Dunwoody Crier - March 26, 2026

March 26, 2026 | AppenMedia.com

DeKalb Schools makes changes to closure listing

By JIM BASS jim@appenmedia.com

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — DeKalb County School District has made major changes to the previous school closure list, including new closures, a potential Clarkston High School modernization and shifts across the district.

In this scenario, DeKalb School of the Arts, Kittredge Magnet School, DeKalb Arts Academy, Wadsworth Magnet School, Elizabeth Andrews High School and DeKalb Early College Academy would all be moved elsewhere.

The announcement went into specifics for each cluster, outlining possible grade-band changes and alternative uses for the closed buildings. Full maps, explanations, and when each construction project will take place are all listed on the district’s website.

According to a press conference held following the news release, 11 new capital improvement projects would be started, with 10 of those being south of US-78.

The proposal is not final and may change based on feedback until a final decision is made in late fall.

To view, visit dekalbschoolsga.org/ divisions/access-and-opportunity/ student-assignment/sap/sap-survey.

See SCHOOLS, Page 15

Mayor tells city leaders Dunwoody continues on upswing

By DYANA BAGBY dyana@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody is a thriving city thanks to careful planning and investments in public safety, economic development and quality of life, Mayor Lynn Deutsch said in her State of the City address March 18.

A crowd of more than 100 people, including community and business leaders, attended the annual address at the Crowne Plaza Atlanta Perimeter at Ravinia. The event was presented by the

Greater Perimeter Chamber.

“Last year, I told you that the state of Dunwoody was great, that we were growing, thriving and progressing, and that is absolutely still true today,” Deutsch said. “But this success is not accidental. It’s the result of intentional choices that we’re making through policy, planning and investment for a community that refuses to stand still.”

Public safety was a priority when Dunwoody was incorporated in 2008 and remains a priority today, Deutsch said. Violent crime in the city was down

more than 21 percent in 2025 compared to 2024, according to department data.

Deutsch said lower crime rates are in part due to partnerships with the Perimeter Community Improvement Districts and local businesses to invest in crime-fighting technology.

The City Council continues to ensure the Police Department is well funded, the mayor said. The department has received nine raises since she became mayor in 2020.

See ADDRESS, Page 14

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Sandy Springs amends policy to allow motorcycle chases

By CARL APPEN carl@appenmedia.com

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — The Sandy Springs Police Department has amended its rules for vehicle pursuits, now allowing officers to chase motorcyclists.

The move expands a policy that was already more aggressive than surrounding jurisdictions, according to a 2025 analysis by Appen Media.

The reporting indicated that the previous year Sandy Springs officers had engaged in more than twice the number of chases than police in Alpharetta, Dunwoody and Roswell combined, based on interviews and an analysis of public records.

According to a department report recently obtained by Appen Media, the agency updated its policy in October to allow officers to pursue motorcycles.

A police spokesperson said there wasn’t a specific incident that spurred the change.

“No reason in particular other than a policy review and update,” the spokesperson told the newspaper. Law enforcement officials agree that the decision to pursue fleeing motorists is a balancing act; departments must weigh the risk for officers, suspects and bystanders against the danger of not apprehending the suspect at that time.

How Sandy Springs police make that calculation is what sets them apart from neighboring cities.

Alpharetta, Roswell and Dunwoody policies prohibit officers from pursuing vehicles based on traffic charges alone. Following the Department of Justice’s guidance, Alpharetta and Roswell also say pursuits should be avoided if it’s evident the suspect could be apprehended at a later time.

Sandy Springs relies on a more situational approach, allowing pursuits based on the “totality of circumstances.”

In 2024, Alpharetta reported five police pursuits, Roswell documented 10 and Dunwoody logged two.

Sandy Springs officers engaged in at least 41 car chases in 2024, according to an Appen Media analysis. They logged another 39 in 2025, the department said in its annual report.

Those figures are up from 2023, when Sandy Springs reported 17 pursuits.

Department officials attributed the rise to a “major policy change" in 2024.

The amended policy allowed for more discretion or freedom for officers, allowing them to pursue a fleeing vehicle if they have reasonable suspicion that a crime has been committed or is about to occur.

The October change further expanded that allowance.

The city does not shy away from its

practice of pursuing vehicles and using Precision Intervention Techniques, or PIT maneuvers.

The Sandy Springs Police Department has published footage of some its chases, ending in box-ins or PIT maneuvers, on social media.

“When running from the police, do not enter Sandy Springs,” the said in a January Instagram post showing an SSPD officer PIT-ting a chevy on Peachtree Dunwoody Road.

The officers won’t be totally unaccustomed to chasing suspects on two wheels, however.

In one incident from February 2025, Sandy Springs police tried to pull a bicyclist over for riding without a bike light. When the suspect allegedly failed to stop, two police cars got on either side of him. Eventually, a spokesperson told Appen Media, “he gave up.”

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If the water comes from city, who is responsible?

Follow the water.

It tells the whole story of Kingsley Lake.

When a storm passes through Dunwoody, rain falls across a watershed of roughly 650 acres upstream of Kingsley Lake. That water does not remain where it lands. It is collected through the city’s stormwater infrastructure.

Six major storm drains carry runoff from miles away. Numerous additional pipes bring water from nearby streets. Through this network of drains and pipes, stormwater from across the watershed is gathered and directed toward Kingsley Lake.

What arrives at the lake is not simply rain that falls directly on the water. It is runoff that has been collected and concentrated through public drainage infrastructure. Along with that water comes sediment carried from streets, yards, and upstream erosion.

Once the water enters Kingsley Lake, it continues its journey. Stormwater moves across the lake until it reaches the spillway, where it exits into a downstream stream channel that continues the drainage path through

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the watershed and ultimately toward the Chattahoochee River.

In engineering terms, Kingsley Lake functions as a receiving basin and conveyance point within the larger stormwater system.

This physical reality matters when discussing the recent damage to the Kingsley spillway.

Georgia courts addressing stormwater disputes consistently examine three elements of a drainage system: collection, concentration and discharge of water. Municipal stormwater infrastructure gathers runoff from large areas, directs it

through pipes and culverts, and delivers it downstream.

Because these systems alter natural drainage patterns, the law recognizes that municipalities must manage them responsibly.

Stormwater systems do not simply carry water. They increase the volume and velocity of runoff reaching downstream locations. When water collected from hundreds of acres enters a single drainage path, the downstream system must be able to handle that flow.

At Kingsley Lake, stormwater collected through city drains and pipes enters the lake, crosses it, and exits

DRIVEWAYS

through the spillway before continuing downstream through the watershed.

That path is not accidental. It reflects the way modern drainage systems operate. Water flows through interconnected components, and each component influences what happens downstream.

Over time, runoff entering Kingsley Lake also carries sediment that settles in the lake. The lake owners have periodically dredged accumulated sediment at their own expense in order to maintain the lake and protect the spillway downstream.

The recent spillway damage has brought renewed attention to the role Kingsley Lake plays in the broader drainage system.

The discussion now underway is not about assigning blame. It is about understanding how the system works and how infrastructure should be managed when stormwater collected from hundreds of acres passes through a lake before continuing downstream.

Stormwater does not stop at property lines. It follows gravity and the infrastructure built to carry it.

See ROSS, Page 4

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Dunwoody tax dollars fund national surveillance network

Earlier this year, I filed a Georgia Open Records Act request with the City of Dunwoody seeking audit logs showing how police use Flock Safety’s surveillance platform. What I found raises serious questions about transparency and how this technology is being used.

Dunwoody taxpayers currently spend roughly $500,000 per year on contracts with the surveillance technology company Flock Safety. These contracts include automated license plate readers, AI-enabled video cameras, microphones, drones and software that processes 911 call data.

But the system goes well beyond identifying vehicles.

Flock also provides AI search tools such as FreeForm and Nova, which allow searching for people based on their appearance and analyze large amounts personal data. Despite these capabilities, there is little public record showing these tools were formally approved or publicly discussed before being used.

The audit logs also show that Dunwoody’s cameras are part of something much larger.

nationwide network to run searches across hundreds of thousands of cameras.

That network includes cameras paid for by Dunwoody taxpayers.

In 2025, DHS, CBP and USPIS (which now aids in mass deportation data sharing) have conducted 35,932 searches that included Dunwoody’s camera network.

Border Patrol is only one of thousands of agencies that can access the system. According to the audit logs, more than 11.7 million searches were conducted through Dunwoody’s network during 2025.

Even that number is likely an undercount. For the final six months of the year, the data provided by the city appears to hit Microsoft Excel’s row limits, suggesting the true number of searches exceeded what could be exported.

When surveillance systems operate with this little public visibility, it erodes public trust.

Dunwoody residents deserve clear answers about how these systems are used, who can access them, and whether the public ever approved their full scope.

Transparency should not require residents to file records requests.

In July, Flock Safety’s CEO publicly stated that the company did not have a contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. However, audit logs appear to indicate U.S. Border Patrol has been quietly using Flock’s

Ross:

Continued from Page 3

At Kingsley Lake, the water enters through public drains and pipes, crosses the lake, passes the spillway and continues its journey toward the Chattahoochee River.

Dunwoody was founded on the idea that local government should be close to the people it serves. Many residents remember the early promise that

decisions would be made transparently and that the community would work together to solve problems.

The situation at Kingsley Lake is an opportunity to live up to that promise.

When stormwater collected across hundreds of acres flows through a lake before continuing downstream, the first step toward solving the problem is simple:

Follow the water.

Each line in the puzzle below 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, 6 and 4 letters). The clues are numbered 1 through 7, with 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!

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1. Indian bread. Nick & Nora’s pup. South American river.

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3. Social insect. Native American lodge. One of the Simpsons.

4. Disney dog. Large African antelope. Massage target.

5. Kick out. “Born Free” lioness. Like a gymnast.

6. Ploy. Bridge option. Lone Ranger’s mount.

7. Tied up. Bedrock pet. Biting

1 Indian bread. Nick & Nora’s pup. S. A. river

2. Collie of TV & Movies. Lock-up. Limerick language

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. Social insect. Indian lodge. One of the Simpsons

4. Disney dog. Large African antelope. Massage target.

5. Kick out. “Born Free” lioness. Like a gymnast.

6. Ploy. Bridge option. Lone Ranger’s mount.

7. Tied up. Bedrock pet. Biting.

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

DeKalb County exploring public safety training site

By ZOE SEILER zoe@appenmedia.com

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — DeKalb County is looking to launch a comprehensive planning and design effort for a police and fire training center to consolidate public safety training facilities in the county.

The county would use specialpurpose local option sales tax funds for the project.

“The project consists of architectural and engineering planning services to evaluate existing public safety training facilities and develop conceptual design alternatives, feasibility studies, site evaluations, and preliminary cost estimates for future training facility development,” the SPLOST project initiation package says.

There are public safety training operations on Bruce Street in Lithonia, North Goddard Road in Stonecrest, on Warren Road in Greater Decatur and the headquarters on West Exchange Place in Tucker.

“The decentralized nature of these facilities creates operational inefficiencies, space limitations,

and infrastructure constraints,” the SPLOST project initiation package says. “Several of the buildings are aging and were not originally designed to support modern public safety training requirements.”

The county is seeking to complete a study to determine the feasibility of new or consolidated facilities and whether shared or separate facilities are most appropriate.

The potential sites include properties on Camp Circle, Warren Road and George Luther. It could also include partnerships with other metro area agencies.

“The outcome of this effort will provide the county with a clear, datadriven framework to guide future capital investment decisions related to public safety training infrastructure,” the SPLOST package says.

The estimated cost of the design and planning services is $500,000. The planning process is expected to begin in April and conclude in December.

The DeKalb County Commission, at its March 10 meeting, approved using SPLOST to evaluate and propose the most appropriate location for a public safety training facility.

Dunwoody Garden Club to hold annual fundraiser

DUNWOODY, Ga. — One of Dunwoody’s most anticipated annual community events will return this spring as the Dunwoody Garden Club hosts its 48th annual fundraiser.

The event, “Tiles, Tallies & Threads,” will be held April 10 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Dunwoody United Methodist Church.

What began nearly five decades ago as a small gathering of fewer than 50 women in a church fellowship hall has grown into a popular community tradition that now attracts more than 300 guests each year.

Guests can spend the morning playing bridge, mahjong or canasta, or visiting with friends before lunch is served at noon.

A highlight of this year’s event will be a fashion show presented by Village Threads, featuring spring and summer clothing and accessories.

The silent auction will include plants, gift certificates for spa, nail and hair services, dining experiences at local restaurants, gardening items,

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household goods, artwork and other items donated by area businesses.

The fundraiser is the Garden Club’s only annual fundraising event, and proceeds support beautification and educational projects throughout the Dunwoody community.

Funds raised last year helped purchase the statue “Libby,” now located at the entrance to the Dunwoody Library. The club also hosted a presentation by entomologist and wildlife ecologist Doug Tallamy on the importance of native plants to an audience of more than 450 people at Dunwoody High School.

In addition, the Garden Club maintains landscaped entrances at Brook Run Park and Windwood Hollow Park, as well as the grounds and atrium at the Dunwoody Library.

Tickets for “Tiles, Tallies & Threads” are $35. For more information, visit the Garden Club’s website at dunwoodygardenclub.com.

— Dyana Bagby

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County approves plan for homeless day center

By ZOE SEILER zoe@appenmedia.com

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — DeKalb County will partner with New Life Community Alliance and Peace Baptist Church to open a homeless day center at 3996 Covington Highway.

The county commission approved the day center implementation plan at its March 10 meeting.

The property is owned by Peace Baptist Church and is just outside of Avondale Estates and near Belvedere Park.

The facility will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday to provide shelter and wraparound services to individuals who are unhoused.

Plans for a day center came to light following a shooting at the Decatur Library on Feb. 2. The suspect in the shooting, Medicus Brown, does not have housing, according to court records. Statistically, homeless people are far more likely to be the victims of a violent crime than to commit one, advocates said.

The shooting brought new attention to the number of homeless people who depend on the library’s services. Many unhoused individuals frequent the library

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and the Decatur Recreation Center on Sycamore Street. The county is planning to do more to support them.

During a recent finance committee meeting, Superior Court Clerk Debra DeBerry said that unhoused individuals often hang out inside the courthouse lobby in Decatur.

The county provides warming and cooling centers overnight, but there are few options available during the day.

The new day shelter has a lobby area with a serving area, sink and

refrigerators. It can accommodate up to 100 people during the day, including children and pets.

“A day center is a safe, welcoming facility. It has meals, nutrition, hygiene services, support services,” Community Development Director Allen Mitchell previously said. “In this center, it goes to your immediate needs, which are basic hygiene and meals, pathways to housing. It gives case management and job assistance.”

Wraparound services will include

mental and behavioral health, medical resources, job assistance, substance recovery support and case management. Patrons will be provided two meals during their stay. They will have access to laundry machines, computers, charging stations, phones and mail services.

Mitchell added that after the day center closes, individuals can be transported to an overnight shelter or go back to wherever they are staying. Transportation will be provided by FAST Trac, and there is a MARTA stop in front of the building.

The county commission unanimously approved the implementation plan, but Commissioner Michelle Long Spears raised questions about the cost and the vendor. The initial proposal was to partner with Frontline Response for $900,000. That shifted to the Salvation Army for $1.2 million and ended with a decision to work with New Life Community Alliance.

Mitchell said there were concerns about the staff capacities of Frontline and the Salvation Army to handle operating another facility.

The estimated cost to get the center up and running is about $1.7 million. It will be funded through the county’s general fund.

County reaffirms bid to recover impounded pet costs

By ZOE SEILER zoe@appenmedia.com

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. DeKalb County has resumed filing petitions to surrender court-held pets and recover the costs of their care.

If an animal is held due to a court case, it remains at Lifeline Animal Project for care, but it cannot be adopted until the owner surrenders it. In those situations, the county attorney may file petitions in court to recover the county’s costs of impoundment and care incurred during a criminal investigation or criminal proceedings, according to the legislation.

The County Commission is considering a resolution that reaffirms the county’s efforts to recover costs associated with impoundment and care, and to file cost-of-care petitions.

At the commission’s March 10 meeting, the resolution was deferred to the March 24 meeting to give Commissioner Michelle Long Spears an opportunity to discuss the resolution in committee.

“They’re still a little short-staffed, but they’ve made this a priority,”

Commission meeting March 10.

Spears said. “It sends a strong message that the law department in DeKalb County does care about our furry friends and we’re doing the best that we can.”

She added that demand letters were recently sent in a few cases. In one case, the individual did not reclaim her pet. The pet was released from courtheld status and is now available for adoption.

Another animal was surrendered in a different case, and in a motion to dispose hearing a judge ruled in the county’s favor on March 10. Four animals were released and can be adopted.

The county law department is preparing to file another motion to dispose.

Interim County Attorney Terry Phillips added that the law department and public safety did preliminary work in those cases, and as a result, the animals were released before a cost-ofcare petition was filed.

The resolution also asks that a court-held dog coordinator position be created in the police department. The county is also exploring adding an animal cruelty investigator to the police department. The law department plans to hire a court-dog paralegal.

“I think with those three new positions we can aggressively attack this ongoing issue,” Spears said.

Andrea Seidl with Advocates for DeKalb Animals thanked the county for the progress made regarding animal welfare.

See SURRENDER, Page 17

March Madness features area players

By ANNABELLE REITER annabelle@appenmedia.com

NORTH METRO ATLANTA — Atlanta has a reputation for being one of the best cities for basketball in the country. It shows when you look at the hometowns of all players competing in March Madness.

No. 1 seed Duke University is the betting favorite to win a title and has one Chattahoochee alum on the roster – graduate student Cameron Sheffield. Betmakers have placed the Blue Devils odds of winning a championship at +300.

Sheffield is from Alpharetta and played for Rice University for three years after winning a 6A state championship at Chattahoochee in 2020. The forward has been in Durham for the last two seasons.

Rival UNC, a six seed, also has an Atlanta-area player. Holy Innocents alum Caleb Wilson is expected to be drafted in the first round this year. The Tar Heels need to pull off several upsets to meet Duke in the Final Four. It would be the first time the rivals met in the tournament since 2022 when UNC soured the ending of Coach K’s career.

One Milton graduate who had his jersey retired this year will be making his first tournament appearance as a senior. Ohio State guard and program leading scorer for the Eagles and Buckeyes Bruce Thornton won a 7A title in 2021.

Vanderbilt has two area players on this year’s roster that went all the way to the SEC tournament championship. Guard Chandler Bing is a freshman and alum of Pace Academy. Bing’s “fun fact” for his bio on Vanderbilt’s website is that he has never seen the series Friends.

Senior Devin McGlockton scored his 1,000th career point for Vanderbilt in December 2025. He attended South Forsyth High – left as the all-time leader in points and rebounds – before playing two years at Boston College prior to transferring to Vanderbilt. He averaged 18 points a game his junior and senior years at South and also played tight end for the War Eagles.

His sister Hannah is the varsity volleyball coach at Denmark High School and is an alum of Georgia Southern. Their uncle Chester McGlockton played 12 seasons in the NFL with the Raiders, Chiefs, Broncos and Jets.

The other SEC team with a player with ties to this area is Tennessee with forward Cade Phillips. Phillips grew up in Alabama, but nearly transferred to Wheeler High during school. From seventh to twelfth grade, he competed with a club basketball program in this area called The Skill Factory.

The Skill Factory’s 2023 team boasted nine players who went on to get Division I scholarships – including

Naismith National Player of the Year Isaiah Collier and SEC football players LT Overton and Bryce Thornton, Bruce’s younger brother.

Texas Tech sophomore guard Christian Anderson Jr. is from Atlanta and attended Lovett before transferring to Oak Hill Academy in Virginia. Anderson’s father Christian Sr. was a professional basketball player in Germany.

Anderson has competed internationally with team Germany since 2022. He has taken home several honors this season including Player of the Week and was recently named a third-team AP All-American.

Clemson freshman Zac Foster also had an offer from another ACC school, Virginia Tech, during his senior year at Woodward Academy. The 20242025 War Eagles made it to the state championship, falling to region rival Tri-Cities.

Furman freshman Owen Ritger grew up in Atlanta and attended Marist School. He was ranked by Prep Hoops and Sandy’s Spiel as the No. 4 Power Forward in Georgia for his class.

North Dakota State freshman Riley Saunders is from Sandy Springs and went to Landmark Christian Academy. The guard averaged 15 points a game in his senior year.

Lehigh freshman Caleb Thomas hails from Atlanta and attended Pebblebrook High School before transferring to Combine Academy in North Carolina. He maintained a 4.0 GPA in high school.

On the women’s side, many outlets have been reflecting on the last four years since the firestorm on social media calling out the NCAA for the vastly different experiences of competing in each gender’s tournament. Women were only allowed to use “March Madness” branding starting in 2023.

No. 1 seed South Carolina boasts two alumni of Westlake High School in Atlanta, seniors Raven Johnson and Ta’Niya Latson. The pair spent three years together before Latson finished her high school career at Miami Heritage HS, where she won Gatorade Player of the Year in Florida.

While in Atlanta, Latson trained under Bernard Pitts, who worked with several other players mentioned later in this article. Latson was ranked the top shooting guard in the class of 2022.

Latson transferred to South Carolina this year after three honorable mentions to the All-American list at Florida State. She is already signed to the new three-on-three league in Miami called Unrivaled, founded by UConn alumni Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart.

Johnson drew attention after being waived off defensively by Caitlin Clark in

the 2023 Final Four. She fired back the next season with a defensive intensity that couldn’t be ignored.

As a senior in high school, Johnson was the first ever woman to play in the men’s McDonald’s All-American game after winning Atlanta Tipoff Club and the AJC’s Player of the Year award two straight years. Westlake won four state championships while she was there. She posted a 116:35 assist-to-turnover ratio her senior year according to the AJC.

Johnson was the No. 2 recruit in the class of 2022 and the top point guard. She won a silver medal with Team USA in the 2023 FIBA Women’s AmeriCup.

The University of Southern California has had a down year with their star guard Juju Watkins out with an ACL injury. Last season, they had a No. 1 seed going into the tournament before Watkins injured her knee in the second round. This year, they have a nine seed.

The Trojans have one area player on their roster, senior Kara Dunn. Dunn played basketball and volleyball for Mount Paran Christian and grew up in Dallas, Georgia.

She transferred to USC this season after three years at Georgia Tech, where she made the All-ACC first team last year. Dunn is averaging 15.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists a game this season.

Her mother Stephanie played for UGA, and Kara grew up with her father as her basketball coach. She won two Region Player of the Year awards and was Atlanta Tipoff Club Metro, Sandy’s Spiel and Georgia Athletic Coaches Association’s Player of the Year in 2022. She was the No. 2 recruit in Georgia her senior year.

Louisiana State University is looking for their second title in four years, earning a two seed for this year’s bracket. Star guard Flau’Jae Johnson – the No. 1 recruit in Georgia in 2022 –attended Sprayberry High School after growing up in Savannah. The Tigers are eager to get a second championship for Flau’Jae’s final year with the team.

Flau’Jae was also trained by Bernard Pitts. She is projected to be drafted in the first round in this year’s WNBA draft alongside Latson and Raven Johnson. She is averaging 13.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists a game this season and is shooting a career-best 40.2% from deep.

Syracuse freshman Justus Fitzgerald graduated from Norcross High School, transferring there after two years at Roswell High. Her brother Michael Fitzgerald III was an all-state wide receiver for the Hornets and spent time at UMass, Central Missouri University and the University of Wyoming.

Ole Miss sophomore Tianna

Thompson is from Atlanta and went to the Galloway School where she was the first girls basketball 2,000 point scorer in program history. She transferred to Ole Miss this year from Georgia Tech, where she shot 41.7% from beyond the arc. Her father Rich was a three-time AllAmerican at Georgia Tech and made the Olympic trials for long jump and triple jump, earning him a spot in the GT Hall of Fame. Tianna was a two-sport athlete in high school, competing in the long jump.

Two St. Francis graduates are competing in March Madness. Several of their former teammates are on Division I teams at St. Mary’s and Georgia Tech but unfortunately are missing the tournament.

Clemson senior Mia Moore is from Alpharetta and recorded St. Francis’s first ever quadruple-double with 15 points, 11 assists, 10 steals and 10 rebounds. She also holds the school record for steals with 500.

She started her college career at Mississippi State for two years and then moved on to UAB. There, she recorded 13 double-doubles and scored 20 or more points in 26 games.

She averaged the fifth-most rebounds in the conference, earning her an offer from Clemson where she is in her second year with the program. Last season, she led the Tigers in 3-point shooting with a 41.6% clip.

Southern University junior Anaja Hall from Alpharetta and was a two-sport athlete at St. Francis in volleyball. She spent one year at Alabama State before transferring to Southern.

At Alabama State, she was ninth in the conference averaging nearly 2 blocks per game. She averaged 2.5 a game as a senior in high school.

Princeton junior Olivia Hutcherson is from Johns Creek and went to Holy Innocents. She was a multi-sport athlete earning varsity letters all four years of high school in basketball and soccer and is a College Board AP Scholar.

Hutcherson is averaging 11 points and 5.7 rebounds per game and has brought home Player of the Week honors for her conference.

Her younger brother Devin just reopened his recruitment after previously committing to Belmont University. Their father played basketball for Samford and the University of Alabama.

Oklahoma State graduate student Wilnie Joseph is from Atlanta, attending both Roswell and Johns Creek High Schools before graduating from Whiteland High in Indiana.

Joseph played for Labette Community College for two years, then the University of Louisiana for one year, and transferred to OSU this year from McNeese.

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Importance of skin checks for mature skin

Brought to you by – Dr. Kehinde Olumesi of Epiphany Dermatology - Brookhaven

As skin matures, it undergoes various changes that necessitate regular skin checks to ensure overall skin health. Differentiating between age spots, healthy moles and potential skin cancers is crucial. Age spots, often appearing as flat, brown, or black spots on sun-exposed areas, are generally harmless but can be mistaken for more serious conditions. Early detection of skin cancer, including melanoma, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, significantly increases the chances of successful treatment. Therefore, routine skin examinations are essential for mature skin to maintain health and catch any issues early.

Addressing skin conditions and rejuvenation procedures

Dermatologists can assist with a variety

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In addition to treating conditions, dermatologists offer rejuvenating procedures to enhance the appearance and health of mature skin. Treatments such as chemical peels, laser rejuvenation and injectable treatments like BOTOX® Cosmetic and dermal fillers can reduce the appearance of wrinkles, improve skin texture and promote collagen production. These procedures not only rejuvenate the skin but also boost confidence and overall well-being. Establishing a relationship with a dermatologist ensures that your skin receives comprehensive care tailored to its evolving needs, promoting long-term skin health and vitality.

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Ballots set in DeKalb County for May 19 primary

By JIM BASS jim@appenmedia.com

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Qualifying in the May primary elections in DeKalb County concluded at noon on Friday, March 6, and several incumbents are facing challengers.

In DeKalb County, Board of Commissioners Districts 2, 3 and 7, School Board Districts 2, 4 and 6, and State Court of DeKalb County judges are up for reelection. Other statewide races, like governor, lieutenant governor, superior court judges and the state House and Senate races, will also be on the ballot.

The primary election will be May 19, with a runoff on June 16 for candidates who do not receive more than 50 percent of the vote. The general election is Nov. 3 with a Dec. 1 runoff if needed.

For a complete list of all qualified candidates, visit mvp.sos.ga.gov/s/qualifyingcandidate-information.

DeKalb County School Board

The DeKalb School Board elections are nonpartisan but appear on the May primary ballot. The school board is in the middle of a massive redistricting effort, called the Student Assignment Project (SAP). The first scenario released last month includes the potential closure of 27 schools, 26 of them elementary schools.

Incumbents running for the school board will face tough questions about SAP as well as their role in hiring the previous superintendent, Devon Horton, who resigned after being federally indicted in Illinois.

• DeKalb County Board of Education District 2’s incumbent candidate, Whitney McGinniss, faces a challenge from teacher Charlie McAdoo II and financial advisor Ruth Goldstein.

• DeKalb Schools’ District 4 seat is currently filled by Board Chair Allyson Gevertz, who decided not to run again. Candidates who have qualified for the board seat are teacher Alison Cundiff, railroad engineer Crew Heimer, communications specialist Sonja Szubski, teacher Jamison Murphy,

Address:

Continued from Page 1

The council has also approved funding more employees for its popular Public Safety Ambassadors’ program which launched in 2024.

Civilian employees in the Public Safety Ambassadors’ program responded to 500 incidents and 160 crashes in their first year, allowing sworn officers to get back on patrol quickly, she said.

Deutsch highlighted economic wins, including TriNet, a human resources company, opening a corporate center in

and writer Tracy Brisson.

• DeKalb Schools’ District 6 incumbent candidate, Diijon DaCosta, has qualified for reelection and is running unopposed for the board seat.

DeKalb County Commission

DeKalb County Commission elections are partisan. This year, the commission has faced controversy over data center regulations and a failed resolution rebuking U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

• Democratic District 2 Commissioner Michelle Long Spears doesn’t have a primary challenger. Ben Pepper has qualified for the Republican primary.

• Democratic District 3 Commissioner Nicole Massiah will face a primary challenge from Jakequeline “Jake” Walls, Tommy Travis, and Keyanna Jones Moore. Andrea Bass Smith has qualified as a Republican in that race.

• Democratic District 7 Commissioner LaDena Bolton will face a primary challenge from Jacqueline Adams and Oneka Willabus.

The winners of the Democratic and Republican primary races will face each other in November.

Judges

Judicial races for Superior and State Courts are nonpartisan. Incumbent Superior Court Judges Asha Jackson, LaTisha Jackson and Courtney Johnson have qualified to run again. They have not picked up challengers. Incumbent State Court Judges Alvin Wong, Kimberly Anderson, Charles Bailey, Kimberly Alexander, and Phyllis Williams are also running unopposed.

U.S. House

• Democratic District 4 U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson is facing a primary challenge from Ben Truman and Ansell Postell. James Raymond Duffie has qualified as a Republican for the district seat.

• Democratic District 5 U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams is facing a primary challenge

Perimeter Center and bringing 750 jobs to the city. She praised Perimeter Mall as a regional destination.

New entertainment venues, including Puttshack at High Point, Big Play Entertainment in the Mount Vernon Shopping Center and Game Show Battle Rooms in the Ashford Lane shopping district continue to attract people from across Metro Atlanta.

When Walmart announced two years ago it was closing its store on Ashford Dunwoody Road, Deutsch said she was worried. But she said Kroger will open in the vacated space soon.

“It speaks to the strength of our market and reflects that the business commu-

from Arnetress Elaine Beatty. John Oliver Salvesen has qualified as a Republican for the district seat.

State Senate

• Sen. Emanuel Jones, Senate District 10, is leaving that office to run for Georgia’s 13th Congressional District. Democratic candidates running to replace him are Gabrielle Rogers, Kate Denny, Larry Johnson and Sylvester Smith III. Furquan Stafford is the only qualified Republican.

• Democratic Sen. Sally Harrell, District 40, is unopposed for the primary. Republican Melina Mast is the lone Republican qualifier.

• Democratic Sen. Kim Jackson, District 41, is facing a primary challenge from Shenika Maddox. Republican Jeffrey Newlin has qualified for the District 41 race.

• Incumbent Democratic Sen. Tonya Anderson, District 43, is facing a primary challenge from Donald Ferguson and Sharon Henderson.

• Democratic Sen. Elena Parent, District 44, has decided not to run for reelection. Nadine Thomas and Saira Draper are running as Democrats. Ngozi Orabueze is the lone Republican qualifier.

• Democratic state Sen. Randal Mangham, District 55, is running unopposed in the primary. Mary Benefield is the lone Republican qualifier.

State House

• Democratic state Rep. Shea Roberts, District 52, has no challengers.

• Democratic Rep. Long Tran, District 80, has qualified to run for reelection and is running unopposed in the primary. A Republican, Brian Anderson, has also qualified in that race.

• Democratic Rep. Karen Lupton, District 83, is running unopposed. James Smith has qualified to run as a Republican in that District.

• Democratic Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver, District 84, has qualified to run for reelection and does not have a challenger.

• Democratic Rep. Karla Drenner, District 85, qualified and has no primary chal-

nity and developers understand we are a strong investment location,” she said.

Perimeter Center is the economic engine for Dunwoody but is also important to DeKalb County and to the state as the largest office district in the Southeast, Deutsch said.

The Perimeter Community Improvement Districts and the city have teamed to make mobility improvements because people who work in the Perimeter Center want a walkable, vibrant district, she said.

The heart of Dunwoody’s success is its quality of life, the mayor said.

“We have strong neighborhoods, outstanding schools and parks and recreation programs that are fantastic and allow

lengers. Republican Tyion Fields has also qualified in that race.

• Democratic state Rep. Imani Barnes, District 86, has no challengers.

• Democratic Rep. Viola Davis, District 87, qualified for reelection and has no primary challengers. Republican Timothy Burson has also qualified in that race.

• Democratic Rep. Billy Mitchell, District 88, has qualified to run for reelection and has no primary challengers. William Freeman has qualified to run as a Republican in that District.

• Democratic Rep. Omari Crawford, District 89, has qualified for reelection and has no challengers.

• Rep. Saira Draper is running for the state Senate, leaving House District 90 as an open seat. Four Democrats – Howard Mosby, Leisa Stafford, Matthew Nursey and Nicole Horn – qualified. Samantha Boston is the sole Republican candidate.

• Democratic Rep. Angela Moore, District 91, has a primary challenger, Stacey Garel.

• Democratic Rep. Doreen Carter, District 93, qualified and has no challengers.

• Five candidates are running to fill the House District 94 seat. The Democratic candidates are Audrey Lux, Elmore Alexander, Ikenna Ugwumadu, Venola Mason and Kelly Kautz.

• Democratic Rep. Darshun Kendrick, District 95, has picked up two primary challengers: Stacy Johnson and Zae Brewer. Republican Reggie Hall has also qualified in that race.

• Democratic Rep. Scott Holcomb, District 101, has qualified for reelection. He has no primary challenger but will face Republican Jennifer Hutchinson in November.

• Democratic Rep. Regina Lewis-Ward, District 115, has qualified for reelection and has no primary challenger. Republican Darius Francis also qualified.

• Democratic Rep. El-Mahdi Holly, District 116, has qualified for reelection and has no primary challenger. Republican Samie Conyers also qualified.

Editor Dan Whisenhunt and Deputy Editor Zoe Seiler contributed to this article.

residents to connect and stay active,” she said.

Six years ago, there was no public art in the city, and now the city boasts plenty of “color, energy and performances across our 13 square miles,” Deutsch said. Much of this, she said, is thanks to the work of Create Dunwoody, the nonprofit founded to promote arts, culture and community identity.

Deutsch also pointed to Dunwoody Village as a “true gathering place” with restaurants, shops and new businesses, such as Prelude Bookstore where residents can connect with one another.

“Local businesses define our character,” she said.

Schools:

Continued from Page 1

Here is a list of school buildings facing closure or repurposing:

• Early Learning Center at Terry Mill (NEW) would move to McNair Discover Learning Academy building.

• Fairington Elementary School (NEW)

• Oakview Elementary School (NEW)

• Brockett Elementary School

• Browns Mill Elementary School

• Canby Lane Elementary School

• Columbia Elementary School

• Evansdale Elementary School

• Flat Shoals Elementary School

• Henderson Mill Elementary School

• Kelly Lake Elementary School

• Kingsley Elementary School

• McLendon Elementary School

• Midvale Elementary School

• Oak Grove Elementary School

• Redan Elementary School

• Robert Shaw Theme Elementary School

• Rowland Elementary School

• Stone Mill Elementary School

• Stone Mountain Elementary School

• Toney Elementary School

• Woodridge Elementary School

Here are lists of schools previously labeled for closure that have left the list or are not converting:

• Rock Chapel Elementary School

• Stoneview Elementary School

• Lithonia Middle School and Lithonia High School would remain unchanged.

Four school buildings are marked as becoming “available,” and specialized schools that are moving would potentially shift to the buildings listed below:

• Freedom Middle School is expected to be replaced by a middle school on the Clarkston High School site.

• Redan Middle School would merge with Redan High School, leaving the building available.

• Salem Middle School would merge with Martin Luther King Jr. High School, leaving the building available.

• Columbia Middle School would move to Towers High School, leaving the building available.

Here are schools previously said to be closing that would convert into other buildings:

• Cedar Grove Middle School converting into an elementary school.

• Cedar Grove Elementary School converting into a middle school. This change makes Cedar Grove High School connected to the middle school with a parking lot.

• Vanderlyn Elementary School proposed to become a high school annex.

• McNair Discover Learning Academy proposed to become an early learning center.

• Bob Mathis Elementary School

SCHOOLS

A map shows the DeKalb County School District’s northern region and potential changes through the area based on the second round of scenarios.

proposed converting it into an early learning center.

• Ashford Park Elementary School proposed to convert to an early learning center.

Following the opening of Dresden Elementary School in 2027, Ashford Park Elementary School, Nancy Creek Elementary School and Huntley Hills Elementary School would become K-3 schools feeding into Montgomery Elementary School, which would become a 4-5 school.

Here is a list of all grade-band and expansion changes proposed:

• Convert John Lewis Elementary School into a PK-8 school.

• Convert Montclair Elementary School into a PK-8 school and expand the building.

• Convert Woodward Elementary School into a K-8 school and expand the building.

• Oakcliff Theme School is converted to a normal elementary school and

scenario that remain unchanged:

• Chesnut Elementary School

• Montgomery Elementary School

• Hightower Elementary School

• Huntley Hills Elementary School

• Briarlake Elementary School

• Laurel Ridge Elementary School

• Sagamore Hills Elementary School

• Briar Vista Elementary School

• Hawthorne Elementary School

• Livsey Elementary School

The district is making these major changes to become more financially efficient amid declining student enrollment nationwide. Currently, the district has around 90,000 students and 110,000 seats.

During a news conference, Interim Superintendent Norman Sauce and HPM Vice President of Planning Services Tracy Richter addressed the community impact of the changes and took questions from the media.

Sauce said that many of the changes reflect responses to the community’s feedback. He addressed the difficult road ahead and its impact on communities.

“This work is not easy,” Sauce said. “It’s difficult, it’s dynamic, it’s layered … which is why these sorts of conversations and decisions that come from [communtiy members] must first center around the humanity of all those potentially involved and impacted by the decisions. We believe the high levels of engagement that we’re doing and will continue to do, seek to do just that, but doing nothing is no longer an option.”

Richter acknowledged at the end of the presentation that some communities’ pleas for change did not happen due to the data.

expanded.

• Clarkston High School would receive a modernization and have a new middle school built at its site.

• Redan High School would become a 6-12 school building.

• Martin Luther King Jr. High School would become a 6-12 school building.

• Miller Grove High School would become a 6-12 school building.

• McNair High School would become a 6-12 school building.

Here are conversions from the first scenario that remain unchanged:

• Champion Theme Middle School would still become an elementary school.

• Miller Grove Middle School would still become an elementary school.

• Bethune Middle School would still become an elementary school.

• McNair Middle School would still become an elementary school.

• Towers High School would still become a middle school.

Here are expansions from the first

“We’ve responded to a lot of the questions that have been asked, but there are going to be communities out there that are going to say, ‘you didn’t make a change here,’ and we understand that, but we continue to balance the idea that we have directives that came out of a year long SAP process with community,” Richter said.

Sauce expressed the importance for community feedback through these changes and hopes that people will continue to engage through the district’s survey and feedback sessions.

“This process works best when folks stay engaged, ask questions and share their perspectives. Please continue doing so,” Sauce said. “Today, my message to our community is simple: Please stay involved. Please attend an upcoming community engagement session. Please review the scenarios. Please share your input. We are listening.”

The district will host six in-person sessions at different high schools to garner feedback from communities from March 23 to March 30, and hold two virtual information sessions on March 23 and March 27.

It’s well past time we give ‘time’ it’s due

RAY APPEN Publisher Emeritus ray@appenmedia.com

OK, so we know that Bezos created Amazon based on a core idea – time –making buying stuff faster, easier and more convenient. That is, saving us time.

I just reordered some vitamins from Amazon. It took me probably less than 2 minutes. I’ll have those today – probably early afternoon. I ordered some other meds last week –melatonin – to help me sleep. I ordered the wrong ones. I pulled up my order and clicked on the refund button. It asked me to select the “why” I thought I should get a refund. I did. The automated response informed me that a credit would go on my account within 10 days. I was not asked to return the order. I did not have to endure speaking to “customer service” in India reading off a script – repeating the policy, word by word, over and over. I was not made to document anything. I was not harassed. I was not told “I have to ask my manager.” Three minutes. No hassle. You think I am going to keep doing business with Amazon?

Yes, I understand that Amazon knows it is cheaper for them to manage issues like this in this manner – sure. But Amazon also knows the long-term value of a respected and happy customer as well. Amazon views spending the money to respect their customer’s time as a

literal investment – no different than buying a stock or a piece of real estate. You would think that as successful as Amazon has become, that every business on the planet would be laser focused on his idea – that people value their time.

Not. In fact, I suggest that our time is probably the least valued of everything we possess – by business in general. Our time is our most prized possession. Why would business treat our time as it has a value of $0?

Long waits

Lots of examples come to mind. Anyone been to a medical office that hasn’t ended up waiting – and waiting and waiting? How about those service guys who told you they would be there at 1:00 and show up after 2 or 3 and can’t understand why you are upset? How long have you been put on hold with a big company over an issue that was their fault – not yours?

Most big banks – not all – and their best friends, the credit card companies, rank high in the “your time to us has no value” world. So much of that banking world is structured around systems and processes that minimize labor; maximize customer inconvenience; maximize charges for just about everything; and are literally designed to consume and destroy your most valuable asset – your precious time.

Respect for another’s time seems to go hand and hand with personal connection – how you treat others – I think. They are related. If one doesn’t value and respect

the other person – their needs, their wants, there standing as a mother, dad, son, daughter, neighbor, or friend – one doesn’t respect or make time for them. Why would you honk your horn at that car in front of you driven a bit slowly by someone’s older grandfather or perhaps a new driver unsure of themself? What if it was your relative? Why would you get frustrated waiting in line at the grocery store by that lady trying to find her coupons so she can save a couple cents off her grocery bill, cents she needs because she can barely pay rent? Why would you allow your blood pressure to explode because you are angered by someone who does or says something that you don’t agree with or favor? Why? Because you don’t respect them. Because you forget. Because you didn’t remember how difficult it was for your parent when they grew too old to deal with little day-to-day challenges of life, or you forgot what it was like to be broke and struggling.

Adjusting behavior

Yes, you are kind and compassionate when it is convenient – when you are inspired. And you support your church and profess faith once a week. But that doesn’t really count so much. You need to be that way all the time – because that is who you are. You need to respect yourself first to respect others. You need to lead and realize that it is exactly your leadership that makes the world a little bit better – that sets the example for others to follow so they too can step up

and respect others, including their time, their standing, their place in your world. In parting, I always like to give a shout out to everyone – especially any small local business that respects the time of others – and in so doing – simply, respects. High five to the small banks –especially ours – Renasant Bank. High five to Publix, Costco and Nally Toyota – three businesses that get it – that make the investment in staff so their customer’s time is valued and respected. Yes, to Bezos. And, OK, yes to Appen Media because we try 100% to walk the walk. We try to answer the phone before the second ring – personally. We engage with our clients; we make the time to do that. We understand that we are valued only when we solve problems and when we save our clients time and make them money. We get it and try our hardest to stay true to our values.

PLEASE NOTE: The future at Appen Media is significantly determined by how much support we have from you. Each and every one of you make a difference. Our business gets harder every week. We are rapidly moving to a public broadcast business model (reader-supported), so please join our Appen Press Club and invest in your locally sourced local newspaper.

Go to AppenMedia.com/join for support options or you can also mail a support check to AppenMedia, Support our Press, 319 North Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009.

Sincerely and thank you, Ray Appen.

Shady lenders are coming out of woodwork

A funny thing happened a couple of weeks ago when mortgage rates briefly dipped below the 6 percent benchmark. The roaches of the mortgage business came scurrying out from under the rocks. Suddenly, every online lender, call-center cowboy, and mystery-rate magician who had been suspiciously quiet for months started flooding in boxes, blowing up phones, and chasing down every potential homebuyer and refinance candidate they could find — whether refinancing actually made financial sense or not. Because when rates improve even

modestly, some corners of the mortgage industry do not see opportunity. They see bait.

And the bait, often, is a rate quote materially below the actual market.

Now, let me be clear: there are absolutely strong, reputable loan officers who will occasionally go a little “deep” on pricing to win a deal. That happens. A lender might sharpen the pencil and quote something 0.125 percent to 0.250 percent below prevailing national averages in order to be competitive, especially on a clean, well-qualified file.

That is normal.

What is not normal is when you see lenders — often large, non-local, lowaccountability operations — quoting rates that are 0.50 percent to 0.75 percent below national averages and pretending that is somehow just good customer service and not an elaborate

magic trick.

At that point, the borrower should stop and ask the most important question in consumer finance:

“Why are they so much lower than everyone else?”

Because if the rest of the market is clustered around one level, and one lender is out there pricing like they found a secret underground bond market behind a Buc-ee’s, there is usually a catch.

And here is the catch.

In many cases, these lenders are not actually giving you a rate that is available today. They are betting on the market to move in their favor.

They sell the borrower on a dream quote, then tell them some version of:

• “You don’t want to lock yet.”

• “Rates are improving.”

• “Let’s float it a little longer.”

• “The Fed is about to pivot.”

• “Mercury is in retrograde, but for mortgage-backed securities.”

Now the loan officer is off the hook — because the borrower has just agreed to float the rate based on the opinion of someone who may have been in the business for 18 months, owns a ring light, and got a degree in something that had absolutely nothing to do with finance, economics, capital markets, or, frankly, arithmetic. If the market eventually rallies enough to reach that original “quote,” everybody celebrates and the lender looks brilliant.

But if the market stays flat — or worse, moves higher, as it has over the last two weeks — the conversation suddenly changes:

Aiken:

Continued from Page 16

“Well… the market went the other way. Sorry.”

And just like that, the borrower is left with a worse rate than expected, a broken trust dynamic, and the sinking realization that the original quote was less a mortgage strategy and more a PowerPoint fantasy.

Economics of the bait-and-float

From a market-structure standpoint, this behavior is not complicated.

Mortgage pricing is tied primarily to the secondary market, especially the pricing of mortgage-backed securities (MBS), which in turn are heavily influenced by the 10-year Treasury yield, inflation expectations, prepayment risk and lender margin strategy.

That means there is a fairly rational range in which most legitimate rate quotes should cluster on any given day.

Yes, there are differences:

• Lender overhead

• Servicing-retention strategy

• Lock-period pricing

• Margin compression

• Discount-point structure

• Compensation model

• Credit-score and LTV overlays

• How aggressive a lender wants to be on any given file

But there are not usually giant, magical, no-strings-attached differences in available market pricing. So, when you see a quote that is wildly

Surrender:

Continued from Page 8

“DeKalb is becoming an example of how to do it right in animal welfare and I’m happy to be a part of it. We look forward to more. We’re not there yet,” Seidl said. “First is the ongoing issue of court-held animals. As of yesterday, there were 89 court-impounded animals and no cost of care petitions have been filed since April 2025.”

She encouraged the county to continue the regular practice of filing cost-of-care petitions.

“This isn’t about actually collecting the cost of the care for the animal as much as it is about encouraging defendants who are intentionally dragging their cases on to bring them to speedy resolutions,” Seidl said.

In other business, the county commission:

• Approved special-purpose local option sales tax funding for roofing and HVAC

OPINION

below the broader market, one of the following is usually true:

1. It includes undisclosed discount points.

2. It assumes an unrealistic lock strategy.

3. It is based on a best-case scenario that may not apply to the borrower.

4. It is a teaser quote designed to get the application.

5. It is simply not a rate that can actually be locked today.

And unfortunately, far too many borrowers do not find out which one it is until they are already emotionally committed.

Lock it down

I have said this over and over again because it remains true:

The best mortgage rate is not the prettiest one on a worksheet. It is the one that is actually locked.

• Most lenders can lock a rate for 45 days. Many can go 60 days with only a modest pricing adjustment.

• A locked rate is real. A floated fantasy is not.

That does not mean floating is always wrong. There are times when floating can make strategic sense, especially if closing is far out and markets are improving.

But floating should be a deliberate, informed decision — not a sales tactic used to protect a loan officer from an unrealistic quote they should not have made in the first place.

Why local matters

This is also why I continue to believe that, in most cases, borrowers are better served by working with a reputable local lender.

repairs at county physical and mental health facilities, kitchen equipment repairs at the Lou Walker Senior Center and repairs to the east police precinct and police training facility.

• Deferred a $5.6 million for construction management services for the replacement of a section of the Shoal Creek trunk sewer.

• Deferred a $21 million for sanitary sewer maintenance and rehabilitation, and deferred a $19 million contract for water and air valve replacement and repairs.

• Approved a $275,000 contract with Latham Home Sanitation Company to pick up and remove tires from the Seminole Landfill that were collected from illegal dump sites or homes.

• Deferred the Charter Review Commission’s recommended changes to the Organizational Act to the March 24 meeting.

• Approved a $22 million change order with Lifeline Animal Project to continue operating the DeKalb County Animal Shelter.

Not because local lenders are automatically cheaper. Not because every online lender is bad.

But because reputation matters.

A local lender’s business is not built solely on whether one borrower closes one loan.

It is built on:

• Relationships with local Realtors

• Repeat business

• Builder partnerships

• Attorney and title relationships

• Referral credibility

• Community reputation

• Accumulated weight of every borrower experience they create

In other words: if they treat people badly, word gets around.

Fast.

And in Metro Atlanta, there are plenty of excellent loan officers whose track records can actually be verified:

• Customer-service reviews

• Years in the business,

• Consistency in communication,

• Local closing experience,

• Yes — occasionally even a degree in finance or economics, which, in a profession built around interest-rate risk, should not feel like a radical preference

Bottom Line

If a mortgage quote looks too good to be true, it probably is.

A quote that is dramatically below

the broader market is often not a sign that you found a genius.

It is a sign that someone is trying to win the application first and figure out the pricing later.And for most people, a home purchase is the single largest financial transaction of their life at that point in time.

That decision should not be treated like buying a used Honda online because the ad said “priced to move.”

• Do your homework.

• Check reviews.

• Ask how long they have been in the business.

• Ask whether the rate is actually lockable today.

• Ask what the points are.

• Ask what happens if the market moves against you.

Because in mortgage lending, as in life, if a roach is smiling at you and promising something everyone else says doesn’t exist… …it may be time to turn on the kitchen light.

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.

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PRESERVING

The well-remembered crossroads community of Ocee

BOB MEYERS Columnist

Ocee was a small unincorporated rural crossroads community in today’s North Fulton County reportedly named after a Cherokee location meaning “home.” In 2006 it became part of Johns Creek together with three other crossroads communities – Newtown, Sheltonville, or Shakerag, and Warsaw – when the city incorporated. The Ocee Community area exists today as names for a park, school, church, library and a cemetery among other places in Johns Creek.

The Ocee community was centered around today’s intersection of Jones Bridge Road and Kimball Bridge Road, extending about 2 miles in all directions. As it gradually grew in the 1800s the community established an Ocee School, Ocee Baptist Church, a Methodist Church and other churches and a series of stores. According to local historian Connie Mashburn, cotton farming was important, and one of the largest cotton gins in the area was built in Ocee.

Ocee was first named New York. In the mid-1800s it was common to name communities after famous cities or people because settlers thought a recognizable name would create a more official image on maps and would help make it easier to obtain postal services. Additional examples of that idea in Georgia were Athens, Dublin, Warsaw, Dallas, Rome and others.

The government rejected the community’s application for postal service because the New York name was too common and likely to cause confusion in mail

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delivery. In 1883 the first post office in what would become Ocee opened under the name Mazeppa to comply with the U.S. Post Office requirement for unique names.

The use of dramatic literary names for communities was fashionable in the late 1800s. The name Mazeppa was sophisticated, modern and cultured. It was the name of a 17th century Ukrainian nobleman named Ivan Mazeppa in Lord Byron’s 1819 poem “Mazeppa.” Byron made the name popular in paintings, music and an 1828 Victor Hugo poem.

The Mazeppa Post Office was discontinued and the Ocee Post Office opened in May 1903.

Larry Webb Bennett grew up in Ocee and notes “There was not much traffic when I was a kid. When we played baseball, the street was part of the field. If a car did come along you could hear it a mile away.”

Larry went to the Ocee Elementary School which, circa 1950, changed its name to the Amy L. Dodd School.

“My mother, Francis Webb Bennett, was the cafeteria manager and I worked in the cafeteria. About 60 kids attended the school.” Larry recalls.

His grandfather donated property for the school. Larry’s wife Pat taught 6th and 7th grades. The two grades were combined due to the small number of students.

Larry attended the Clear Springs Baptist Church.

“The preacher would come and preach one Sunday per month, so we would go to the Methodist Church when he was away. It was a closeknit community,” says Larry, who as an adult became executive director of Fiscal Services for the Fulton County School System.

The City of Dunwoody Zoning Board of Appeals will meet on Thursday, May 7, 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 26-07, 4661 Buckline Circle, Dunwoody, GA, 30338: Two variances: from Sec. 27-269 to allow a retaining wall to encroach into the rear setback and one from Sec. 27-267 to allow a 6-foot-tall fence in the street yard of a corner lot and to allow a combined fence and retaining wall project to be 12 feet tall.

ZBA 26-09, 2628 Amberly Drive, Dunwoody, GA, 30360: One special exception from Sec. 27-147 to allow a new home to encroach into the contextual street setback range and one variance from Sec. 27-58 to allow a new home to encroach into the rear setback.

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.

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Children stand in the middle of Jones Bridge Road in 1930. To the right, is the Shirley house and Bennett Store. To the left is the Turner house.

Larry’s father, John Bennett, was Alpharetta’s first police chief and the only policeman in the small city. He also read water meters. Moonshining was big business, and John would take note of cars heading north to Dawsonville. If their rear ends were jacked up, he knew they were going to pick up moonshine and take it to Atlanta. He would wait for their return with their rear end low and heavy and chase after them.

Fulton County provided building materials for community clubs in small towns. Residents provided the labor to build them. The Ocee Community Club was used for 4-H meetings, civic gatherings and social events. Politicians would come and speak, according to Larry.

Judy Webb and her husband Lewis moved to Ocee in 1981. Judy recalls the cannery built in the mid-1920s on Jones Bridge Road where a Publix is today. In the 1990s, Janice Shirley Gunter converted the cannery into an antique and gift store. Judy remembers seeing the Tri-Weekly newspaper mimeographed in 1938-1942 by Ocee School students. Her in-law, Jim Webb, wrote a popular weekly column under the name Mentor Webb. He was born in a log cabin on Webb Bridge Road.

General Stores were important as

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sources of necessary items including food, clothing ammunition, animal feed, tools and informal credit accounts. They were also social gathering places.

The first general store in Ocee opened in the late1880s and operated until the 1920s-early 1930s by farmer James Wright Shirley (1868-1960) who owned the Farm Merchandise Store in downtown Alpharetta, a store in Stono as well as his store in Ocee. Stono appeared on maps in the late 1800s and early 1900s and was a “post-hamlet,” a small rural postal community, but all traces of it have disappeared today.

As the local school and churches adopted the Ocee name in the 1890s, the Shirley store became one of the first institutions to use it consistently thus helping solidify the name Ocee.

Other stores operated during and after the Shirley store era, including The H.H. Turner family store operated from circa 1931 to the mid-1940s. Hugh and Bob Barnett’s store operated from the mid1940s until the early1950s when, according to Connie Mashburn, the brothers moved to a larger store in Alpharetta. The Hunnicutt Store circa 1950s-1960s likely operated by A.J., W.T. or J.M. Hunnicutt. Joan Compton, president of the Johns Creek Historical Society, sums up the situation by noting “Johns Creek has evolved from historic crossroad communities to today’s modern city with the Robert Fulton Library, stores, restaurants and homes that reflect the diversity of this great community.”

There is much more to say about the history of fabulous Johns Creek. Maybe in a future column.

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

The City of Dunwoody City Council will meet Tuesday, May 26, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Dunwoody City Hall, which is located at 4800 Ashford Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody, Georgia 30338 for the purpose of due process of the following:

Text amendments to the Code of the City of Dunwoody for Chapter 27, the general purpose of which is to create zoning regulations and procedures for vape shops and the sale of tobacco products and accessories.

Should you have any questions or comments, please contact the City of Dunwoody Community Development Department at 678-382-6800. Staff is available to answer questions, discuss the decision-making process, and receive comments and concerns.

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