New kitchen, bar opens its doors in Campus 244
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TOASTMASTERS/PROVIDED
Dunwoody Toastmasters members attended the Toastmasters District 44 Annual Conference at Crowne Plaza Atlanta NE – Norcross on May 15. From left are: Ushasri Bhogaraju,
Jennifer Geist, Wes Littlejohn, Table Topics Contest winner Osayuki Uwumarogie,
McNeil, Alicia Fragomeni and Kent Karr.
By DYANA BAGBY dyana@appenmedia.com
DUNWOODY, Ga. — The Dunwoody Toastmasters Club celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, four decades of helping people living and working in Dunwoody, Sandy Springs and the broader Central Perimeter to strengthen their communication and leadership skills.
The club was founded June 1, 1986, and has been recognized as a President’s Distinguished Toastmasters club, one of the highest distinctions awarded by Toastmasters International, for excellence in education, leadership development and club performance.
Over the past two years, Dunwoody Toastmasters has produced two district
champions at the highest level of Toastmasters competition.
Osayuki Uwumarogie won the Table Topics Contest May 15, and club President Jennifer Geist won the Tall Tales Contest in 2025.
“Our club has always been special because of the people,” said Oskar Hofer, who joined the club in 2004.
See TOAST, Page 18
By DYANA BAGBY dyana@appenmedia.com
DUNWOODY, Ga. — City officials are in talks with the United States Postal Service about buying the post office building in Dunwoody Village.
The city has long sought to purchase the 14,000-square-foot building at 1551 Dunwoody Village Parkway that sits in the middle of the Village surrounded by more than 2 acres of parking. City leaders have said the site is a great location for a park or other community amenity that would help fulfill their vision to transform the suburban shopping center in the heart of the city into a vibrant, walkable district.
“We think this would be a big event for the Village to get an actual park and greenspace, to plant a civic flag in the middle of the Village that says this is public space,” Dunwoody Economic Development Director Michael Starling said.
The Village has seen some major improvements in recent years, especially thanks to DASH Hospitality Group’s investment in a courtyard and new restaurants, Starling said. But now is the time to move things to the “next level,” he added.
Last year, the Development Authority, a quasigovernmental board that promotes economic development, commissioned Urban Land Institute Atlanta to conduct a study of Dunwoody Village. ULI Atlanta is a nonprofit real estate and land use organization.
Its expert volunteer members spent time talking to city officials and walking around Dunwoody Village to explore strategies to make it a thriving retail district and community gathering space.
“One of the things that ULI said we need to focus on is the post office, which was not a surprise to us,” Starling said. “We’ve wanted to buy it for quite some time. The report got us to re-engage with the Postal Service.”
By DYANA BAGBY dyana@appenmedia.com
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SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Two suspects have been taken into custody following a massive police response to Morgan Falls Overlook Park May 19 to search for a man dressed in "military style gear" and reports of possible gunshots.
The large police presence forced the shutdown of the park and nearby Ison Springs Elementary School, where primary election voting was taking place. Voting was suspended for approximately four hours during the police investigation.
Sandy Springs Police said James Andrew Dutton and Elisha Deaton were taken into custody and face charges of possession of a firearm in a city park and possession of alcohol in a city park. Dutton was found in the parking lot of Morgan Falls Overlook Park. After an extensive search, Deaton was located in Cobb County, just across the Chattahoochee River near the area of Aven Road and Conway Drive, Sgt. Giovanni Gomez, spokesperson for Sandy Springs Police, said in a news release.
"At this time, there are no known threats to the community. No injuries were reported during the incident," Gomez said.
Police said investigators found no evidence indicating the incident was related to voting or election activity.
"Investigators are continuing to determine whether the reported gunshots were connected to this incident," Gomez said.
Assisting agencies included FBI Atlanta, Homeland Security Investigations, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Cobb County Police K9, North Fulton SWAT, Forsyth County's Sheriff's Office K9 and Fulton County Police SWAT.
Sandy Springs Police reported at about 11:30 a.m. on May 19 that the park at 200 Morgan Falls Road was closed due to an "active police investigation." The department requested that people avoid the area.
"A short time later, a 911 caller reported hearing possible gunshots in the area," Gomez said.
Ison Springs Elementary School is just over 2 miles from the park. Fulton County voting precincts SS19A and SS22 are
A Sandy Springs Police officer in tactical gear patrols Morgan Falls Overlook Park May 19 after several law enforcement agencies responded to a report of possible shots fired and a suspicious person.
located at the public school.
As a result of the incident, the school was placed on a “soft lockdown" and voting was suspended at approximately 11:58 a.m., Fulton County spokesperson Jessica Corbitt said in an email.
Voting resumed at about 4 p.m. and Fulton County received a court order to keep the polls open until 11:02 p.m.
DUNWOODY, Ga. — The Dunwoody Police Department is accepting applications for its fall session of the Citizens’ Police Academy, a free 13-week program designed to give participants the opportunity to learn more about police work.
The program will run from Aug. 18 through Nov. 10. Classes will meet weekly on Tuesdays from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. A graduation ceremony is set for Nov. 16.
The academy is open to people ages 21 and older, and priority is given to applicants who live or work in Dunwoody.
Each week, participants will learn about a different division of the Police Department in class lectures, training scenarios and field trips to partner locations.
Areas of police work participants will learn about include community outreach, North Metro SWAT, crime scene investigations, DUI enforcement, K9 and patrol operations, active shooter response, firearms simulator and narcotics.
Graduates of the Citizens’ Police Academy can volunteer for the
Dunwoody Police Department as a bailiff for the city’s court cases. They can also volunteer with the department’s Citizens on Patrol program to perform non-enforcement duties such as managing traffic at events and driving marked vehicles to monitor local parks, businesses and neighborhoods.
For more information, contact Community Outreach Officer Theresa Hernandez at theresa.hernandez@ dunwoodyga.gov.
— Dyana Bagby
The ongoing stormwater dispute involving Kingsley Lake has never really been about litigation, at least not from the residents’ side.
From the beginning, we have consistently said the same thing: We do not want lawsuits, courtroom battles or endless legal maneuvering. We do not have attorneys representing us, nor do ordinary residents have the financial resources to engage in prolonged litigation against a city government supported by taxpayer-funded legal counsel, consultants, engineers and insurance carriers.
What we have wanted is much simpler. We want dialogue. We want consistency. We want the city to do the right thing.
Unfortunately, from the very beginning, this issue has increasingly been framed as a legal problem rather than a civic problem. Residents attempting to discuss concerns involving stormwater flow, property damage, erosion and the collapse of the Kingsley spillway have repeatedly been referred to attorneys rather than engaged through open public dialogue.
That approach may protect institutions legally, but it does not solve community problems. In fact, it often deepens them.
Dunwoody was founded on the idea that local government should be closer to the people, more accessible and more responsive than the distant systems residents believed were no longer listening to them. That was one of the driving forces behind cityhood.
Today, many residents are beginning to ask whether we are drifting away from those principles.
This issue should not be viewed solely through the lens of liability management. It should be viewed through the lens of responsible governance.
The residents of Kingsley are not asking for special treatment. We are asking for consistent treatment.
Throughout the city, stormwaterrelated projects involving infrastructure on or connected to private property have been addressed through city action, engineering review and funding participation. Yet, when Kingsley residents seek similar discussion, the response has too often become procedural silence and legal redirection.
Citizens notice inconsistency. They also notice when communication disappears. At its core, this issue comes down to three simple principles.
TALK BACK TO THE CRIER: You talk, we listen.
• We won’t publish your letter or name without explicitly getting your approval. TALK BACK TO THE CRIER
The Crier is parking the Talk Back section at the front of the paper for the foreseeable future. Send your letters to newsroom@appenmedia.com by Sunday night and they’ll end up here that week. Park locations, tree-lined medians and backyard chickens welcome.
Rules of engagement:
• Typically we restrict letters to 300 words. To limit fury from the copy desk, try and stay below that line.
• We normally do not publish letters written in response to other letters. We are going to waive that policy for the time being.
First, stop routing every citizen concern directly to attorneys. Lawyers serve an important role, but referring residents immediately into legal channels does not move problems toward resolution. It often freezes communication before meaningful dialogue even begins.
Second, apply standards consistently. Ethical government depends upon consistency. Citizens lose trust when similar situations appear to receive different treatment without clear explanation.
Third, stop framing every disagreement as litigation. Kingsley residents
have repeatedly stated they do not want to litigate this matter. We want to resolve it responsibly, cooperatively and fairly.
Government works best when citizens believe their leaders are seeking solutions, not merely defending positions. No one expects every public issue to be simple. Stormwater systems are complex. Infrastructure responsibility is complex. Legal questions can be complex. But complexity should not eliminate communication. A city is more than an institution to be protected from risk. It is a community to be served.
Doing the right thing may not always be the easiest path administratively. It may require dialogue, compromise, engineering review, policy clarification or shared responsibility. But those are the very things good local government is supposed to do. The residents of Kingsley are still asking for the same thing we requested from the beginning: Sit down with us. Talk with us. Work with us.
Help solve the problem. That is not litigation. That is leadership.
Danny Ross Founding member, Dunwoody City Council
Father’s Day, Sunday, June 21
5K Run/Walk • 1 Mile Walk • kids4DAD Tot Trot Peachtree Road Race Official Qualifying Event Wills Park Pool Parking Lot Start/Finish 1815 Old Milton Parkway, Alpharetta Crash Clark, 99X, Emcee Race website: run4DAD.org
DUNWOODY, Ga. — The Dunwoody Garden Club finished its season in May with a successful biennial members’ garden tour and honoring its Member of the Year.
“Cul-de-Sac Cruising” garden tour showcased the front entrance gardens of five members living on culde-sacs in Dunwoody, club President Patsy Newton said.
Allison Metheny was named Member of the Year for her leadership in organizing the October 2025 event featuring renowned environmentalist Doug Tallamy. More than 450 people gathered at the Dunwoody High School auditorium to hear Tallamy speak about the importance of planting native habitats.
Members also celebrated the success of the club’s annual “Tallies, Tiles and Threads” fundraiser, which marked its 48th year in April.
More than half of the 48 members at the event had children who graduated from Dunwoody High School, Newton said. In recognition of that connection, members voted to contribute from the fundraiser proceeds to “Bring It Home: One Family, One Field,” the campaign to build a new stadium for the school, she said.
On July 2, the club will dedicate a Blue Star Memorial at the Veteran’s Memorial in Brook Run Park.
Additional club projects and contributions include installation of the Libby statue at the entrance to the Dunwoody Library, as well as the continued maintenance of the entrance to Brook Run Park, the entrance and atrium at the Dunwoody Library and the perennial garden at Windwood Hollow Park.
— Dyana Bagby
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 5, 5 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!
HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS
1. Wander. Kind of tube. Jiddah denizen.
2. Tough. Corinth native. Military wear.
3. Suva resident. Squabble. Exploding star.
4. Scat. Marine NCO abbr. South African native.
5. Foot part. Mombasa native. California wine valley.
6. Vase name. Aix-la-Chapelle denizen. Barbershop call.
7. Pak Kret native. Stiff-upper-lip type. Citadel student.
Is Where the Heart Is
1 Wander. Kind of tube. Jiddah denizen
2. Tough. Corinth native. Military wear.
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. Suva resident. Squabble. Exploding star.
4. Scat. Marine NCO abbr. So. African native.
5. Foot part. Mombasa native. California wine valley.
6. Vase name. Aix-la-Chapelle
How to Solve: To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and box must contain the numbers 1 to 9.
a black square is the sum of the white squares to the right of it. A number below the diagonal line is the sum of the white squares in the sequence below it. You may only use the digits 1 to 9, and a digit can only be used once in any sequence.
Moray, e.g.
She’s
THE PROVIDENCE GROUP/PROVIDED
A site plan for The Providence Group’s planned subdivision in Sandy Springs shows the entrance and exit at Spalding Drive and Pitts Road. At the far right is where the development will extend into the City of Dunwoody, which has yet to approve rezoning for the project.
By DYANA BAGBY dyana@appenmedia.com
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — A developer planning to build a new subdivision on busy Spalding Drive where Sandy Springs and Dunwoody connect has cleared its first hurdle.
At its May 19 meeting, the Sandy Springs City Council approved rezoning five parcels on Spalding Drive to make way for developer The Providence Group to build 21 new single-family homes. The Providence Group, based in Johns Creek, is seeking to rezone two more parcels in Dunwoody to add three houses to the same development. The Dunwoody Planning Commission will consider the request June 9 before it heads to the full City Council.
Plans call for a total of 24 new homes at Spalding Drive and Pitts Road, straddling the Sandy Springs-Dunwoody city limits. There are currently five singlefamily homes on the Sandy Springs portion of the project. The Dunwoody property currently contains a driveway for a single-family structure located on the North Atlanta Church of Christ property on Roberts Drive.
Spalding Drive is a major east-west thoroughfare that connects Sandy Springs, Dunwoody, Peachtree Corners and Norcross and is heavily traveled by commuters. A traffic study conducted by Kimley Horn as part of the rezoning applications for both cities found nearly 11,000 vehicles traveled Spalding Drive west of Pitts Road daily.
Many Sandy Springs residents have raised concerns about the homes adding to traffic along the busy stretch of road. But over the course of several community meetings, The Providence Group agreed to install turn lanes at the subdivision’s entrance at the signalized intersection of Spalding Drive and Pitts Road.
Melinda Cobb, who lives in the Spalding Springs subdivision across the street from the planned development, said residents supported the project after The Providence Group promised to install the turn lanes. The Spalding Drive and Pitts Road intersection will be the only entrance and exit for the new subdivision.
“We have a very substantial traffic problem that happens from Pitts Road to Roberts Drive by the [Sandy Springs] fire station … and there does need to be a turn lane and mitigating traffic efforts made in light of this neighborhood going in,” she told the council at the May 19 meeting.
Ronda Smith, president of the Sandy Springs Council of Neighborhoods,
Installation of these [turn lanes] will ensure that those waiting for ingress will not negatively impact an already difficult corridor that today handles in excess of 10,000 cars per day.”
RONDA SMITH
President of the Sandy Springs Council of Neighborhoods
said the organization also supports the development with the installation of turn lanes.
“Installation of these [turn lanes] will ensure that those waiting for ingress will not negatively impact an already difficult corridor that today handles in excess of 10,000 cars per day,” Smith told the council.
“This application really is a study in how to solve concerns in light of what will be a significant change from five lots to 21 plus the three on the other side of the city line in Dunwoody,” she said. “The applicant worked very hard to mitigate the community’s concerns, and I’d like to thank staff and the community for their cooperation to get to this point.”
Sandy Springs City Councilman John Paulson said the city has made some improvements to improve traffic flow on Pitts Road and Spalding Drive, but the result was more cars stacking up on Roberts Drive.
“As a city, we’re going to have to look at traffic on Spalding Drive in this area because at 5 o’clock it’s very hard to get through here,” he said.
City planners said in a report to the council the new development will help meet the increased demand for single-family detached housing in Sandy Springs.
“Demand in the metro, especially communities located in the inner rings of the metro such as Sandy Springs, has outpaced production,” the report said. “As Sandy Springs has become increasingly built out, available land is increasingly scarce for net new construction of detached units. This proposal will establish a new singlefamily community of 21 homes that will help meet the demand and desire for homeownership opportunities in Sandy Springs.”
DUNWOODY, Ga. — Stäge Kitchen & Bar opened May 15 at Campus 244, an adaptive reuse development near Perimeter Mall, the Dunwoody MARTA station and I-285.
The new restaurant is an expansion for Stäge Kitchen & Bar which opened its first location in Peachtree Corners five years ago.
Stäge is located within Campus 244’s Element Hotel by Westin, which sits on the central greenspace. Its addition brings a high-energy dining experience available to those working at Campus 244 and to all of Metro Atlanta, according to the Campus 244 developer.
“Stäge brings something different to the area, and that’s exactly the kind of energy we’ve been building toward at Campus 244,” said Phil Mays, principal of RocaPoint Partners. “Not only do we have an active daytime workforce on-site that loves to walk to lunch and enjoy the greenspace, but we also have afterwork groups gathering and meeting for dinner.”
The Dunwoody location includes a 10-seat omakase-style sushi bar helmed by Corporate Sushi Chef Vin Pham. Guests can expect inventive rolls such as the Roxy Roll, featuring shrimp tempura, kani crab salad and avocado;
and the 24K Magic, a spicy salmon, tempura flakes and avocado topped with caviar and 24-karat gold flakes. Stäge will host exclusive omakase dinners at the Dunwoody location.
“Dunwoody is an incredibly sophisticated dining community, and we are excited to welcome our new neighbors to the Stäge experience,”
Raquel Stalcup, an owner of the restaurant, said. “Every element of this space, from the omakase bar to the cocktail program to the design of
the space, has been curated to deliver something special.”
Executive Chef and partner Charlie Sunyapong has created a menu that specializes in small plates that pull from culinary traditions across the globe, including duck fried rice with XO sauce, lamb lollipops with balsamic peach glaze and grilled Spanish octopus. Entrees include the Berkshire tomahawk pork chop with sweet potato puree, Brussels sprouts and Luxardo demi, alongside crab-stuffed salmon served over garlic-
whipped potatoes with broccolini and lobster beurre blanc.
Patrick O'Neil, president and COO of Vision Hospitality Group, which operates the Element Hotel, said pairing the hotel with a high-caliber restaurant concept was central to the property's vision.
“When we envisioned the guest experience at the Element Hotel, having a restaurant concept with this kind of culinary credibility was essential,” he said. “Stäge delivers exactly that.”
The restaurant’s 25-seat central bar is anchored by mixologists who serve up signature drinks such as the Lychee Martini, the Mango Tango and the Bulleit Old Fashioned. In addition to the omakase bar and central bar, the restaurant features a 30-seat private dining room and a large patio that opens onto a greenspace.
Stäge will be open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Reservations through Resy are encouraged. Stäge is owned by Charlie Sunyapong, Raquel Stalcup, Natalie Yeung and Tola Mak. For more information, visit Stägeatl.com.
— Dyana Bagby
By DEAN HESSE decaturish@appenmedia.com
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — DeKalb County CEO Lorraine CochranJohnson delivered the annual State of the County address at Assembly Studios in Doraville on Thursday, May 7— her second since taking office in 2025.
"This afternoon, I invite you to do something simple but also very powerful — to look at DeKalb County, not through the lens of the past, but through the lens of what is actually happening here," she said. "Because in DeKalb County today, we are not just reimagining what's possible, we are delivering, and that requires all of us to believe the unbelievable."
safety
Cochran-Johnson said addressing crime has been a top priority since taking office, leading the county to invest more than $30 million in crime prevention.
"It immediately became apparent we need a centralized, real-time technology hub to support our law enforcement," she said.
That investment funded a Digital Shield Initiative that includes a real-time crime center, a drone first responder program, license plate readers and a countywide surveillance camera network.
"We're being intentional, focusing resources in high-crime areas because every community deserves to feel safe," she said.
Cochran-Johnson said the strategy is getting results: police recruitment is up 300 percent, officer retention is up 98 percent, violent crime is down 11 percent and property crime is down 25 percent.
"Gone are the days when in four years we lost 385 officers," she said.
Cochran-Johnson also discussed:
The county launched a $4.7 billion water infrastructure plan within her first 90 days in office, described as one of the largest such investments in the county's history.
Funding the plan required a rate increase. Cochran-Johnson called the decision difficult but necessary and discussed the creation of a water rate assistance program for low-income residents. The county has contacted more than 250,000 residents about the program.
the
DeKalb County
DeKalb County District 3 Commissioner Nicole Massiah, DeKalb County Super District 7 Commissioner LaDena Bolton, state Rep. Doreen Carter, D-Lithonia, state Rep. Dar’shun Kendrick, D-Lithonia, and state Rep. Imani Barnes, D-Tucker, pose for a photo during DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson’s 2026 State of the County address at Assembly Studios in Doraville May 7.
The county appointed its first-ever chief housing officer and adopted a multi-pronged approach to address housing affordability, including expanding supply, preventing displacement and supporting homeownership.
In partnership with the Neighborhood Assistance Corporation
of America, the county held two three-day housing events, processing more than 7,000 applicants and helping create more than 900 new homeowners.
The county opened its first 400bed emergency shelter and a 60-unit
rapid rehousing project at a property in which DeKalb holds an ownership interest. Officials are also pursuing the conversion of extended-stay hotels into permanent housing and taking legal action against blighted properties.
Quality of life and code enforcement
Code compliance citations increased from an average of 60 per month before the current administration to 260 per month.
The county expanded code enforcement hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. with two shifts and expanded municipal court from two to four days per week.
More than 30,000 illegal tires were removed countywide, a task force targeting illegal dumping has resulted in 10 arrests, and the county demolished 246 blighted homes.
Government operations
The county completed an external organizational audit, launched department performance dashboards and selected Oracle as its new technology platform for permitting and planning.
A $6.7 million overhaul of the permitting system and an $8 million upgrade to the Next Generation 911 system are underway.
The county's communications operation generated more than 450 press releases and 1 million weekly newsletter views in 2025. DeKalb County Television won more than 200 national and regional awards, including an Emmy.
By GALYN CHATMAN decaturish@appenmedia.com
DECATUR, Ga. – Production season is back and Georgia neighborhoods are buzzing with activity. More than 20 projects, including "Southern Bastards," "Scooby-Doo: Origins," and "Turpentine," are currently filming, according to the Georgia Department of Economic Development.
And while many residents welcome Hollywood in their community, they also hope that filming won't disrupt their daily lives—a sentiment that industry veterans said is all too real.
During "production season," location managers and scouts are sent to find places fitting a film's narrative and creative vision. Once given guidelines by the creative team, they visit neighborhoods, knock on doors, and leave letters notifying of their prospective projects.
"It's my job to introduce the reason I'm knocking on someone's door," said Dodd Vickers, a location manager, scout, and member of the Television Academy, as well as the Location Managers Guild International.
"In Decatur, for example, I made it a point to speak with someone from the economic development office so that if someone from the community called, the city could say they knew who I was," Vickers recalled about filming "See You When I See You," a 2026 Duplass Brothers film. Professionals in the industry understand they are guests in residential communities.
When Fulton County resident Ricky Gaines was approached by scouts from FX's "English Teacher,” he wondered what he was getting into.
"When the scout explained they were filming a TV show in the neighborhood, he detailed why my house was a fit for what they were looking for," Gaines recalled. "It was definitely a leap of faith."
The production crew began staging an in-progress pool build—requiring removing sod, digging a massive hole in his backyard, and taking down part of his fence. But the production team's upfront communication put him at ease.
"They explained how long they needed it to be there, and what restoration would look like afterward. That made all the difference— and of course they explained the compensation," Gaines said.
Kadesha McCastle, another Atlantaarea location manager, said this level of communication should be standard practice.
"It's crucial to outline what the
production is looking for," she said. "Knowing what the timeline is, what areas of your home will be used and modified, helps homeowners feel more comfortable and prepared. They shouldn't have to guess or worry about what's happening in their own space."
Respecting the community
Netflix's "Tulsa King" recently wrapped its fourth season after filming across multiple DeKalb County locations. John Weeks, the show's construction coordinator, brings a perspective sometimes missing between residents and production operations.
"I love being a cheerleader for the film industry, but we also understand that we're sometimes speaking a whole other language from a whole other universe that people don't see every day," Weeks said. "And it just rolls into communities like a circus."
Weeks emphasized the genuine commitment crews feel to being respectful guests.
"We're all parents. Family people. And it sucks to us too if we have to leave someone waiting who has to take their child to Girl Scouts," he said. "People are justifiably concerned with how our presence is going to impact their daily lives. So, we just know to respect that they want us out of their driveway as quickly as possible."
Todd Brunsvold, vice president of zoning for the Inman Park Neighborhood Association (IPNA), works at the intersection of resident concerns and production needs.
"We embrace being a community that invites everybody in. We want to share our history and architecture," Brunsvold said. However, he said the neighborhood does not accept unlimited disruption. "IPNA welcomes productions, but we also don't want anyone to have a problem getting to the grocery store just because filming is happening."
Location teams commit to resetting homes to their original state, so McCastle and Vickers encourage residents to view the location department as a concierge.
"I joke that I'm a professional guest," Vickers said. "We fold the towels, make the beds, and leave everything as we found it. When production crews are good guests, the community is happy, and when the community is happy, we get to make entertainment."
For homeowners interested in listing their properties as filming locations, visit the Georgia Department of Economic Development.
By JIM BASS and DAN WHISENHUNT jim@appenmedia.com, dan@appenmedia.com
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Two former DeKalb County Schools chiefs are suing the school district for millions in damages, claiming they were demoted in violation of their contracts following a “spat” between them.
Former Chief of Schools Michelle Dillard and former Chief Academic Officer Kia Billingsley said they were rivals of Interim Superintendent Norman Sauce for the superintendent role. Dillard also signaled she plans to sue media outlets that have reported on allegations against her, claiming the school district hid a report that cleared her name.
Both claim that the demotions cost them more than $2 million.
Dillard’s position appeared vacant on the district’s website on May 14, along with Billingsley’s position. The lawsuit said Dillard was involved in a dispute with a colleague on April 28, the first day of a two-day board retreat. Billingsley’s lawsuit confirmed that the dispute, described as a “spat,” was with Billingsley. It’s the latest twist in the ongoing turmoil in DeKalb County Schools following the federal indictment and subsequent resignation of Devon Horton in 2025.
Sharese Shields, who represents Billingsley, sent press releases to the media on behalf of both Billingsley and Dillard. Dillard’s attorney, Julie Oinonen, confirmed to Decaturish via email that Billingsley was also filing suit and CC’d Shields in her response.
Oinonen said Dillard is no longer employed by the district, but Billingsley is still working there.
A school district spokesperson declined to comment, noting the district does not comment on pending litigation.
Dillard touted her accomplishments at the district, but said they were undermined by media reports that surfaced in 2023. Brought in by Horton, Dillard faced allegations of nepotism when her husband was hired by the district in 2023 as a school engagement coordinator.
Horton and Dillard worked together during his tenure at Jefferson County Public Schools in Louisville, Ky.
Dillard claimed the district “hid an investigation report from the Chief of Schools that had previously found her cleared of the false and defamatory allegations that she had been subjected to in the media.”
“Her name continues to be smeared through ugly rumors, including accusing her of hiring her husband (nepotism), also a defamatory lie,” Dillard’s lawsuit said. “Plaintiff is contemplating legal action against all individuals (including
media outlets) who are engaged in such defamation.”
The statute of limitations for defamation claims is one year after the publication of the defamatory statement, according to Minc Law, a firm specializing in defamation cases.
Both lawsuits name Sauce and Chief Human Resources Officer Tasha DavisMills as defendants. Dillard said the district did not give her proper notice before demoting her to a position in the information technology (IT) department. She alleges Davis-Mills sent her an email on May 13 informing her she had been “removed from [her] role as chief of schools and Leadership, effective immediately.”
That same day, Davis-Mills informed Billingsley she was being suspended without pay for 30 days and would be demoted to “senior coordinator.”
Dillard’s lawsuit said the district could only recommend termination “upon written notice.”
“Defendants did not recommend termination—rather, they terminated Plaintiff Chief Dillard from her position as chief of schools and demoted her to the IT department without written notice of her charges to even inform her what the specific factual allegations were and without due process in accordance with
the laws of the State of Georgia Fair Dismissal Act. O.C.G.A. § 20-2-940,” the complaint said.
The lawsuit alleges the chief of schools’ job vacancy was announced through the media and internally to all principals, without affording Dillard any written notice or opportunity to be heard as required by due process under the Georgia Fair Dismissal Act.
The lawsuit said Dillard was involved in an alleged “dispute with a colleague” on April 28, the first day of a two-day board retreat.
Billingsley’s lawsuit sheds more light on the incident.
“On April 28, 2026, Dr. Billingsley informed Interim Superintendent Sauce of a spat she had just had with chief of schools, Michelle Dillard, who was a colleague and her sorority sister,” Billingsley’s lawsuit said. “The spat was regarding a professional matter, and it took place during a meeting behind closed doors with Ms. Dillard and two other colleagues on Interim Superintendent Sauce’s Executive Team. No parents, students or teachers were present.”
Billingsley’s lawsuit said Sauce initially shrugged off the incident.
“When Dr. Billingsley spoke with Interim Superintendent Sauce, he simply stated that ‘mistakes happen,’ that he
believed she was the person to sit in the seat (as Chief Academic Officer) and that he still believes she was the person to sit in that seat,” the complaint said.
The two later gave a successful presentation and Billingsley earned a “high five” afterward, Billingsley’s lawsuit said.
According to Dillard’s lawsuit, Dillard gave Davis-Mills a formal statement on April 29 regarding the incident. The lawsuit said that two weeks later, Davis-Mills informed her she was being demoted to the IT Department following a 30-day unpaid suspension.
Billingsley’s lawsuit said that DavisMills sent her home the next day, April 29, and informed her there would be an investigation. However, Dillard’s lawsuit claims she was not notified of this investigation.
In both lawsuits, Dillard and Billingsley said they were potential rivals for Sauce’s job.
“Interim Superintendent Norman Sauce, a contender for the permanent job as superintendent, chose to remove Dr. Billingsley, along with chief of schools, Michelle Dillard—two exceptional educational leaders, who happen to be Black women considered by many as his strongest internal competitors for the permanent job,” the news release from Billingsley’s attorney said.
By ZOE SEILER zoe@appenmedia.com
FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. — U.S. Soccer has a new home in Fayetteville, Georgia. The organization celebrated the ribbon-cutting for its new training facility on May 7, which features 17 soccer fields and indoor facilities.
The facility will be the home base for the national teams, youth programs and other U.S. Soccer teams and activities. The National Training Center occupies 123 developed acres on a 200-acre site and is designed to accommodate future expansion as soccer continues to grow.
The facility features:
• 17 outdoor playing surfaces, including 13 regulation-size natural grass fields, two artificial turf fields and two sand pitches for beach soccer.
• More than 400,000 square feet of total facilities with two indoor playing surfaces, including an indoor artificial turf training facility and a full-size futsal/power court.
• Indoor space with a 10,000 square foot gym, 20 locker rooms, 19 meeting rooms and dedicated
• Headquarters space for all U.S. Soccer staff. It also includes a dedicated charging room for power soccer chairs.
U.S. Soccer will host its first event this month at the National Training Center, holding the annual AdaptandThrive Invitational. The Men’s National Team will also train at the facility at the end of the month as they prepare for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Local soccer clubs and teams are excited about U.S. Soccer’s presence in Georgia and hope it will inspire their players.
Decatur FC, a semi-pro women’s soccer team in Decatur, Georgia, is happy to see the facility and U.S. Soccer being located in Georgia.
“Between Atlanta’s new NWSL team, so many great WPSL teams in the city, and the state’s exceptional youth programming, Atlanta is quickly becoming an epicenter of women’s soccer and very close to having a complete player pathway for young women,” Decatur FC General Manager Joel Gould said.
Cat Whitehill, an assistant coach for Emory University’s women’s soccer team, said the center is an opportunity for the world’s eyes to be on Atlanta. Whitehill is also a retired soccer player with the U.S. Women’s National Team and was part of the team that won the 1999 Women’s World Cup.
“It’s fun to be with Emory as this is happening,” Whitehill said. “I was listening to [my players] talk about mentorships and everything, and the facility [will] help young professionals, and maybe they could do it and still have that soccer background. I think it’s neat that they can play, but they can also help the next generation in this place, because I think it’s going to
be special for everybody.”
Whitehill has seen the game grow and evolve throughout her career. She was drafted to the Women's United Soccer Association league, which began in 2000 and was the first women’s league to pay players. The first season was played in 2001, and the league was suspended in 2003.
“I got drafted, and then we had this big gap,” Whitehill said. “We had like a sixyear gap, and I was on the national team at the time, so we helped to get the WPS, and then the WPS became the WPSL. I helped the growth in that way, and then I retired.”
The WPS was the Women’s Professional Soccer league, which began in 2009 with seven teams, but was suspended in 2012. It came back as the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in 2013 and is still competing today.
“It’s nice to see that it’s equal pay now and that the crowds are there,” Whitehill said. “It’s nice to see that a lot of my former teammates are staying in the game to help the growth as well. It’s fun at Emory that I can help in that way, too.”
John Downey, chief soccer officer at Inter Atlanta FC, said the training center will make the pathway to professional soccer feel more real for the club’s players.
“Having one of the most important soccer organizations in the country invest directly into our city validates the growth of the game here and reinforces that Atlanta is becoming a true soccer hub in the United States,” Downey said.
He added that young players are influenced by what they can see and experience, so having a world-class facility nearby gives them something to aspire to.
“It creates a stronger connection between grassroots soccer and the highest levels of the game,” Downey said. “The opportunity to see opportunities physically present in Atlanta can have a huge impact on motivation.”
Increased visibility, events and national attention will bring more opportunities to the soccer community in metro Atlanta.
“We believe the long-term effect will be increased participation, stronger player development standards, and even more collaboration across the soccer community as the sport continues to grow at every level,” Downey said.
The National Training Center is anchored by a $50 million lead gift from Arthur Blank and a land donation from Dan Cathy.
With backing from the city of Fayetteville, Fayette County, Georgia, and other partners, their collaboration and commitment will help define the impact and legacy of the National Training Center for years to come, according to a news release.
“The National Training Center represents so much of what we want U.S. Soccer to be,” U.S. Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone said. “It honors the people
who have built this game over more than a century, and it gives us a home where we can serve the next generation of players, coaches, referees, members and fans.”
She added that the facility was built for U.S. Soccer’s 27 National Teams and the entire soccer community.
U.S. Soccer officials, including Women’s National Team Head Coach Emma Hayes, emphasized the importance of feeling at home at the new facility. Currently, teams practice at other professional stadiums across the country.
Hayes is excited for the Women’s National Team to train at the facility. She was involved in the design process to lean into a female lens, with nursing rooms and sleep pods, while also giving the programs room to grow at the center.
“My dream would be to have a female leadership academy here, even within our coach education and across U.S. Soccer, we are working hard to deliver the vision of positioning the female lens at the heart
of everything we do, especially at WNT,” Hayes said.
She looks forward to being in a calm, peaceful training environment. The Women’s National Team won’t practice in Georgia ahead of its games in Brazil in June, but the coaching staff is reviewing the schedule to find time for the team to be at the new center over the next 14 months.
“We can put ourselves in our own space, but also come into the main building with staff and players, if we choose to,” Hayes said.
Beyond the impact on the National Teams, the facility will serve as a powerful catalyst for growth for the entire soccer community in the United States. Atlanta is also slated to gain a professional women’s soccer team in 2028.
“Hopefully, with us being here and having a permanent residency, we too can contribute to this already traditional soccer community,” Hayes said.
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have questions about adopting, fostering or volunteering please email adoption@ dekalbanimalservices.com or call (404) 294-2165; all potential adopters will be screened to ensure Superbad goes to a good home.
Come visit Superbad and hundreds of other adoptable pets at DeKalb County Animal Services today -- no appointment needed! Our address is 3280 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, Chamblee, GA 30340. We look forward to helping you find your new best friend!
If you can’t adopt, please consider fostering temporarily or come take one of our pups for a fun day out with our Dog for the Day program. This program is a great way to borrow a canine companion for a hike, a trip to the park, or a lazy day at home. Email foster@ dekalbanimalservices.com for more information. Your love and kindness can make all the difference.
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“Mobility equipment is not onesize-fits-all,” says Mary Block, owner of Mobility Plus Alpharetta. “A product that looks good online may not work for a customer’s physical needs, physical proportions or living space. For example, rollators and lift recliners come in about six different sizes. It is impossible to understand fit through a screen.”
Another major advantage is professional setup and training. Local dealers typically assemble equipment, adjust seating and controls, and teach customers how to safely operate their new device. This can be especially important for seniors and individuals with limited mobility who may struggle with complicated instructions or heavy equipment deliveries and disposal of
packaging materials.
Service after the sale is another key benefit. When repairs, maintenance, or warranty work are needed, local providers can often respond quickly with in-house technicians and replacement parts. Online purchases may require customers to ship equipment back to a warehouse or navigate the customerservice labyrinth.
Many local dealers also work directly with physicians, and occupational therapists to help customers obtain the right equipment and insurance documentation. That guidance can simplify a process that may otherwise feel overwhelming. Dealers are aware of what insurance covers and what it excludes so that the customer can make a fully informed decision.
While online retailers sometimes advertise lower prices, consumers should also consider hidden costs such as shipping fees, assembly challenges, repair delays, and limited customer support. In many cases, the long-term reliability and peace of mind offered by a local dealer outweigh small upfront savings.
As demand for mobility products continues to grow with an aging population, industry experts encourage consumers to think beyond convenience and prioritize service, safety, and ongoing support.
Visit Mobility Plus Alpharetta for your investment in independence, confidence, and quality of life!
DAN WHISENHUNT Editor dan@appenmedia.com
Dear readers, When you find your self-worth in your work, as I do, self-care can be a chore.
As a selfdescribed workaholic, I have spent many hours in therapy trying to separate my personal from my professional satisfaction. They are entwined like a pile of jumbled wires. Untangling the pile can be a tedious, discouraging experience. It’s often easier to just “roll with it” and hope you can find your pleasures where you can.
But self-care, like therapy, is important work. It can save your life.
There are a few activities I’ve discovered I can’t do without. In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, here are the self-care routines that I find valuable. I hope you will find them valuable, too.
Walking
Before I started my therapy journey, I weighed 300 pounds. I’m at a respectable 235 now.
Food became my go-to source of comfort during COVID, when I was running my own company. I deluded myself into thinking my dangerous eating habits were OK because I wasn’t retreating into substance abuse like so many of us were then. I was eating my way through the pandemic. It wasn’t until I was in therapy and had an embarrassing flare-up of gout that I decided to make a change.
So, I began walking and kept going. I set a goal of walking 10,000 steps (about five miles) every day. The first few weeks of this were excruciating. My legs throbbed and the gout continued gnawing at my toes. My brother, who is a CrossFit trainer, kept me focused through calorie counting and exercises designed to increase my range of movement.
After a while, the walking became easier. Then it became mission critical. I began to cherish my time away from my screen and in the sunshine. (Avoiding screens will be a recurring theme of this column.) I began walking extra miles just for my own enjoyment. Last year, I walked all the way from Decatur to the Atlanta Beltline. My community looks so different when I’m walking through it. I see the architecture subtly change as I go from neighborhood to neighborhood. I notice the clever yard signs, the people holding new babies while
walking their jilted dogs, the smell of freshly cut grass in the spring and the shuffling piles of leaves in the fall. In the summer, I wake up earlier when I can to avoid the worst of the heat. But when I sleep in, I hydrate more and endure.
The walking sustains me. It gives me clarity of thought and focus. I get some of my best ideas when I’m listening to my music and feeling the warmth of the sun on my neck.
When I miss a day or two of walking, I get antsy. It’s an essential activity for me. I swear by it.
Playing piano
I taught myself to play piano not long after my son was born. I learned a few tunes that make for great party tricks. I’m told my singing voice is nice. When I’m at the keyboard and belting out Chappell Roan or Tom Petty, I feel free, as ifsome enormous weight has been removed from my shoulders.
When I sold Decaturish to Appen Media Group, the one extravagance I indulged was obtaining an old piano. It’s a brown wooden upright I call my granny piano. It can’t hold a tune longer than a few months, and the keys stick in the upper ranges. Sometimes, on a Saturday morning when my family is sleeping, I’ll gently roll through chord progressions before moving into slow pop songs, waiting for my wife and son to come down the stairs. We make coffee. I sing. They listen. Then we go on about our day.
I love pop music. I’m learning to play “Rainbow” by Kacey Musgraves. It’s hard, but every time I learn a new section, I have to step away so my brain can rest and rewire itself.
It’s the kind of challenge that I don’t mind dipping back into. I am not overly critical of myself or my playing, unlike with my job. It’s just for fun.
A gourmand, I am not, but I like what I like. This is peak dad energy, but there are few things more satisfying than mowing my lawn, then looking at my mowed lawn while I grill a steak. I’ve become something of a nerd about cooking steak, though inflation has limited my ability to indulge my hobby. When it’s in my budget, I inspect juicy cuts of beef behind glass the way a handyman judges the straightness of a two-byfour.
I often watch food YouTubers. I’m fascinated by the people who do these weird dry-aged beef experiments like encasing a steak in butter for three months, before proclaiming, “and then this happened!” Spoiler alert: Most of
the time, what happened is a culinary abomination. Better your ribeye than mine.
My favorite food YouTuber is Max Miller, who hosts “Tasting History.” He’s ridiculously charming and a great reporter at heart. He does his own research, rather than mindlessly regurgitating Wikipedia. Miller’s series on homefront cooking during World War II is simply outstanding. He makes a strong case that food history is human history.
These are some of the self-care
methods I recommend. They are not cures for unhappiness. But I can’t do without them. I’d love to know what you do for self-care and what gives you peace amid life's pressures. Drop me a line: dan@appenmedia.com. I may include some of your routines in next year’s Mental Health Awareness month column.
I remain your humble and grateful community news editor.
– Dano
Dan Whisenhunt, editor and founder
By LYDIA MAGALLANES decaturish@appenmedia.com
Editor’s note: “Know Your Neighbor” tells the untold stories of interesting people who live in our community. To nominate someone for this feature, email decaturish@appenmedia.com
CHAMBLEE, Ga. — It’s a Thursday night at the Mad Italian in Chamblee, where “the patriarch” of the Greater Decatur music scene, 73-year-old Tom Hill, is playing with his band, the Hill Tribe People.
Patrons sip from their glasses, dripping with sweat from the spring haze. Hill’s earthy baritone is more story than performance. But this isn’t just patio entertainment, it’s a musical gathering where there’s room for everyone on the stage. It’s a ritual that has become as familiar to the community as the shady trees covering DeKalb County. Someone taps a drumstick, creating a steady heartbeat in the background. Another woman in the crowd adds a whisper of chimes.
Hill’s band lineup will change throughout the night, as friends, musicians and curious onlookers join in. Participation is always encouraged.
“Great music happens when the sum is more than the parts,” Hill said.
Fellow musician and friend Charlie Ozburn called Hill “the patriarch of local music,” although Hill considers himself more of a “zen participant.” He said Hill is “one of those rare musicians who understands that music isn’t just something you play. It’s something you share.”
Hill always brings his “bucket of noise” to gigs, an assortment of instruments for anyone to play.
“Music is communal, you play with people, and it’s always a different vibe,” he said.
Hill says that a groove is like the ocean. “You can swim and float in it.”
The musician has been navigating those waters since the new wave and punk rock scenes of the ‘80s. Hill, who worked in advertising at the time, frequented CBGB, a cultural landmark known for launching bands like the Ramones and Talking Heads. His signature instrument was a white Fender Telecaster bought at a shop on 48th Street with his entire paycheck. Hill had found a home in music. He even had a record deal for a while.
A natural wordsmith, songwriting came easily for Hill, whose first love was writing. Before NYC, he spent a few years teaching 11th-grade English
in Philadelphia after graduating from the University of Pennsylvania. But instead of climbing the corporate ladder, Hill left the concrete of the Big Apple behind for a greener scene. Hill said life as a starving artist was much more sustainable in Greater Decatur.
It was the early ‘90s and Hill was playing six days a week, sometimes up to three gigs in one night at spots like the Tucker Saloon and Last Great Watering Hole (neither is open today). Decades later, rock ‘n’ roll still runs through Hill’s veins. When he’s not jamming at the Mad Italian
or Moonshadow Tavern, you might catch the musician at the Peachtree Farmer’s Market or a world music festival in Florida. Hill says he goes to bed at 4 a.m. and starts the next day at noon “fresh as a daisy.”
Hill eventually remarried in DeKalb County. Hill reconnected with a lady he’d known since his days at Decatur High School (class of 1970), Annette LaRose Harris Shakespeare, known as “Rosie.”
“She’s the real bright light of our musical family,” Hill said. “She’s sophisticated but spacey, everybody
loves her, and she’s super sweet. She’s also very musical. She plays bass, guitar, piano, and has the voice of an angel.”
Shakespeare called Hill, “The most interesting man I’ve ever met.”
“Because of his ability to share the spotlight and encourage shy performers, there have been many bands created and thriving from the Tom Hill School of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” she said. “He has created quite a family of musicians.”
See HILL, Page 19
By DYANA BAGBY dyana@appenmedia.com
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Guiomar Obregón has spent nearly three decades leading her company building roads, runways and drainage systems across the Southeast. Her work and success have put her in the spotlight.
The Sandy Springs resident is CEO of Precision 2000 Inc., a civil engineering and construction firm. She was inducted this spring into two prestigious programs: the Georgia Titan 100 Hall of Fame on May 7 and the Georgia Tech College of Engineering's 2026 Academy of Distinguished Engineering Alumni on March 21.
The Titan 100 Hall of Fame honor came after Obregón was named a Georgia Titan 100 for three consecutive years. The program selects 100 top CEOs and C-level executives annually across Georgia. Hall of Fame status is awarded to just 10 of those honorees and recognizes executives who demonstrate “exceptional leadership and community impact,” according to its website.
At Georgia Tech, Obregón made history. In the academy's more than 20-year history, she is the first Hispanic woman inducted and one of fewer than five Latin American honorees overall.
"These are very meaningful to me," Obregón said. "It shows that it can be done. It takes time, effort and perseverance, but you can be successful. It’s really nice to be among the top of the top.”
Obregón co-founded Precision 2000, known as P2K, in 1998 with her husband, Carlos Sánchez, following the construction boom sparked by the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games. The Chamblee-based firm specializes in civil infrastructure and transportation projects, with clients including Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the Georgia Department of Transportation, MARTA and the City of Atlanta.
“We saw an opportunity, and decided, let's give it a try,” she said. “We were young, had lots of energy.”
Born in Boston and raised in Colombia, Obregón earned a civil engineering degree from the Colombian School of Engineering before coming to Georgia Tech, where she completed a master's degree in structural engineering and an MBA. Her parents were both engineers. Her mother served
as dean of engineering at the National University of Colombia, and her father earned a doctorate from MIT.
Under Obregón's leadership, P2K has earned national recognition, including the Minority-Owned Small Business of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration in 2024 and the Minority Construction Firm of the Year award from the U.S. Department of Commerce's Minority Business Development Agency in 2003.
The company was instrumental in the Transform 285/400 project in Sandy Springs. Crews installed storm drainage systems with reinforced
Georgia Tech.
"Guiomar is the epitome of service and walking the walk," said Patricia White, director of development at Georgia Tech's School of Civil and Environmental Engineering. "Her leadership helps diversify the student body and launch the careers of young Hispanic engineers."
In 2012, she co-founded the Georgia Hispanic Construction Association to create networking and mentorship opportunities for Hispanic business owners and workers. She also helped launch the association’s Latinas in Construction program to support women seeking a path into the industry.
concrete pipes ranging from 18-inches to 48-inches along the new lanes and shoulders along 6.2 miles of Ga. 400 from the Glenridge Connector to Spalding Drive.
World Cup boom
P2K is currently working near Mercedes-Benz Stadium on sidewalk, intersection and traffic improvements ahead of Atlanta's hosting of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Obregón wants to attract more Hispanics and women into the construction industry and has funded nearly $500,000 in scholarships at
Obregón says it is important that P2K is known as a family-owned business. Her daughter, Cristina Sanchez, 28, is a SCAD graduate and oversees marketing. Her son, Diego Sanchez, is 19 and a sophomore at Georgia Tech studying computer science and participates in internships in the summer. Her mother, now 85 and retired, would do whatever was needed, Obregón said. Her mother also inspired her to start an internship program to bring civil engineers from Colombia to practice in the U.S.
Being a business owner has given her the flexibility to work and have a family, she said, although it is not always easy. But watching your children grow, and your business grow, is rewarding, she said.
“You have to juggle a lot,” she said. “My company is like another kid. I get to see them grow and mature, and they have issues sometimes. Overall, I’m very happy, very grateful for how things happened.”
By DEAN HESSE decaturish@appenmedia.com
ATLANTA — The annual Kirkwood Spring Fling returned to Bessie Branham Park on Saturday, May 16, with large crowds enjoying an artist market, a kids area, live music, food and drinks, a morning 5K, a wing competition and a tour of homes.
"It is the largest, and I may say, most fun all-volunteer-run festival in the city of Atlanta, and all the proceeds benefit the Kirkwood Neighbors Organization and are reinvested in the community," said Andrew Feury, chair of the Kirkwood Spring Fling Committee.
Feury added that Spring Fling partially funded some of the upgrades that are part of the Bessie Branham Park renovation.
This year marks the festival's 23rd year.
— Photos by Dean Hesse
Carlee Ingersoll (carleeingersoll.com) offers stationery and gifts in the artist market during the 2026 Kirkwood Spring Fling at Bessie Branham Park May 16.
The Wing Fling votes are tallied during the 2026 Kirkwood Spring Fling at Bessie Branham Park May 16.
Odes to Joy artist-market vendor Elliot Stivers (odestojoy.com) displays art from his digital albums featuring original songs about local neighborhoods, people and lost Atlanta venues at the 2026 Kirkwood Spring Fling at Bessie Branham Park May 16. "Everything deserves to be celebrated," Stivers said.
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The post office is not on the market, but the Development Authority has reached out to the real estate broker that represents the Postal Service, Starling said. Only a small portion of the building in Dunwoody Village is used now after USPS moved its distribution to Brookhaven. The USPS can sell underutilized property to local governments through a public benefit conveyance that requires the local government to use it for the benefit of the community. This could be the path for the city to be able to buy the post office, Starling said.
The Development Authority hired Kimley Horn develop proposals for what could be done with the post office property if the city owned it.
Three proposals were presented to the Development Authority this month:
1. Demolish the building and make the entire 2.5-acre-site a park.
2. Keep the existing building and renovate it into a parks facility for community programming, including for seniors and children, with greenspace around it.
3. Demolish the building to construct a new building for a parks facility, plus greenspace.
Starling said the city does need its own building for community programming, and having one in the Village would attract more people to the area and add a new dimension to the commercial district.
Kimley Horn is working to tweak the designs to be sent to the Postal Service “reiterating our desire to purchase this property to turn it into a park and green space to help the transformation of the Village into more of a main street downtown,” Starling said.
The post office property would likely sell for between $2 million to $5 million, Starling said. The city would have to use its money to buy the land to be used as a public amenity. The process is ongoing and is speculative, but if the city were able to buy the site, there would be community input into how the property would be used, he said.
A community building in Dunwoody Village where so much progress is happening would be a feather in the city’s cap, Starling said.
“Let’s keep the keep the momentum going. Let’s, let’s get this back in front of the post office and see if we can move it to the next phase,” he said.
A proposed plan for the post office site in Dunwoody Village includes keeping the existing building for parks programming and creating a greenspace around it.
Continued from Page 1
“We have members from many professional and cultural backgrounds who genuinely support one another. Whether someone is giving their first speech or competing at the district level, there is always encouragement, thoughtful feedback, and friendship.”
Dunwoody Toastmasters prides itself on its diverse group of professionals
representing industries throughout Metro Atlanta’s Central Perimeter business community, said Vice President of Public Relations Melody Kelley.
“The club’s strength lies in its unique mix of new speakers and experienced members, creating a culture of mentorship, encouragement and continuous growth,” she said.
Kelley is also a Sandy Springs City Council member. She first won the District 2 seat in November 2021, making her the first Black person to serve on council since the city
incorporated in 2005. She was reelected in 2025.
She joined Dunwoody Toastmasters during the COVID-19 pandemic before being elected. Kelley said the club helped her strengthen the communications skills she uses as a public official.
“Dunwoody Toastmasters helped me become a stronger communicator and public servant,” Kelley said. “I am grateful for a club that helps professionals build confidence, clarity and connection.”
The club also emphasizes adaptability in modern communication by incorporating both in-person and virtual presentation training into its programming. The club meets every Friday at 7:30 a.m. In-person meetings are held at the North Terraces Conference Room at 400 Perimeter Center Terrace in Dunwoody. First Friday meetings are conducted virtually via Zoom. Guests are always welcome. For more information about Dunwoody Toastmasters Club, visit dunwoody.toastmastersclubs.org.
Continued from Page 14
Although it’s easy to get swept up in the chaos of a musician’s life, Hill stays grounded by gardening. He grows leafy greens such as lettuce, arugula, collard greens and mint, as well as vegetables like snow peas and bell peppers.
You’ll even find some luffa in his garden, the tropical vine that produces a sponge used for bathing.
“The first time I saw luffa, it looked like a squash or zucchini, and I tried to cook it. It was real crunchy,” he said.
He grows sunflowers, roses and an exotic lily-like bloom whose real treasure lies beneath its surface. The fleshy white vertical cluster is called Curcuma longa, better known for its golden roots, turmeric. He often brings this bounty to shows.
“I give it away for free next to the tip jar,” he said.
Another way Hill grounds himself is by traveling to Florida to live off-grid
on a “cosmic farm” with his friends. The 15-acre plot has two houses and a lake, and is completely solarpowered. Hill will play shows like the Daytona Arts Festival while he’s there.
“I could never afford to do that if I had to rent an apartment. I do a lot of writing down there and play under big, huge oaks with Spanish moss and palm trees,” he said.
When Hill isn’t tending to his turmeric, he’s up late “harvesting the words of his life.” There are boxes and boxes of composition books Hill has filled with novels, poetry and songs.
He does his best work from midnight to 4 a.m., a time he finds peaceful and introspective.
Hill is in the process of digitizing his life’s work and has a couple of novels available online, including “Diary of a Mystic,” which is about a person exploring Eastern thought and applying it to their life. Hill said going through his journals is like harvesting turmeric.
“It’s all covered in dirt; it’s not pretty … but break it into pieces and you end up with beautiful hands,” he said.
The City of Dunwoody has tentatively adopted a millage rate which will require an increase in property taxes by 0.50 percent.
All concerned citizens are invited to the public hearing on this tax increase to be held at Dunwoody City Hall, 4800 Ashford Dunwoody Rd, Dunwoody, GA 30338 on Monday, June 15, 2026, at 8 a.m.
Times and places of additional public hearings on this tax increase are at Dunwoody City Hall, 4800 Ashford Dunwoody Rd, Dunwoody, GA 30338 on Monday, June 15, 2026, at 6 p.m. and Wednesday, July 1, 2026, at 6 p.m.
This tentative increase will result in a millage rate of 3.040 mills, an increase of 0.015 mills. Without this tentative tax increase, the millage rate will be no more than 3.025 mills. The proposed tax increase for a home with a fair market value of $650,000 is approximately $3.75 and the proposed tax increase for nonhomestead property with a fair market value of $2,625,000 is approximately $15.75.
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The City of Dunwoody Zoning Board of Appeals will meet on Thursday, July 2, 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 26-11, 1414 Nerine Circle, Dunwoody, GA, 30338: One special exception from Sec. 27-147 to allow a new home to encroach into the contextual street setback range.
ZBA 26-12, 1412 Nerine Circle, Dunwoody, GA, 30338: One special exception from Sec. 27-147 to allow a new home to encroach into the contextual street setback range.
ZBA 26-13, 4600 Brierwood Pl, 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. 16-78 to allow a driveway to encroach into the 75-foot stream buffer.
ZBA 26-14, 1348 Nerine Circle, Dunwoody, GA, 30338: Two special exceptions from Sec. 27-147: one to allow a new home to encroach into the contextual street setback range and one to allow front door threshold elevation above contextual requirements and two variances: one from Sec. 27-270 to allow a wing wall to encroach into the side setback and one from Sec. 16-78 to allow encroachment into the 75-foot stream buffer for storm water management improvements.
ZBA 26-15, 1340 Nerine Circle, Dunwoody, GA, 30338: Two special exceptions from Sec. 27-147: one to allow a new home to encroach into the contextual street setback range and one to allow front door threshold elevation above contextual requirements and one variance from Sec. 27-270 to allow a wing wall to encroach into the side setback.
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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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