Dunwoody Crier - September 4, 2025

September 4, 2025 | AppenMedia.com

Panel nixes effort for reconstituting ambulance service in DeKalb County

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Northern DeKalb County cities, including Dunwoody, will have to wait for a solution to address lags with ambulance response times after a regional EMS council disbanded a subcommittee studying the issue in August.

Currently, all of DeKalb County receives emergency medical services through the Fire-Rescue Department’s contract with American Medical Response.

Dunwoody leaders raised issues about ambulance availability in northern DeKalb County before the COVID-19 pandemic, and now Brookhaven leaders have joined the chorus.

In 2023, the state EMS Advisory Council and Department of Public Health denied the city of Brookhaven’s request to operate its own ambulance service, instead giving DeKalb County six months to improve response times.

Last July, a Brookhaven resident was pronounced dead at the hospital after it took an ambulance more than 25 minutes to respond his location.

See PANEL, Page 15

DeKalb County gives nod to reproductive care plan

Municipal Court offers September amnesty

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Throughout September, the Dunwoody Municipal Court will hold its annual Amnesty Program for individuals with past-due traffic citations or active bench warrants related to a failure to appear in court.

The city says the goal is to give people a fresh opportunity to resolve outstanding matters while helping reduce the risk of arrest.

Municipal Court Clerk Norlaundra Huntington said the program is not a gimmick.

“We simply want to make it easier for people to return to court and take care of their cases without the extra financial stress,” Huntington said. “During Amnesty Month last year, we disposed of more than 50 failure-to-appear and warrant status cases.”

For those interested in Dunwoody’s Amnesty Program, the city asks them to first visit the Municipal Court at 4800 Ashford Dunwoody Road on Mondays, Tuesdays or Fridays between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

If fines are paid in full, all contempt fees will be waived.

If a mandatory court appearance is required, individuals will be given a future court date, and any outstanding warrants and warrant fees will be cleared.

Forms of payment that will be accepted are cash, money order, cashier checks and credit cards, but no personal checks.

For more information, call 678-3826973.

— Hayden Sumlin

Dunwoody takes steps to shift work in-house

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — The Dunwoody City Council discussed a major rebidding of municipal services during its Aug. 25 meeting that would bring 12 contracted city positions in-house as full-time employees.

Dunwoody’s five-year contracts for city services are set to expire at the end of December. Elected officials voted 6-1 to table a decision until the Sept. 8 meeting, giving the city plenty of time to approve something before contracts expire at year’s end.

City Councilwoman Catherine Lautenbacher voted against the motion to table the decision.

City Councilman John Heneghan took the item off the consent agenda, which requires unanimous support, setting up the contract rebidding as an action item later in the meeting.

“The item before us tonight is for contract approval. Why are there no contracts in the packet?” Heneghan asked staff. “I’m looking at what we did five years ago, and I’m looking at what we’re doing now.

See COUNCIL, Page 15

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County Jail reports two inmate deaths, offers no details

By DAN WHISENHUNT dan@appenmedia.com

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — The DeKalb County Jail reported two inmate deaths Aug. 26 but offered no specifics about what occurred.

“The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office says that there have been two unrelated in-custody deaths at the DeKalb County Jail in the past several days,” a news release from the sheriff’s office said.

“Details have not been released, as both incidents remain under investigation.”

The sheriff’s office declined to identify the inmates or offer any other details.

This is the second and third deaths reported this year. The jail reported the first inmate death in February.

There were four deaths in 2024 and four in 2023, a decline from 2022 when nine inmates died.

In 2023, Decaturish published a lengthy investigative story about deaths at the jail in 2022, the deadliest year in a decade. Several of the inmates who died in 2022 had a history of mental illness, records show.

In 2023 the sheriff hired a new medical services provider for the jail, Armor Health of Miami, replacing Wellpath and Centurion, contractors

named in a lawsuit filed by the family of Anthony Walker, an inmate who froze to death in the jail.

In addition to switching contractors, the jail changed its policy regarding accepting inmates with potential medical issues. At a DeKalb County Chiefs’ Association meeting on March 13, 2024, Sheriff Melody Maddox announced that people who are arrested are not detainees until they are booked in the county jail and that if someone arrested is injured, they must be medically cleared before the jail will accept them.

Sara Amis contributed to this report.

Roswell police arrest retired NFL player wanted for fraud

ROSWELL, Ga. — The Roswell Police Department announced the arrest Aug. 27 of Darryl Frank "Buster" Skrine Jr., on 18 charges related to an extensive financial fraud scheme.

The Roswell Police Department says it began its investigation in July after a victim reported being financially exploited by Skrine. The former NFL cornerback and Decatur native played professionally for five teams from 2011-21, ending his career with the Tennessee Titans.

The 36-year-old went to Etowah High School in Woodstock before the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

The Roswell Police Department said Skrine is also wanted out of Canada on similar charges.

AAPPEN PRESSCLU B

On the morning of Wednesday, Aug. 27, Roswell detectives served search and arrest warrants at a home associated with Skrine on Pine Grove Road. Officers said they arrested Skrine without incident and charged him with multiple counts of deposit account fraud, identity fraud, financial transaction card fraud, theft by

POLICE BLOTTER

All crime reports published by Appen Media Group are compiled from public records. Neither the law enforcement agencies nor Appen Media Group implies any guilt by publishing these names. None of the persons listed has been convicted of the alleged crimes.

Dunwoody officers arrest repeat shoplifter at mall

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody Police arrested a 61-year-old Lagrange man Aug. 17 after Macy’s asset protection allegedly spotted the known shoplifter preparing to steal merchandise from the Perimeter Mall store.

An officer said he began to search for the suspect after a Macy’s employee showed him footage of the man picking up a fragrance box and walking toward

taking and criminal attempt to commit theft.

A May 2024 story from the Toronto Sun, “Retired NFL player accused of $100G cheque fraud in Durham now on the lam,” is the last reported news of his whereabouts.

In addition to his charges through the City of Roswell, Skrine is a wanted fugitive from the Durham Regional Police Service in Canada.

In August of 2023, Skrine was arrested for more than $100,000 in check fraud.

In April of 2024, Skrine was granted bail and placed on GPS monitoring, which he removed before fleeing back to the United States.

Roswell detectives say they are working closely with Canadian authorities to ensure Skrine answers for all his charges in both countries.

Local investigators say they learned that Skrine was targeting multiple women through online dating platforms. They said once he established a relationship with them, Skrine would then tell the

an exit.

While the officer initially said he was unable to find the suspect, asset protection located and detained him.

While reviewing security footage, the officer said he saw an employee stop the man and took the Macy’s merchandise as he was exiting through a door.

When the suspect began to run toward another exit, Macy’s employees said a BB gun in his waistband fell through his pants leg.

After detaining the man and securing the BB gun, the officer said he conducted a search of the suspect, finding a folded dollar bill containing a substance that later tested positive for cocaine.

Officers said they also found a South Carolina driver’s license in the suspect’s wallet, which the man said he intended to return to the lawful owner.

victims a fictitious story about his financial troubles and ask them for money, promising to repay them from his NFL annuity.

Law enforcement says Skrine used the women's funds to support his lavish lifestyle, including financing Airbnb reservations, travel expenses and gift cards. Detectives have identified three victims so far in Wisconsin, North Carolina and New York, with a combined financial loss of approximately $300,000, the release says. There are more suspected victims throughout the United States.

This remains an active investigation. Anyone who believes they have been a victim of Skrine's criminal activity or has additional information relevant to this case is asked to contact Detective Fields at nfields@roswellgov.com or 770-640-4455.

Members of the public can provide anonymous tips through Crime Stoppers Atlanta at 404-577-TIPS(8477) or online at StopCrimeATL.org.

— Hayden Sumlin

The suspect’s criminal history includes three guilty verdicts from the DeKalb County State Court for shoplifting incidents from December 2018-October 2019 and one for drug paraphernalia out of Cobb County in May 2022.

After transporting the man to DeKalb County Jail, officers said a body scanner discovered a crack pipe in the suspect’s pocket.

Officers said they charged the suspect with felony shoplifting (three or more convictions), possession of a Schedule II controlled substance, possession of a weapon while committing a crime and felony possession of drug related object.

The suspect remains in jail as of Aug. 29.

— Hayden Sumlin

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TALK BACK TO THE CRIER

When vision statements lose their voice

Dunwoody’s Mission once promised transparency, business vitality and preservation of community institutions. The words we use matter.

When the City of Dunwoody incorporated in 2008, our leaders adopted a Mission and Vision that were clear, specific, and rooted in community values.

The original Mission (2008): “The mission of the City of Dunwoody is to provide the highest quality of life for those who live, work or play in our community and to foster an environment where business can prosper. We will serve all stakeholders in a transparent manner with resourceful, efficient, progressive, and professional leadership.”

The original Vision (2008): “The City of Dunwoody will provide quality service to its citizens and support the largest economic engine in the Southeast by planning in a careful and thoughtful manner. The city… will be inventive, transparent and embrace responsible progress, tempered by the city’s rich history and strong desire to maintain a close and vibrant community atmosphere that values family life, religious institutions, and the environment.”

Every word mattered.

“Transparent.” “Careful and thoughtful.” “Foster an environment where business can prosper.”

“Preserve… religious institutions.” These were not vague aspirations, they were specific commitments,

Talk Back to the Crier

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

giving residents a yardstick to hold leaders accountable.

But in 2018, the council replaced those clear promises with a much shorter, far vaguer set of statements:

The revised Mission (2018): “Dunwoody is the choice for residents, businesses and visitors seeking a connected community that is safe, friendly and engaged. Through excellent services and forward-thinking planning, Dunwoody continues to enhance the quality of life for those who live, work, and visit here.”

The revised Vision (2018): “Dunwoody fosters a thriving, vibrant, and inclusive community with exceptional neighborhoods and an innovative, responsible business environment.”

At the time, one council member candidly acknowledged the problem: “You have shortened it up. You have condensed it. You can think of every single word to figure out what that means. I’m not sure what every single word means to me versus everybody else who reads it… so, reality… it’s interpretive.”

And that’s the danger. When a

mission statement is “interpretive,” it can be stretched to justify almost any project. We’ve already seen the consequences. After the pledge to preserve “religious institutions” was removed, the city attempted to seize part of First Baptist Church’s property by eminent domain, an action that would have plainly violated the original Vision. In the recent tax debate, the homestead exemption protected homeowners while businesses shouldered the increase, undermining the founding Mission’s promise to “foster an environment where business can prosper.

Now the same problem appears in the Comprehensive Plan soon to come before council. The draft calls suburban neighborhoods the “backbone” of Dunwoody, 70 percent of our land, family-friendly and verdant, anchored by churches, parks, and tree canopy. It promises that these neighborhoods will remain “desirable, verdant, familyfriendly residential areas while evolving to meet modern needs.”

Yet at the same time, leaders are considering proposals for tall, dense

senior-living developments in those very neighborhoods, projects out of scale with their surroundings and certain to worsen congestion. Under the original Mission and Vision, the test would have been clear: does this enhance quality of life and preserve neighborhood character? With today’s vague language, almost anything can be defended as “vibrant” or “forward-thinking.”

Clarity Is Accountability Mission and Vision statements are not window dressing. They are the compass of a city. When they are precise, they bind leaders to measurable commitments: transparency, careful planning, support for businesses, preservation of neighborhoods, churches, and schools. When they are vague, they lose their power, and the community loses its anchor.

As the new Comprehensive Plan comes up for approval, residents should ask: does this document truly protect our “desirable, verdant, family-friendly” neighborhoods? Or does it quietly open the door to decisions that change Dunwoody forever?

Dunwoody’s original Mission and Vision reflected the values that inspired cityhood. They should never have been changed.

Words matter. Without clear purpose, any road will take you there, and we may not like where it leads!

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS THE CRIER?

Wow, what a view! Dunwoody resident John Satelmajer recently took the family to Switzerland and was good enough to bring the Crier along for the ride. Talk about being worth the trip across the pond. Thanks for the trip, John!

Appen Media launches online merch store supporting journalism Switzerland!

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Appen Media Group announced Aug. 19 the launch of its official online merchandise store, available at appenmediastore.com. The new store gives readers, supporters, and community members a way to show their pride in local journalism while directly funding the work of Appen’s newsroom.

All proceeds from the store will go toward supporting Appen Media’s mission of delivering trusted, independent reporting across North Fulton, south Forsyth and DeKalb counties.

“Local journalism is at the heart of our communities, and this store provides a new way for readers to take part in sustaining that mission,” said Hans Appen, Publisher of Appen Media Group. “Every shirt, mug, or tote bag purchased helps ensure we can continue telling the stories that matter most to our neighbors.”

The store offers a variety of branded

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If you’re headed on a trip, the Crier wants to sightsee, too. Take a copy with you and share the moment with folks back home. Send your travel photos with the Crier to newsroom@appenmedia.com

items designed to celebrate both community pride and support for independent journalism. Purchases not only help expand Appen Media’s reporting resources but also serve as a visible reminder of the importance of local news.

To shop the collection and support local journalism, visit appenmediastore. com.

— Hans Appen

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Dunwoody family farms meant all hands on deck

Richard Adams was born in 1934 in a home along what is now Dunwoody Club Drive. He recalled working in the fields during the summer and fall months as a child. Everyone in the family would contribute and work together.

“Mother would prepare food so that no time would be lost going back home.” (Richard Adams memoirs, Dunwoody Preservation Trust)

When Adams was a baby, his parents would bring him along and put him on a quilt in the shade. Adams remembered. “As I grew, my daddy would give me a hoe to work cleaning the terraces.” One of his jobs was getting water for everyone by walking to the home’s well and filling as many jars as he could carry.

Canning was the principal source for preserving food, which was needed to sustain the family during the winter months. At the end of a long day working in the field, the family enjoyed a satisfying meal back at the house.

to Ambrey Monroe and Effie Spruill Carpenter, grew up at the intersection of Mount Vernon and Tilly Mill Roads. According to Kathryne, “We raised all our vegetables. We just about raised everything we ate.” They kept chickens, cows and hogs. (Dunwoody Crier, April 20, 1978, “Happy Birthday Effie).

Kathryne said when she and her siblings, Lucy and A.M. Jr., came home from school, “We didn’t have to ask what to do. We would change clothes, get something to eat and head outside to help with all the chores.”

Ambrey and Effie Carpenter sold much of what they grew on a peddling route, following in the tradition of Ambrey’s parents. Every Friday, they took their goods to Atlanta, using a “spring wagon which had a top on it and side curtains which could be rolled up or let down.”

It was pulled by their gentle mule Roudi. The wagon was loaded at 1 a.m. with eggs, buttermilk, chicken, fruit and vegetables. In later years, a Model T car was used for the peddling route.

Horace DeLong lived with his parents, 10 brothers and two sisters in a home along what is now Spalding Drive. His family had cotton fields close to the Chattahoochee River. Horace and his twin brother Doris were the youngest children. After spending a long day picking cotton, the children would sometimes cool off in the river. Horace DeLong also picked cotton for Adam Jett, who lived on the other side of the river. (Dunwoody Preservation Trust, oral history archives)

Kathryne Carpenter, born in 1909

Jeff Porter was 8 years old in 1939 when his family decided to move to the country. They chose land in Dunwoody where MJCC is located today. They kept a cow, horse, lamb and pig, along with chickens, turkeys, ducks and sometimes guineas as well. They grew corn, potatoes and watermelon. In addition, the family planted peach trees, assorted berries and 20 chestnut trees. (Interview with Jeff Porter, 2009)

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

County approves $200,000 for reproductive care

By JIM BASS jim@appenmedia.com

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners voted Tuesday to approve a resolution to give $200,000 for comprehensive reproductive care and Plan B access for women in the county.

The item originated in September 2023, and the commission had deferred it 11 times. While the original resolution allocated $300,000 toward two organizations — Feminist Women’s Health Center (FWHC) for $250,000 and ARC-Southeast for $50,000 — the board approved a substitute that allocated $150,000 for the FWHC.

The long-awaited approval comes after Supreme Court rulings reduced access to reproductive care, and federal funding cuts have targeted Planned Parenthood clinics.

“I think it is no secret that around the country reproductive health services are being reduced in many, many communities, partly due to Supreme Court actions, but also through federal funding, etc.,” District 6 Commissioner Ted Terry said.

Terry said the funding will hopefully reduce the “alarming rate of maternal mortality, not just in DeKalb County, but in Georgia.”

“This is an effort to address the core issues when it comes to women in DeKalb County who might be unable to access reproductive care, Plan B and all the reproductive health care, prenatal and postnatal, that is so vital to ensuring that those pregnancies hopefully are successful,” Terry said.

The commission unanimously approved allocating the money, 4-0. Three commissioners — Michelle Long Spears, Nicole Massiah, and Mereda Davis Johnson — were absent from the meeting.

In other business, the county commission:

• Approved a special land use permit application for senior residential housing at 5083 Biffle Road.

• Deferred a resolution that takes action to recover Intrenchment Creek Park.

The county traded the park to Blackhall Real Estate Phase II LLC in a 2021 land exchange, and looks to recover the park if Blackhall’s remaining contractual obligations are not promptly met.

Several speakers spoke about Intrenchment Creek Park during public comments at Tuesday’s meeting. Terry supports recovering the land as a green space and said it plays a “vital” role for DeKalb’s South River Forest. He cited a petition with more than 1,000 signatures in support of reclaiming the park.

“The land was always intended to serve the people of DeKalb County for recreation, for conservation, and for

community well-being,” Terry said.

The contractual obligations to Blackhall Real Estate include reopening Intrenchment Creek Park and restoring Intrenchment Creek Park’s land and trailhead.

The item was deferred for committee consideration.

• Approved the acceptance of a $200,000 grant from the Atlanta Regional Commission to update the Kensington Livable Centers Initiative plan.

• Approved an emergency contract of $5.1 million for Snapfinger Vault and Trunk Sewer assessment and cleaning. The temporary contract includes assessment and cleaning of known sites experiencing sanitary sewer overflows during rain events.

T:\ADS_2025\DeKalb County CEO - Dunwoody

The request sought to ratify the emergency purchase of large-diameter trunk sewer assessment and cleaning services.

• Approved two separate master plans for upgrading parks in DeKalb County.

One resolution approved the Shoal Creek I, Shoal Creek II and John Evans Legacy Parks Master Plan (formerly Shoal Creek III) located at 3630 and 3643 Glenwood Road and 3095 Wadsworth Mill Place, Decatur, 30032.

The master plan displays a new skate park addition to Shoal Creek I, pickleball courts and a dog park at Shoal Creek II and a new multi-use trail going through the parks.

The second resolution approved the DeKalb Memorial Master Plan at 353 Wilkerson Drive, Atlanta, GA 30317.

The plan would add a disc golf course, upgrade the playground, resurface the basketball court, add lighting to the tennis courts and upgrade the trails at the park.

FALL 2025

SEPTEMBER 8th – OCTOBER 27th

(No classes September 22nd)

Dunwoody Baptist Church 1445 Mt. Vernon Rd., Dunwoody, GA 30338

10:00 – 11:00

SPIES, SABOTEURS and OTHER EXCITING STORIES of WW2 – DAN O’LONE will discuss discuss three of the most important female spies of WW2, the real James Bond and the D-Day deceptions. He will also present the stories of two men, one a diplomat from a country he’d never seen, the other a British spy, each of whom rescued over ten thousand Jews from the Holocaust.

NOTE: The first 2 weeks will feature a guest presenter dealing with similar topics.

10:00 – 11:00

FOLK MUSIC and the DOO-WOP YEARS (1946 - 1966) –

TOM DELL will finish up the history of Folk Music and then turn to the Doo-Wop years, a genre that began on street corners and subway stations as groups of teens used the natural reverberation of those locales to enhance the songs they created or copied. Some of these groups recorded their songs and became among others the Robins, The Flamingos, The Cadillacs, The Teenagers, The Dell-Vikings, The Midnighters, and The Coasters.

10:00 – 3:00

OPEN MAH JONGG – Bring your own Mah Jongg card and come play. There is no instructor for this weekly session. Play is based on the National Mah Jongg league rules

10:00 – 12:00

OPEN CANASTA – Bring your score sheet and come play. There is no instructor for this weekly session.

11:30 – 12:30

THE HISTORY BEHIND -- BETSY JONES will tell us the whole story behind the song “We Shall Overcome,” which music is based on a 18th century hymn with words first added before the Civil War and then becoming a protest song in the 1940s; as well as “Hold the Line, “a song first sung by The Weavers about a long forgotten week of riots when Paul Robeson came to sing in the little town of Peekskill, NY. Another favorite story is called “The Bench,” a story of faith and perseverance that finally freed an inmate wrongly imprisoned for 18 years in Sing Sing prison. Other topics include the discovery of unknown and untrained great artists, the history behind famous - and sometimes tragic – photographs; and the centuries old source of a line in a Bugs Bunny cartoon!

11:30 – 12:30

PERSUASION -- MICHELE FRIEDMAN will present an exploration of the concept of PERSUASION from the perspectives of psychology, history, literature and film including Jane Austen’s Persuasion.

Milton leads Chamblee volleyball tri-match

By ANNABELLE REITER annabelle@appenmedia.com

CHAMBLEE, Ga. — Chamblee High School hosted Milton and Riverwood volleyball for a triple header Aug. 21 where Milton went 2-0, Chamblee split 1-1 and Riverwood lost both matches.

Milton had the first two matches of the evening, facing Chamblee first and then Riverwood. After graduating 11 seniors in May, the Eagles have found success starting three freshmen in their outside hitter Macurdy Harden, setter Abigail Mowbray and right side London Estes.

Despite losing their starting libero Aubrey White to an ankle injury after a collision with a teammate in the first match, junior Sheza Maan stepped up to fill the absence and the Eagles went on to defeat Riverwood.

Harden was the highlight of the night, posting 26 kills, 15 digs, four aces and two blocks. The freshman filled in the cracks, both on the stat sheet and otherwise, serving as the floor captain in White’s unavailability.

Milton coach Missey Hall praised Harden’s defense and shot selection.

“She’s true six-rotation, a complete package,” Hall said. “[The team] has just been amazing, they’ve worked hard, they’ve embraced the youngest

on the team with our freshmen. Our veterans are supporting the younger girls incredibly.”

Freshman setter Abigail Mowbray put up 45 assists with a pair each of kills, digs and aces. Her older sister, senior outside hitter Mia, logged 15 kills, five digs and one block.

The Eagles swept both teams, never requiring a third set. Against Chamblee, the first set was neckand-neck, ending 25-23. At the end of the second set, Chamblee was up 20-18 score was tied at twenty apiece after another competitive stretch. The Eagles then went on a 7-0 run with three blocks, two Chamblee errors and a pair of kills by Mia Mowbray.

Down three of their strongest hitters, Riverwood found their stride as the night went on. The score of the first set against Milton was 16-25 but improved to 19-25 in the second, the deficit reaching just two near the end.

Junior Sasha Francis led the Raiders with 16 kills. Sophomore Kendall Saunders was not far behind with 10. Setter Syler Lewis, who led the team in aces the last two seasons, posted four on the night and three kills.

Despite struggling at times, Riverwood was able to push the final match of the night against Chamblee

to three sets.

The Bulldogs won the first set of the match 25-22 after a back-andforth down the stretch. Riverwood came out with a fire for the second set, maintaining a comfortable lead and staving off Chamblee’s lastminute push at the end, final score 25-21.

Chamblee came out hot in the third set and didn’t slow down. The final score was 15-7. Sophomore outside hitters led the team in kills and posted four aces each. CeCe Curran put up 17 kills and Yana Barga had 12. Libero Trinity Robins was another high point for the Bulldogs, with several seemingly gravity-defying digs.

Chamblee coach Lorrie Reynolds said that in a rebuilding year, winning the mental battle has made the difference in their success.

“I’m so happy for them because they finally proved to themselves that they could come back from that,” she said. “They’re supporting each other, talking and communicating better, moving better together. This season we’ve gone up against a lot of good teams, we’ve come close to a lot of them, and it really is just a matter of them starting to figure it out and believe in themselves and believe they actually can do it.”

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!

CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS

1. Links hazard. Ceiling brace. Breakfast item.

2. Hacienda brick. Foe. Polynesian rain dance.

3. Lacking taste, flavor or tang. Accounting entry. Roofing material.

4. Garden resident. Cement. Coffee, to some.

5. Wildcat. Ford flop. Fireplace material.

6. Hot rum drink. Window and door material. Seasonal visitor.

7. Adhesive. Bird venerated by ancient Egyptians. Clapboard.

1 Links hazard. Ceiling brace. Breakfast item

2. Hacienda brick. Foe. Polynesian rain dance

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. Lacking taste, flavor or tang. Accounting entry. Roofing material.

4. Garden resident. Cement. Coffee, to some

5. Wildcat. Ford flop. Fireplace material

City Springs Theatre’s 8th season returns with

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — The City Springs Theatre Company is opening its eighth season at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center Sept. 5-21 with Mel Brooks’ musical-comedy “The Producers.”

“The Producers: A Mel Brooks Musical” at the Byers Theatre is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI), a leading New York-based licensing agency granting local theaters access to Broadway classics.

In 2001, American comedy legend Mel Brooks changed the face of Broadway forever with the musical version of his own 1967 film, “The Producers.” Hailed as an instant classic, the musical won a record 12 Tony Awards and has kept audiences across the globe laughing ever since.

One of Brooks’ collaborators, James Gray, is directing and choreographing “The Producers: A Mel Brooks Musical,” having appeared as an actor in the show on both Broadway and in London’s West End.

In the stage adaptation of the 1967 satirical comedy, a down-on-his-luck New York producer teams up with his mild-mannered accountant to produce the biggest disaster in Broadway history, allowing them to run off with the surplus of money they raise.

Together they do everything in their power to make sure the show, titled “Springtime for Hitler,” is a sure-fire flop, only to have their efforts spectacularly backfire.

Brooks, 99, has been vocal over the years, defending his comedy.

“After all the people that he was responsible for killing and after utterly destroying half the world,” he said in a widely quoted 2012 interview with Salon. “I just thought the only weapon I’ve really

got is comedy. And if I can make this guy ludicrous, if I can make you laugh at him, then it’s a victory of sorts.”

The Producers: A Mel Brooks Musical contains adult language and situations, also including mention and depictions of Adolf Hitler and Nazis. It is recommended for audiences aged 13 and older.

Tony-award winner Shuler Hensley is City Springs Theatre Company’s Artistic Director, and has had the pleasure of working with Mel Brooks on stage.

Hensley said calling the legend a friend is an unqualified privilege.

“He’s a one-of-a-kind voice, a true craftsman of comedy, finding humor in impossible situations and maddening injustices,” Hensley said. “Nothing unifies an audience like the kind of outrageous, gut-busting laughter that has been Mel’s hallmark for decades. It’s his superpower, and it’s why he is still thriving at 99!”

The cast includes New York-based actor Adam B. Shapiro, making his City Springs debut as the larger-than-life producer Max Bialystock; Tyler Pirrung (CSTC’s Jersey Boys, Spamalot) as the timid accountant Leo Bloom; Atlanta favorites Jeff McKerley as Roger DeBris, Blake Fountain as Franz Liebkend, and Frankie Marasa as Carmen Ghia.

City Springs Theatre Company productions take place in the Byers Theatre at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center, 1 Galambos Way.

Individual tickets to “The Producers: A Mel Brooks Musical” are on sale now.

Prices range from $70 to $172, including all fees with discounts for seniors, students, groups, as well as active and retired military personnel.

For more information, visit cityspringstheatre.com.

— Hayden Sumlin

Sandy Springs releases lineup for September music festival

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — The third annual Blue Stone Arts & Music Festival returns to City Springs Sept. 26 and 27 with invitations extended to the public free of charge.

The downtown fall festival features nationally acclaimed musical acts taking the stage each evening, drawing in crowds to the heart of Sandy Springs for a two-day celebration.

Earlier this month, the city announced that the Billboard Music Award-winning band Lit is headlining Friday night Sept. 26 at 8:30 p.m.

The Blue Stone Arts & Music Festival transforms City Springs into a lively, four-block showcase of creativity and sound. With music stages at the City Green and off Hilderbrand Drive, music is slated from 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. both days.

Visitors can expect more than 60 vendors, amusement rides, entertainment for all ages and food and drinks.

The Blue Stone Arts & Music Festival is produced by the City of Sandy Springs with the generous support of VEG ER for Pets, a 24hour emergency veterinary hospital; IvyBrook Academy Sandy Springs, dedicated to fostering an innovative and nurturing environment for children ages 18 months to 6 years; and Cornhole ATL, which has more

CITY OF SANDY SPRINGS/PROVIDED

Sandy Springs said Billboard Music Awardwinning band, Lit, is headlining this year’s festival Sept. 26-27 at City Springs.

than 12,000 players annually across four divisions designed for beginners, casual players and intermediate competitors.

For more details, visit bluestonefest.com.

— Hayden Sumlin

Blue Stone Festival Lineup

Friday, Sept. 26:

Festival Attractions

• 4 p.m. - Festival kicks off

City Green Stage

• 5:30 p.m. - Search Engine (variety party hits)

• 7 p.m. - Rusted Soul (classic rock & soul)

• 8:30 p.m. - Lit (Headliner - (’90s rock band/pop punk)

Hilderbrand Stage

• 4:30 p.m. - Mack & Micheal (fatherdaughter duo)

• 5:30 p.m. - Risky Biscuit (variety pop)

• 7 p.m. - Letterbomb (tribute to Green Day)

Saturday, Sept. 27:

Blue Stone 5K-9

• 8 a.m. - Race steps off

Festival Attractions

• 11 a.m. - Festival kicks off

City Green Stage

• 1 p.m. - Across the Wide (Americana)

• 2:30 p.m. - Gurufish (funk)

• 4 p.m. - Run Katie Run (Pop Americana)

• 5:30 p.m. - Brother Maven (American rock & soul)

• 7 p.m. - Joslyn and the Sweet Compression (0riginal funk & soul)

• 8:30 p.m. - Rumours ATL – A Fleetwood Mac Tribute (headliner)

Hilderbrand Stage

• 11 a.m. - Rick Hubbard Kazoobie (family entertainment)

• 11:45 a.m.- Lady Bug (preschool entertainment)

• 12:30 p.m. - The Bean and the Bear Show (magic & puppetry)

• 1:15 p.m. - Rick Hubbard Kazoobie

• 2:15 p.m. - School of Rock (community youth band)

• 3:30 p.m. - No Filter (variety cover band)

• 5 p.m. - B4Y2K (’90s party)

• 6:45 p.m. - The New Respects (harmonious alternative indie)

Local news is vital for staying informed and connected, and through this collaboration, we’re making it easier than ever. Now, you can access timely updates and our stories about the things happening in your area, all while engaging in meaningful conversations with real neighbors.

Don’t miss out on the stories that matter most to you –join us on your favorite social media platform to stay connected with everything that’s happening. Together, let’s build stronger, more informed communities!

&

Why a turnkey, one-stop shop is essential for your bath or kitchen remodel

Open to Public 9-5 Mon-Fri • 10-4 Sat Showroom – Design Center 10591 Old Alabama Road Connector Alpharetta, GA 30022 (near Northpoint Mall)

When it comes to remodeling your kitchen or bathroom, the process can quickly become overwhelming. From creating ideas and solutions, and selecting materials to finding contractors for plumbing, electrical work, and installation, managing multiple vendors and services can be stressful.

Remodeling projects start with a vision but bringing that vision to life requires expertise. An in-house design team needs to work closely with you to create a customized plan that reflects your personal style, and preferences, and stays within your budget—offering services like 3D renderings, so you can visualize your space before any work begins. With expert guidance every step of the way, you can be confident your project is set up for success.

Coordinating multiple contractors— plumbers, electricians, tile installers, and more—can be time-consuming and frustrating. With a turnkey remodeler, you get full-service project management, to handle every aspect of the renovation. Having a team to ensure that the design, material selection, scheduling, and installation are all aligned to create a smooth, stress-free experience is key. You don’t have to worry about chasing contractors or keeping up with timelines—it will be done all for you.

One of the biggest advantages of working with a one-stop shop is the convenience of having everything you need in one place. A great showroom should be filled with an extensive selection of cabinetry in a variety of styles and finishes, plumbing fixtures from top brands, countertops including granite, quartz, marble, and more, tile for floors and backsplashes, and hardware to complete your design.

Rather than running around town searching for materials, you can explore all your options under one roof, with our team guiding you through each choice.

Choosing a turnkey, one-stop-shop remodeler like Bath & Kitchen Galleria means more than just convenience—it means a smoother, more enjoyable remodeling experience with expert guidance, seamless coordination, and a wide selection of top-quality products to choose from while staying in your budget.

Whether you're transforming your bathroom or remodeling your kitchen, Bath & Kitchen Galleria is here to handle every detail, so you can sit back and enjoy the results! For more information visit Bath & Kitchen Galleria’s showroom at 10591 Old Alabama Rd Connector in Alpharetta (no appointment needed) M-F, 9-5 and Saturday, 10-4, or call them at 678-459-2292 or visit BathandKitchenGalleria.com to schedule an appointment online.

Trusts Versus Wills: What’s Right for You?

Brought to you by –

Estates Law Center USA

A Will is a legal document that takes effect after your death. It specifies how you want your assets distributed and allows you to name a guardian for minor children. Wills must be signed and witnessed according to your state’s laws, and they are filed with a probate court after your death. Probate is a public process, meaning anyone can access the details of your Will, and the court oversees the settlement of your estate. Probate on average costs 5-15% of your gross estate and even more if there is litigation and fighting between family members over your assets. While this might sound complicated, a Will is often the simplest and most affordable option, especially for smaller estates with no property or business and no minor or disabled children.

A Trust allows someone, called a trustee, to manage and eventually distribute your assets according to your instructions without going through the government Probate process. This can be beneficial if you want to control how your family receives their inheritance, such as in stages or at a certain age. Trusts can also be used to support minor or disabled children, care for a loved one with special needs or protect assets for someone who may not be financially responsible.

Because Trusts bypass long and expensive probate, they can speed up the transfer of wealth, reduce legal costs and keep your financial affairs private. Even though Trust obviously costs more than setting up a Will but Trust is significantly cheaper than paying for 5-15% or more of your assets in Probate for the public to view.

Understanding trusts

There are two main types of Trusts. Both can be in effect while you are still alive and can continue after your death. A revocable trust, also called a living trust, can be changed or canceled during your lifetime. Your control and access to the assets in the revocable trust does not change. This Trust offers flexibility but does not protect assets from estate taxes if your estate exceeds the federal exemption, which is $15 million starting January 1, 2026, adjusted annually for inflation. More advance revocable trusts can also protect your assets generationally

if your children get divorced, sued, bankrupt or disabled. It can also prevent your children from being disinherited if your surviving spouse remarries.

An irrevocable trust cannot generally be changed once created with some exceptions. It removes assets from your taxable estate and can provide strong protection from creditors, but it requires you to relinquish control of the assets permanently to avoid 40% estate

tax. There are unique types of irrevocable trusts to give access and control between spouses and unique irrevocable trusts to protect from medicaid and lawsuits that allow different levels of control and access. Upon your death, both trusts transfer your assets automatically without Probate.

Choosing the right approach

If your estate is small with no real property; no minor or disabled children, no ownership of a company and your wishes are straightforward, a Will may be all you need. However, if you own property or business and/ or have minor or disabled children, your estate can be more complicated because Probate is required. Thus, if you desire greater control, privacy or asset protection, as well as avoid Probate, you must utilize a Trust. Estate planning is not one-size-fitsall. Consult with an experienced estate planning attorney to create documents tailored to your needs, your family and your long-term goals. Attend our in person workshops to learn more to make the most important decision for your family and your assets.

State Senate eyes need-based college scholarships

By DAVE WILLIAMS Capitol Beat

ATLANTA — The state’s lottery-funded HOPE Scholarship program has been highly successful, covering most or all of college tuition for more than 2.2 million Georgians since its inception in 1993.

But Georgia lawmakers are considering expanding state aid to public college and university students beyond the merit-based HOPE program to a need-based scholarship initiative. The newly formed state Senate Study Committee on Higher Education Affordability will hold its first meeting on Monday at the state Capitol.

“In my conversations on both sides of the aisle, there’s been a recognition that getting more students into college is a must,” said Sen. Nan Orrock, DAtlanta, who will chair the committee. “[But] we have not turned our attention to need-based support.”

“I’m very concerned about the level of debt students come out of college with,” added Sen. Max Burns, R-Sylvania, chairman of the Senate Higher Education Committee and a member of the new study panel. “The study committee is designed to explore as many avenues as we can to expand our graduation rates.”

The University System of Georgia’s

six-year graduation rate has increased significantly during the last decade, surpassing 80% for the system as a whole and surging beyond 90% at the system’s research universities including the University of Georgia and Georgia Tech.

The university system has taken various steps to boost graduation rates. The system has participated in the Complete College America program since 2011.

In 2022, the system launched the website Georgia Degrees Pay to show the value of a degree. The following year saw the start of GEORGIA MATCH, a direct admission program that involves sending letters to high school seniors listing the public universities, colleges and technical colleges they are academically eligible to attend and explaining how to claim a spot being held for them at the institution of their choice.

But Orrock said there remains room for improvement.

“Our workforce shortages are well documented,” she said. “More college graduates are a way for our state to attract businesses looking for the skill sets of college graduates.”

Georgia and New Hampshire are currently the only states that don’t offer a need-based scholarship program in their four-year public colleges and universities. But bringing need-based

scholarships to Georgia will have to overcome an “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mentality.

University System of Georgia Chancellor Sonny Perdue noted that the system’s Board of Regents has held the line on tuition for seven of the last 10 years.

Decisions by the General Assembly eliminating the special institutional fees the system began charging students during the Great Recession and restoring the funding cuts to HOPE made during the same economic downturn have helped keep tuition in check, he said.

“We welcome the discussion,” Perdue said of the upcoming study committee. “We’ve got a great story to tell.”

“We have some of the highest quality education at the lowest cost in the nation,” Burns added. “That’s a positive for Georgia.”

A key issue shaping the upcoming debate over higher education affordability will be whether the state should focus more on helping deserving high school students who can’t afford college gain access to postsecondary education or on students who are nearing a degree but struggling to pay for the final credits they need to graduate.

Orrock said high school counselors have told lawmakers that some highachieving high school students are not enrolling in college because their families can’t afford it. While the GEORGIA MATCH program has helped, she said many students receiving letters informing them of university system institutions they are qualified to attend don’t end up enrolling.

Orrock said the late Hank Huckaby, who as a senior staff member helped then-Gov. Zell Miller launch HOPE and later served as university system chancellor, was a proponent of need-based scholarships.

“He said, ‘If you want the biggest game changer to make your workforce, economy, and families thrive, it’s needbased,’ ” she said.

But state Rep. Chuck Martin, R-Al-

pharetta, chairman of the House Higher Education Committee, said giving a financial boost to college students nearing a degree is more important. Martin was the lead sponsor of legislation the General Assembly passed in 2022 offering students who have earned at least 80% of the credits required for their college degree grants of up to $2,500 to help pay their tuition.

“If you want to start a need-based scholarship, you start at the end,” he said. “At that point, students have proven they can do the work.”

Another factor lawmakers will have to consider is the cost to Georgia taxpayers of launching a need-based scholarship program.

The HOPE program is currently running a surplus of $1.6 billion, according to the resolution that created the study committee. But Martin said the legislature shouldn’t put those funds toward need-based scholarships without careful consideration.

“Just because there’s money doesn’t mean you spend it,” he said. “We shouldn’t put any new program in because we happen to have a surplus in the lottery or otherwise.”

While Martin and other conservative Republicans are wary of the potential fiscal impact of offering need-based scholarships, Orrock said there’s been GOP buy-in to at least giving the idea serious consideration.

Republican Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who presides over the state Senate, got behind Orrock’s resolution to form the study committee and appointed the Democrat to chair the effort, a rare opportunity in the legislature for a member of the minority party.

“There’s interest in it by leadership,” Orrock said. “If we can put together a good-faith grant program, it will be win-win for Georgia and a win-win for bipartisanship.”

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

Council:

Continued from Page 1

I’d like to get a little more information.”

Assistant City Manager Jay Vinicki said contracts were not included when municipal services were last bid out in March 2020, before Heneghan corrected him.

“This is asking council for authorization to allow the mayor and city manager to execute contracts in a not-to-exceed amount as capped by council,” Vinicki said. “I can send you [the contracts] tonight.”

The contracts allow the city to staff departments, like Community Development, Parks and Recreation, Public Works and Finance. Most city department heads and personnel within the Dunwoody Police Department are full-time employees. Most supporting staff members are contractors, but the city has been gradually bringing more of them in-house.

Personnel costs

About half of the city’s $37 million general fund for operations pays for personnel costs across all city departments in the 2025 budget. Of the $26.5 million the city expects to take in this fall from property taxes, around 70 percent goes toward personnel costs.

In 2023, personnel costs were around $14.2 million. The city has significantly increased the salaries for sworn officers and other full-time city employees since 2020 to remain competitive with surrounding jurisdictions amid high inflation across the national economy from 2021-23.

When Dunwoody last rebid contracts

Panel:

Continued from Page 1

Officers and firefighters arrived to render aid but were unable perform emergency transports.

Brookhaven officers and firefighters called the incident “unbelievable.”

Brookhaven leaders told Atlanta News First that they’re growing impatient and blame growing delays on the county’s failure to hold AMR accountable.

The county’s contract with AMR mandates 12-minute response time with penalties for failing to meet it, but DeKalb officials say all fines have yet to be paid. In response to the ongoing issue, the Region 3 Emergency Medical Services Council formed a subcommittee to study whether dividing DeKalb County into three zones — north, central and south — would improve response times.

During the Aug. 14 Region 3 EMS Council meeting, the subcommittee looking at DeKalb zones recommended to not open it to any provider other than the county’s Fire-Rescue Department, which only con-

in March 2020, city officials say they got a good deal amid the outbreak of COVID-19, but the market has since changed.

Vinicki said many Metro Atlanta cities that incorporated in the early aughts went with the Sandy Springs model but are now trending toward bringing contracted positions in-house as full-time city employees.

“When we discussed this at council retreat this spring … that financial cost is one thing, but operational efficiency is another, and both are weighed thoroughly throughout this process,” Vinicki said. “Second thing I need to point out is doing an apples-to-apples comparison gets a little complicated this time around.”

Cost estimates come in lower

The year-over-year increase, assuming council approves the service contracts and new full-time employees, is just under $650,000 or 13.4 percent. That’s slightly below city projections earlier this year.

Vinicki said the authorization is for the mayor and city manager to sign contracts with Lowe Engineers and NOVA Engineering and Environmental. The city received one or two bids for each city department, reflecting a market shift away from private firms jumping for municipal service contracts.

City Councilwoman Stacey Harris said she thinks it’s good news that cost escalations came in under the estimates given to elected officials at the spring retreat.

Mayor Lynn Deutsch, speaking after the presentation, said Dunwoody officials knew that Sandy Springs would be departing from its model of bidding out municipal services to private contractors before it went through the process five years ago.

“Sandy Springs announced they were

tracts with AMR.

While the subcommittee found more improvement in response times is still needed, it did not recommend splitting DeKalb County into three zones or opening it up to other service providers.

The state EMS Council then approved the subcommittee recommendation, and the Region 3 EMS Council disbanded the subcommittee.

Dunwoody City Councilman John Heneghan, who writes about the saga to improve local response times on his blog, said disbanding the subcommittee means Dunwoody is back to the status quo without an appointed subcommittee to investigate or monitor.

According to Heneghan, DeKalb FireRescue Chief Darnell Fullum told the full Region 3 EMS Council that AMR is now operating under an 18-month contract extension, concluding in June 2026.

Heneghan said the county is currently reviewing an invitation for providers to bid on the ambulance services contract.

“Bottom line is our current EMS response times issue will continue,” Heneghan wrote Aug. on his blog Aug. 18. “We will see more of the same and we may

Contracted positions proposed to become full-time city employees:

Community Development

• City Engineer

• Building Official

• Senior Planner

• Planner

Finance

• Purchasing Manager

• Risk Manager

• Business License Expert

Administration

•Executive Assistant to the City Manager

•Administrative Assistant I

Technology

•Geographic Information Specialist (GIS) Manager

Public Works

• Capital Projects Manager

• Administrative Assistant II (assists Parks and Recreation)

totally abandoning the public-private partnership because they could not afford it … the difference in cost was expected to be millions,” Deutsch said. “So, me, as a new mayor [in 2020] was thinking ‘Oh my, what’s going to happen when it’s us.’ We got lucky in that we saw none of the increased estimates that Sandy Springs did.”

Sandy Springs pioneered the unique model of a public-private partnership in 2005, getting featured in a New York Times article, “A Georgia Town Takes the People’s

need to continue paying a $600,000 per year supplement for an extra ambulance to stay close to Dunwoody, otherwise the pool of ambulances may be pulled to travel deep into DeKalb County, making a return trip north problematic during rush hour.”

Dunwoody has been using American Rescue Plan Act funds, which are now dried up, to subsidize the county’s contract with AMR and provide a Dunwoody-based ambulance.

Heneghan said he thinks the city should be able to find a funding source to continue the subsidy, which provided improved response times in Dunwoody. As for a long-term holistic solution, he said he’s waiting to see.

Mayor Lynn Deutsch and City Manager Eric Linton have yet to release the 2026 budget, which is expected to be released in early September. Appen Media was unable to reach city officials before Labor Day weekend.

DeKalb County residents have faced ongoing challenges with ambulance response times, primarily through the contracted provider, AMR. But, delayed response times, jeopardizing patient outcomes and increasing mortality, are not unique to

Business Private.”

Following the lead of Sandy Springs, the first city in Georgia to incorporate in half a century in 2005, Dunwoody opted to bid out contracts for municipal services to jump start operations of a brand-new city.

Dunwoody’s sister city in Fulton County started moving contracted department heads to full-time positions in 2018 and completed the transition in 2019 by bringing in most general city service employees under city control.

“Now, we’re five years later. Not only has the economic reality hit our partners with increased costs, but also the marketplace is changing … the cost changed, and the desire to do the work has changed as well,” Deutsch said.

Bob Hickey, a 50-year Dunwoody resident and critic of current city officials, said he wanted the rebid of municipal service contracts taken off the consent agenda and voted on by elected officials during public comment to open the meeting.

“This is a continuation of the process to completely change the way the city was set up to do business,” Hickey said. “It was set up to do business with city employees for police [and management]. Everybody else was intended to be a contracted employee.”

The median household income in Dunwoody is $106,710. The four contracted positions within the Community Development Department, proposed to be converted to in-house city employees, have an average cost of $164,113 in fiscal year 2026.

“I mean there’s some of these jobs even an old guy like me might want to do,” Hickey said. “They’ve got nice money … so I think we ought to open them up to the public.”

DeKalb County.

In January, North Fulton cities reformed their Emergency Medical Response Oversight Committee after all six municipalities signed a $2 million joint contract. The combined subsidy, split between each city, buys a system-wide 12-minute response time for critical, emergency calls and a 20-minute response time for minor or uncertain issues.

The decision to partner and subsidize came after Sandy Springs was notified of an 850 percent price hike a year ago. Its contract for $260,000 a year for 8-minute response times was set to increase to $3.6 million.

American Medical Response is a privately held company based out of Colorado, formed in 2018 through a merger involving private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts. American Medical Response has been criticized for failing to meet mandated response times from Metro Atlanta to Multnomah County, Oregon.

While EMS sector is strained by rising costs and workforce shortages, AMR’s parent company Global Medical Response is criticized for its high debt load and private equity ownership model.

What is creating all the tunnels in my yard?

Could it be moles or voles? If you’re like me, you’ve probably been told the difference between these two small rodents and have since forgotten. I just learned a wonderful way to help remember the difference using a mnemonic or memory device. Moles begin with an “m” and are meat eaters. These small creatures spend their entire life underground, searching for earthworms, grubs and small insects. As they search for their next meal, they create a series of tunnels much to the distress of homeowners.

The word vole begins with a “v.” Voles, on the other hand, are vegetarians and search underground to find roots or aboveground to find stems to provide the nourishment to survive. When voles begin to search underground, they create an opening about the size of a golf ball and do not create a continuous tunnel underground. Sometimes they skip the task of digging a tunnel and use former mole tunnels. Vole tunnels are usually deeper than mole tunnels and cannot be seen from the surface.

Take a look at the pictures that accompany this column, and you can see how the bodies of moles are adapted for survival. The mole has the most unique set of front legs. They are paddle-shaped with five digging claws that enable them to form the tunnels necessary to find their food underground. They are highoctane diggers! They can plow through your grass, creating 150 feet of tunnels in one day, a necessity since they need to find the equivalent of 60% to 100% of their body weight in food each day.

Mole senses are modified for life underground. They have an excellent sense of smell and touch but no exterior ears, and as a result, they have poor hearing. They are color-blind and have small eyes that allow them to differentiate between light and dark. Recently it was discovered they are sensitive to light even with their eyes closed. Another adaptation is their pointed snout, which they use to accomplish the task of tunneling through their underground world in search of worms, insect larvae and other small invertebrates.

Voles are about the same size and appearance as a field mouse but have strong jaws and sharp, orange front teeth that enable them to chew through woody roots as well as soft herbaceous roots. Because they destroy the roots of plants, one day a plant will be healthy and the next day it will show no signs of life as a

Note its adaptations for digging, its pointed nose and its paddle-like

Note a vole has mouse-like features because they live above and belowground. They have brown fur and are usually 5 inches long. Mice are smaller and are usually 3 inches long.

result of its damaged root system.

I hate to suggest killing anything, but there is no other solution to the mole/ vole problem. Some wild animals can be captured and released, but this is not suggested for moles or voles. If you find the opening the vole uses to enter its underground world, you can place a mouse trap at the entrance. Load the trap with peanut butter, apples or oatmeal and add a shoe box or similar size box on top of it and secure it with wire to prevent any harm to domestic animals. Do not try to kill them with poison, as this can also be a risk to pets. If you find a vole or mole in

the trap, use gloves to remove the animal from the trap and dispose of the animal by placing it in a sealed plastic bag along with the gloves and disposing of the bag in the trash to avoid spreading any possible disease they might carry.

Before you decide to take drastic measures to remove moles from your property, I have read that taking a firm foot to flatten each and every one of their tunnels will discourage them from continuing to tunnel through your lawn, landscape plants and shrubs. The only problem is they need to eat and will probably move on to your neighbor’s property. Another issue is that they can live three to six years, and they will reproduce and have offspring! The best way to eliminate mole damage is to use a trap. Please consult your county Extension agent for the best way to use these traps and where to place them.

Happy Gardening!

North Fulton Master Gardeners, Inc. is a Georgia nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose purpose is to educate its members and the public in the areas of horticulture and ecology in order to promote and foster community enrichment. Master Gardener Volunteers are trained and certified by The

University of Georgia Cooperative Extension. Learn more at nfmg.net. Previous Garden Buzz columns are featured at https://appenmedia.com/opinion/columnists/garden_buzz/.

About the author

This week’s “Garden Buzz” guest columnist is Carole MacMullan, a North Fulton Master Gardener and a Milton resident. She taught biology for 35 years in the Pittsburgh area. In 2012 after moving to Milton, Carole completed the Master Gardener training program and joined the North Fulton Master Gardeners (NFMG) and the Milton Garden Club. Carole uses her teaching skills to create a variety of presentations on gardening topics for the NFMG Lecture Series and Speakers Bureau. She also volunteers weekly at the Assistance League of Atlanta (ALA) thrift store and acts as chair of their Links to Education scholarship program. Her favorite hobbies are gardening, hiking, biking and reading.

OPINION

I thought she was long dead: notes on a friend who is alive

RAY APPEN Publisher Emeritus ray@appenmedia.com

I was going through the address book on my phone and texting folks to remind them to vote. At present I am through the letter “J.” Her name was in the Cs and initially I skipped her because, frankly, I was fairly sure that she was not with the living. The last time I had seen her she had serious health problems. Then one day she had put a note on the door of her business which said she was “done” – closed – out of the blue. It had been, I think, somewhere close to 10 years, and I had encountered nothing from or about her. I asked folks and no one knew anything. That’s why I was so surprised when – a short time after I messaged her, I got a reply.

It was almost like getting a second chance.

Oddly enough, that happened to us once before – years ago. A dear friend was in hospice in his home in Florida and was not expected to live much longer. We got the dreaded call – “Johnie passed.” Even though we knew it was coming, it felt like we had been punched in the stomach. Later that night, the phone rang again. It was the same person who had given us the awful news. This time the message was different – “Johnie didn’t die. He is alive. It was a mistake.”

We went into shock. What? How? It was now past midnight.

“What are you doing,” our son Carl demanded? We just looked at him. What was he talking about?

“You’re going to bed instead of getting dressed and driving down tonight to be with Johnnie” he almost shouted. You see, Johnie was part of all our lives; he was just as important to Carl as he was to us. “How many times do you get a second chance to be with someone you love after they have died,” he asked. Carl – cool head in windy spaces. Of course, of course Carl, what are we thinking?

We left about 30 minutes later, around 1 a.m. The eight-hour drive to Oviedo – just outside of Orlando –seemed to go by in a blink of an eye. I think we were in shock the entire way; time stalled – stopped. We arrived just before dawn. One moment we were in our living room in Alpharetta getting ready for bed and being lectured to by our son. The next moment we were by

Johnie’s bedside.

“You’re looking more beautiful than ever, Christina,” were the first words from his mouth when he noticed us walk in. I thought I was going to pass out and looked around furtively for something to land on just in case.

When we finally took our gaze off him, we realized that our other friends were also there in the living room – the ones who counted most –the ones who had received the same wonderful magical call. Noone seemed to be anxious or in a hurry or distracted. We talked. We held his hand. We ate. We waited. We circled up without touching and just were there. And he didn’t seem to understand why all his friends were making such a fuss about him. That was just how he was.

The sparkle in his eyes still showed through, undiminished. The imp in him that always seemed to be just on the other side of the curtain, seemed to be watching us, ready to poke fun. And he made each one of us feel as if we were the only ones in the room and the only focus of his attention. He was concerned that we needed sleep and asked Glenda – his wife – to make sure we were all OK/ taken care of.

Getting the text from Ann was a gift – just like the one from Johnie. We met for coffee the next day and talked for hours. She lives near South Carolina now on a small farm. When I last saw her, she was not in great shape and was the worse for wear from years of work in her businesses. Now she works out every day and reads a lot about world news and hikes. She just finished a 500-mile hike in Portugal and is planning what sounds like an amazing trek to Egypt. I think she is really focused on making up for lost time, although it is hard for me to consider what she did “before” as lost.

So, don’t overthink life. Covet time with friends. Don’t wait until someone dies to start to appreciate them and wish you had made the time while they were still alive. And don’t forget how random things seem to magically occur when you step outside your regular envelope and decide to remind people to vote or something equally generous.

I think I need to give Ann a shout and see if she doesn’t want to go hike a few miles of the AT. I’d like that –and so would she.

Carpe diem.

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DEATH NOTICES

Carlos Bosch, 61, of Alpharetta, passed away on August 14, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Clara Cruz, 94, of Alpharetta, passed away on August 18, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

THE CITY OF DUNWOODY, GEORGIA

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Melinda Harmon, 79, of Roswell, passed away on August 14, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Murray Mann, 74, of Alpharetta, passed away on August 12, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

The City of Dunwoody City Council will meet on Tuesday, October 14th , 2025 at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers of Dunwoody City Hall, which is located at 4800 Ashford Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody, GA 30338, for the purpose of due process of the following:

RZ 25-05 & SLUP 25-04, 84 Perimeter Center E: JSJ Perimeter LLC requests a major modification of the zoning and special land use permit conditions of cases RZ 23-02 & SLUP 23-03 to modify existing zoning conditions, update the site plan, as well as a special land use permit for a drive-through restaurant.

RZ 25-06, 4500 N Shallowford Road: Dogwood Innovative VSO, LLC requests a rezoning from O-I (Office Institution) to C-1 (Local Commercial) to allow an animal hospital/veterinary clinic.

Should you have any questions, comments, or would like to view the application and supporting materials, 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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Barbara Murphy, 87, of Roswell, passed away on August 14, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Ronald Robichaud, 80, of Alpharetta, passed away on August 17, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Gil Rhee, 63, of Milton, passed away on August 17, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Arlene Struchtemeyer, 79, of Roswell, passed away on August 18, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

PUBLIC NOTICE

The 2025 Atlanta Miles for Melanoma 5K allows participants to support and raise funds for the Melanoma Research Foundation by coming together in their community alongside fellow melanoma patients, survivors, caregivers and supporters. The event will take place at Brook Run Park on Sunday, November 2nd, 2025 from 7:30am ET to 11:00am ET. There will be minimal interruption. For more information or any questions, visit https://donate. melanoma.org/site/TR?fr_id=1952&pg=entry.