughlin

Margaret McManus

Jennifer Mendoza

Al Merrill

Chris Miller

Christine Miller

Patricia Miller

Joe Modica

Fred Moeller

Sarah Moen

Catherine Moore

Ralph Moore

Carol Morgan

Kathy Morgan

Stu Moring

Leslie Mullis

Donna Murphy

Jack Murphy

Aileen Nakamura

Caroline Naughton

Richard Nichols

Cindy Nolan

North Fulton Master Gardners, Inc.

To join go to appenmedia.com/join and follow the prompts to select your membership level and select your t-shirt size! Questions? Email Hans Appen at hans@appenmedia.com or call 770-442-3278.

Tricia Novarro

Bob O’Brien

Diana O’Sullivan

Anne Pappas

Lynn Pennington

Jonathan Peters

Kurt & Leslie Phillips

Mary & Jan Phillips

James Potts

Debra Powell

Seth Price

Joyce Provissiero

Chuck Pugh

Robert Radloff

Raj Rajagopalan

Ashwin Ramaswami

Cheryl Rand

Manu Rao

Lori Rausch

Jean Rearick

Joseph Reed

Scarlett Reynolds

Righteous PR

Angie Rigney

Sean Riley

Neil Robertson

Kimberly Robinson

Matt Rohs

Kim Romaner

Courtney Rozear

Janet Sandberg

Kelly Sarmiento

Derek Scheidt

Stephanie Schniederjan

The Schoenblum Family

Robert Scholz

Stephanie Schuette

Susan Searles

Frances Segars

Tracy Shealy Tina Shelton Lisa Shippel Steve Short Tom Simon

Cindy Simpson Robert Singleton

Sklar

Mitchel Skyer

Judith Slaughter

Smith

Roger Wise Jr.

Whittall

Karen Shih Bob Stevens

Kimberly Verska Carol Williams

Solh Morris Soriano

Spears Donald Spencer Melissa Spencer

Stephens Wesley Stewart Cathryn Stovall Celeste Strohl

Diana Sullivan Andy Sumlin

Carol Tall Mike Tasos

Candice Teichert

Small Business Advisor Suzanne & Bob Thomas William Tietjen

Tilt

Michael Townes

Trunnion LLC Matthew Tyser

Edward Votta Linda Wabler Ollie Wagner

Lewis Walker

Elizabeth Waller

Valerie Walters-Gold

Ann Marie Warning

Warnke

Jonathan Washburn

Michael Watson

Michael Weiss Herbert Wells Benjamin Wemberly Beverly Whisenant

White Thom White Umpika White Mae Whiteside

Ashley Whitt

Jennifer Wieland

Christine Williams Jamie Wimberly

Jonathan Winkie

Nancy & Dave Wistrand

Theresa Woolridge

Laura Wysong

Jonathan Young

SERVICE DIRECTORY

Handyman

Matthew the Handyman - Carpentry, painting, drywall, plumbing. Electrical and small jobs. 404-547-2079.

Room For Rent

Dunwoody- Furnished bedroom with private bath and entrance for 1 person. LR/DR utilities included. $200 weekly plus deposit. 678-640-3150.

Full-time

Donor Operations Supervisor

The Donor Operations Supervisor (Full-time) The Donor Operations Supervisor manages the donation door process and delegates tasks to staff, volunteers, and community service workers. As the face of NFCC, they provide excellent customer service while greeting donors and ensuring donations are properly removed from vehicles and sorted in designated areas. They are responsible for maintaining the security of merchandise and keeping all areas clean and organized.

The Supervisor must be able to lift up to 75lb frequently and be on their feet most of their shift. They must enjoy staying busy, training and influencing other to work as a team in a professional manner within a fast paced environment. Must have the ability to work Tuesday through Saturday 9am – 5pm. An extraordinary Total Rewards Package is included with this opportunity!

If this sounds like the role for you, we’d love to hear from you! Please submit your resume to jobs@nfcchelp.org

To place a classified ad, email classifieds@appenmedia.com. Deadline is Thursdays by 3pm

Herald Headlines: northfulton.com/newsletters

Newspaper Delivery –

Earn $400+ per Month

Looking for a flexible way to earn extra income?

Deliver newspapers in the North Fulton area for Appen Media.

• Work approximately 7–8 hours per week

• Set your own delivery hours

• Ideal for retired couples or anyone looking to supplement income

• A great way to support local journalism — it takes a village

Route Details

• Delivery in subdivisions only

• Typical route: about 1,200 newspapers

• Pick up papers from our Alpharetta office on Tuesday or Wednesday morning

• Bag papers, then complete delivery by Friday

Requirements

• Reliable vehicle

• Clean driving record (required; we check)

• Responsible, dependable individuals with strong work ethic, honesty, and integrity

Please note: The first few weeks require more time, but routes become much easier and less time-consuming by weeks 3–4.

How to Apply

To request paperwork (takes about 5 minutes), email Heidi@AppenMedia.com with:

• Name

• Address

• Phone number

• Email address

• Detailed availability

• Whether you will have help bagging papers

Please include “Newspaper Route” in the subject line. We will respond within 24 hours. Please do not call.

Tune-Up Projects

Kitchen Tune-Up

Paint Cabinets

New Countertops, Sink & Faucet

New Backsplash

Cut Down 2-level Island

Bathroom Tune-Up

New Countertops, Sink & Faucet

Enlarge Shower Shower Glass Shower Safety Full Remodel

Kitchen Remodel

Total Cabinet Replacement

Large Island

Optimize Cabinet / Appliance Locations

Open Concept –Move Walls

OPEN SATURDAYS

9-5 Mon-Fri • 10-4 Sat

Showroom – Design Center 10591 Old Alabama Rd. Connector Alpharetta, GA

Projects

Bathroom Remodel

New Larger Shower

Vanity Replacement –Cabs, Counter, Sink

Free Standing Tub

Floor Tile, Wall Tile

Plumbing Fixtures