SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — A preliminary design to ease traffic at the notoriously clogged Interstate 285 and Roswell Road interchange by building a diverging diamond interchange has some Sandy Springs leaders sounding the alarm about its potential harm to surrounding neighborhoods and businesses.
The city council heard about the concept plan from Georgia Department of Transportation officials at its March 17 work session. GDOT officials said replacing the existing interchange with a diverging diamond interchange was the best option to reduce traffic and improve safety.
GDOT officials also said the interchange project could be tied to the planned I-285 topend express lanes, which would add toll lanes in each direction and include replacement of the existing bridge.
See PLAN, Page 6
Sandy Springs firefighters reunite child
► PAGE 2
with mother
Construction to start soon on Old Riverside Park
By DYANA BAGBY dyana@appenmedia.com
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. – The Sandy Springs City Council has approved a contract to build Old Riverside Park on the banks of the Chattahoochee River, a project that’s been in the works for more than a decade.
At its April 7 meeting, the council awarded a $4 million construction contract to Eastern Builders Inc. Construction will
get underway in the next few weeks, and the park at 6500 Old Riverside Drive is expected to be completed by the end of the year. The project is a longawaited one for residents living in neighborhoods near the Chattahoochee River in west
Sandy Springs.
“This is something that the folks in that part of the city have been looking forward to for quite a while,” Mayor Rusty Paul said. “I’m delighted that we’re able to
get this underway. It’s going to be one of those jewels that we come to appreciate as time goes on.”
Park amenities will be built on a small portion of the 23-acre park and will include passive greenspaces, two river overlooks, a nature-based playground, picnic areas, restroom facilities and parking. The remaining land will remain largely untouched.
See PARK, Page 6
Transgender activist challenges state Rep. Panitch in May primary
By DYANA BAGBY dyana@appenmedia.com
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — The campaign trail is heating up in North Fulton, where transgender software architect and digital activist Aaron Baker is challenging state Rep. Esther Panitch in the May 19 Democratic primary for House District 51. The district includes portions of Sandy Springs and Roswell.
Baker is a first-time candidate and member of the Democratic Socialists of America. She says she is running a progressive, grassroots campaign and is fighting for working people, affordable housing and fully funding public schools. If elected, she would make history as Georgia’s first openly trans legislator. She is Jewish and a lesbian.
“Progress isn’t extremism,” Baker said. “If you’ve felt like your voice isn’t being heard or your priorities aren’t being taken seriously, you’re not alone.”
But she’ll have a fight on her hands, and it’s a fight Panitch said she’s ready for. Panitch said she welcomes Baker’s challenge but questioned her motives.
“Anybody who’s trying to take down a successful incumbent — it’s a fight,” she said. “I’m a trial lawyer. Competition strengthens me. I’ve developed the skills to fight not just for my clients, but my constituents. We’re in a democracy. I welcome the competition, and I wish her well, but I do not wish her luck.”
Baker said she got her start in politics in 2023 when the Georgia legislature passed Senate Bill 140 that limits gender-affirming medical care for transgender children.
See PRIMARY, Page 9
RACHEL PROVOW
DYANA BAGBY/APPEN MEDIA
A pedestrian walks across the Interstate 285 bridge at Roswell Road, the busy interchange where some 40,000 vehicles travel daily.
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Sandy Springs firefighters reunite child with mother
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Firefighters in Sandy Springs helped reunite a nonverbal child with her mother after finding the girl walking alone in the street, authorities said.
A fire crew was returning from a call April 1 when they spotted a young child by herself in a roadway and stopped to help. When firefighters attempted to approach, the girl ran
away, officials said in a social media post.
Firefighters followed the child at a distance. A captain was able to eventually make contact with the child and realized she was nonverbal and very frightened. The captain walked with her for nearly a mile while other firefighters contacted the Sandy Springs Police Department.
Police officers later informed the crew that the girl’s mother had already reported her missing and was searching for her. The child was safely reunited with her mother a short time later.
“We were able to quickly reunite mother and child,” the Fire Department said in a statement.
— Dyana Bagby
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SANDY SPRINGS FIRE DEPARTMENT/PROVIDED
Sandy Springs firefighters helped reunite a lost child with her mother on April 1.
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Showroom – Design Center 10591 Old Alabama Rd. Connector Alpharetta, GA 30022 (near Northpoint Mall)
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SPRING 2026
MONDAYS – APRIL 13 – JUNE 1, 2026
Dunwoody Baptist Church 1445 Mt. Vernon Rd., Dunwoody, GA 30338
10:00am – 11:00am
INTRODUCTION TO BEHAVORIAL ECONOMICS – Shai
Robkin introduces students to key concepts designed to help people and organizations make better decisions and avoid common pitfalls that result from instinctive human behaviors. Behavioral economists start by asking how humans actually behave in the real world. The course covers basic theories of evolutionary psychology, automatic vs. controlled thinking, heuristics (simple procedures that people use unconsciously to reach decisions on difficult questions), prospect theory and inaccurate perceptions of risk, the role of chance, public policy and choice architecture, and when and when not to trust experts.
10:00am – 11:00am
HOLLYWOOD THE RISE AND FALL OF JEWISH DOMINANCE
– Rabbi Scott and Karen Colbert will show, through film and discussion how immigrant Jewish entrepreneurs built the American film industry and shaped U.S. culture, identity and mythology through the Hollywood studio system; and how the “Jewish moguls’” obsession with acceptance led to the end of their dominance in the industry.
10:00am – 3:00pm
OPEN MAH JONGG – Bring your own Mah Jongg card and come play. There is no instructor for this weekly session. Play is bases on National Mah Jongg league rules.
11:00 am – 12:30 pm
MAH JONGG (NEW) – Rhea Berger will guide in playing with the 2026 Mah Jongg card. Become familiar with the new card and learn strategies for winning. Class size is limited to 10 attendees. Prerequisite:6+ months playing Mah Jongg. This is NOT a beginner’s class. Play is based on National Mah Jongg league rules.
11:30 am – 12:30 pm
EVOLUTION 101 – Clive Gillon presents an introduction to the Theory of Evolution Topics include “What is Evolution?”, “How Evolution Works,” “Natural Selection,” “Human Evolution” and “Evolution & Viruses.” We will also learn about Charles Darwin and the infamous Darwin Awards.
11:30 am- 12:30 pm
DEMONSTRATIONS/STRIKES/PROTESTS/REBELLIONS
– Betsy Jones will cover the Haitian Rebellion of 1798 (the first time an enslaved people rose up and won their freedom); the Lawrenceville Strike of 1912 when thousands of immigrants from dozens of countries went on strike demanding better pay and better working conditions ---- first time a Union defeated management; the 1899 Newsboy strike; Gandhi’s Salt March; and the French Revolution as taught from the ColdPlay song Viva La Vita (on the way to the guillotine -- King Louis supposedly gave a speech sharing his love for the French people hoping they would understand what he had tried to do for them...the speech was drowned out by the raucous crowd but enough was heard that 200 some years later it made a great song).
Tuition is $60 for 2 classes.
COMMUNITY
Why are there so many allwhite houses in north Atlanta?
By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com
NORTH METRO ATLANTA, Ga. —
All-white houses are popping up in subdivisions and communities throughout the north Atlanta area, leading some to wonder why.
Roswell resident Patsy Van Pelt said she noticed the trend while driving for an emergency visit to her veterinarian last year. Her 13-year-old English bulldog Stella suffers from chronic pancreatitis.
“I saw the houses and was like ‘what is going on?’” Van Pelt said. “I was just curious because I’m a house junkie.”
Van Pelt said since then she has noticed an abundance of white houses, often with black trim, in communities such as Milton, Alpharetta, Cobb County and Crabapple.
She admits she is a fan, but she also wonders why the trend is now so common.
“I do like the black frame windows. They look terrific,” Van Pelt said. “They’re kind of industrial, kind of a farmhouse. It’s just very interesting.”
Donna Shaw Murphy, Alpharetta Realtor and 400 North Realtors Association president, said she too has noticed the abundance of white homes.
Within the past few years, she has seen increasing numbers of
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white homes and thinks there are a few reasons that explain why it’s happening.
White and off-white facades can appeal to younger homebuyers who make up a large proportion of those in the market, she said. Clean shades can offer a modern look and make a home appear newer and fresher, even when it is older.
In fact, she said she has seen prices increase for many older brick homes after they are whitewashed. The price increase is sometimes comparable to new homes.
“It helps to compete with new construction, and it really adds value,” she said. “It’s amazing.”
Those seeking white homes may not be averse to color, Murphy said. Often those homebuyers will accent their white interiors with colors, which are more easily changed than wall colors.
Murphy said she expected the white trend to be tapering off by 2026, but it appears to show no signs of slowing.
Like all fashions, home trends
change with time, she said. In the 1990s and early 2000s, colored walls and bricks were all the rage.
That’s why sometimes older home buyers may find the all-white color schemes off-putting, but that’s what makes her work as a Realtor important, she said.
“They’ve grown up with a very traditional home, and so they think it has no personality, and they’re not going to be attracted to it,” Murphy said.
Forsyth County Commissioner Todd Levent said he also has noticed numerous white homes in his community. There, white homes are often connected to a farmhouse style of architecture.
He also thinks white is often a smart choice because it makes repainting easier.
White homes have become increasingly common there in the past eight years, he said.
As commissioner, he said his personal tastes have little bearing on zoning and other decision making. He said he aims to give residents the option to decide what kind of house they want to live in.
“It’s a free market, and if you’re buying an expensive house, you should be able to pick what you want,” Levent said.
JON WILCOX/APPEN MEDIA
A row of white homes sits on Thompson Street in Alpharetta. Local residents and officials have noted a continuing trend of homes painted white.
Local law enforcement join torch run for Special Olympics
DUNWOODY, Ga. — Police from Sandy Springs and Dunwoody
The Dunwoody Police Department organizes the
and
Joining Dunwoody and Sandy Springs were members of the Brookhaven, Norcross and Hapeville Police Departments.
Georgia Special Olympics will be held May 22-24 at Emory University in Atlanta. More than 3,000 people will compete in cheerleading, flag football, gymnastics, swimming, table tennis, tennis, soccer and volleyball.
— Dyana Bagby
Park:
Continued from Page 1
In a related budget amendment, the council approved substituting available parks impact fees for previously allocated general fund dollars for this project.
The Old Riverside Park project was first budgeted in 2012 by the city council. Sandy Springs purchased the 23 acres from Fulton County in 2014. Then the project went dormant.
Finally, in 2022, the city hired Lose Design to meet with residents and come up with a master plan. Design work on additional improvements began in 2024, leading to the construction contract in 2026.
“We rarely get a chance to build a full-blown park like this one considering how built out Sandy Springs is,”
Councilmember Andrew Chinsky said. He thanked city staff and the city’s original council members who envisioned the park.
“This has been a long time coming,”
Councilmember Melissa Mular said.
The council also:
• Awarded a $974,966 contract to Sol Construction LLC for the construction of the Mt. Paran Road and Powers Ferry Road sidewalk project. The project
Plan:
Continued from Page 1
A bid for the first phase of the topend express lanes is expected to be awarded by the end of the year. Phase one includes I-285 westbound from Henderson Road to Northside Drive, and Ga. 400 northbound from Johnson Ferry Road to Abernathy Road NE.
There is no timeline when the I-285 bridge at Roswell Road will be replaced as part of the top-end express lane project.
The diverging diamond project is estimated to cost $70 million to $85 million. Only the $1.25 million scoping study, presented at the work session, is funded so far. Sandy Springs contributed $150,000 toward that study. Preliminary engineering, rightof-way acquisition and construction funds have not been secured, and full buildout remains years away, according to GDOT officials.
“This is simply a scoping study,” Joel Seagraves, an engineer with Gresham Smith and GDOT representative, said at the work session. “The only deliverable right now is an approved concept.”
Council members told GDOT they do not yet accept that concept.
The preliminary design identifies 23
An illustration shows the new Old Riverside Park will include passive greenspaces, river overlooks, a playground, restroom facilities and parking.
includes about 4,000 linear feet of sidewalk from Carol Lane to the existing sidewalk at the Mt. Paran and Powers Ferry intersection, then west to Rebel Trail NW.
• Approved a memorandum of understanding for the city to participate in the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program. To qualify,
affected parcels including apartment complexes and commercial properties. At least one parcel — a gas station on the south side of I-285 — faces likely displacement. Several local streets could be “cul-de-sacked,” cutting off neighborhood connectivity and potentially hindering emergency response times, council members said.
Councilmember Andrew Chinsky, who represents District 6 on the south side of the interchange, told Appen Media in a recent interview he and the council understand something needs to be done to improve traffic flow at the interchange. But, he said, he fears GDOT is not considering the residents and businesses.
“This is a very high pedestrian area and a lot of folks in that area take the MARTA bus which goes up and down Roswell Road,” Chinsky said. He noted the city is constructing sidewalks along roads near the interchange to improve pedestrian safety for those living and working there.
Local businesses that rely on patrons having direct access into their venues from the interstate and Roswell Road could be negatively impacted by a diverging diamond interchange, Chinsky said.
“We recognize the need to improve that intersection, given the volume of traffic, but more thought needs to be given to how to minimize negative
Sandy Springs must submit a joint application with Fulton County and the cities of Alpharetta, Atlanta, College Park, East Point, Roswell, South Fulton and Union City, according to a memo from Sandy Springs police Maj. Norman Vik. Atlanta will serve as the fiscal agent and submit the application. If awarded, it will distribute funds to participating
impact to our nearby residents and small business community,” he said. “This is a hugely impactful project that is going to require [GDOT] to go above and beyond even what they normally do.”
‘A terrible design’
The existing interchange carries tens of thousands of vehicles daily.
Roswell Road alone sees about 40,000 vehicles a day, according to GDOT. The area is also densely developed, with hundreds of housing units, dozens of commercial properties and heavy pedestrian and transit use.
At last month’s work session, Councilmember John Paulson chastised GDOT concept.
“This is a terrible design, in my opinion,” Paulson said at the meeting. “This doesn’t appear to be a workable plan for a lot of these businesses. If you make customers go a half mile out of their way instead of just turning in, these businesses are going to go under.”
District 3 Councilmember Melissa Mular, who represents the north side of the interchange, said the project must balance vehicle efficiency with quality of life for nearby residents.
“We all agree this is a chronically congested intersection,” Mular said. “But are we improving vehicular flow while worsening local conditions
jurisdictions. Sandy Springs is eligible to receive $15,898, based on its share of Georgia’s three-year average number of violent crimes. The Sandy Springs Police Department recommends using the grant to purchase two gun safes, eight ammunition bags with extra rifle magazines, two intelligence unit laptops, 30 monitors and 15 docking stations.
for neighborhoods, businesses and pedestrians?”
Mular noted that the broader study area includes more than 300 homes, 650 apartment units — including senior housing — and more than 20 commercial properties.
Transportation officials acknowledged the concerns and said the project remains in an early stage and that detailed impacts will become clearer after additional surveying and design work.
Mular said diverging diamond interchanges work effectively at other locations, including I-285 at AshfordDunwoody Road and Georgia 400 at Abernathy Road.
“What is different here is that this proposed DDI sits in a very dense business and residential corridor,” she said.
City leaders are pushing for more community outreach before plans are finalized. GDOT officials said they would look at holding a public open house later this year, perhaps in the summer.
Chinsky told Appen Media the city has requested follow-up discussions with GDOT and is urging officials to engage directly with affected property owners and residents.
“I think our message [to GDOT] was pretty loud and clear. They have a lot of work to do,” he said.
CITY OF SANDY SPRINGS/PROVIDED
Puzzles
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!
CITIES OVERSEAS
1. Rock bottom. Hindu princess. City near Oberhausen.
2. Port city in NE Brazil. Fencing sword. Fragrance.
3. Bone-dry. City of NW Syria. Gumbo vegetable.
4. Honshu city. Resting place. Building material.
5. Barber’s supply. Halt. French city of the Strait of Dover.
6. City of central Poland. Kind of bee. Nada.
7. City in the Asian part of Russia. Big sandwich. Flashy.
1 Rock bottom. Hindu princess. City near Oberhausen.
2. Port city in NE Brazil. Fencing sword. Fragrance
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. Bone-dry. City in NW Syria. Gumbo vegetable.
4. Honshu city. Resting place Building material.
5. Barber’s supply. Halt. French city on the Strait of Dover.
6. City of central Poland. Kind of bee. Nada
7. City in the Asian part of Russia. Big sandwich. Flashy
How to Solve: To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and box must contain the numbers 1 to 9.
use the digits 1 to 9, and a digit can only be used once in any sequence.
Iran War has extended beyond the gas pump
D.C. AIKEN Guest Columnist dcaiken.com
The war is no longer content to express itself at the gas pump. It has begun diffusing across asset classes with a speed and synchronicity that feels less like coincidence and more like a realtime demonstration of macroeconomic transmission under stress — equal parts textbook and stress test, with a dash of “are we really doing this again?” energy.
Households, of course, encountered the first shock in the most visible place: gasoline prices. That’s the macroeconomy’s version of a push notification — loud, unavoidable, and mildly insulting in its timing. But the second-order effects have moved quickly, and more quietly, into housing finance — where the consequences are less visible but far more consequential.
What looked like the early stages of a spring recovery in the housing market has been abruptly interrupted.
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Mortgage rates, which had been easing, have reversed course with notable speed. On the eve of the strikes, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate sat at 5.99 percent. Within days, it climbed to roughly 6.5 percent, briefly touching 6.625 percent at the start of the week. For a $500,000 mortgage, that translates to an increase of more than $200 per month in carrying costs — effectively a geopolitically imposed surcharge on homeownership, delivered without debate, vote, or even the courtesy of fine print.
From a macro-financial perspective, the mechanism is straightforward. Heightened geopolitical uncertainty triggers a risk-off adjustment, placing upward pressure on Treasury yields — the benchmark underpinning mortgage pricing. The transmission channel is linear; the lived experience is anything but. What markets register as a shift in the yield curve, households experience as a direct contraction in affordability.
Or, put less academically: geopolitics has entered the chat, knocked over the furniture, and raised your monthly payment.
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The implications for housing activity are already materializing. Mortgage applications for home purchases have declined by more than 12 percent week-over-week, underscoring the sector’s acute sensitivity to interest rates. While 12 percent may sound incremental, housing operates at the margin. Small changes in financing costs can produce outsized effects on transaction volume — because for many buyers, the difference between “just affordable” and “out of reach” is often measured in basis points, not broad economic narratives.
Focusing exclusively on mortgage rates, however, risks missing the broader macroeconomic picture. Housing outcomes are jointly determined by income expectations, labor market stability, consumer confidence and credit conditions.
A geopolitical shock of this magnitude does not move these variables in isolation. It introduces volatility across all of them simultaneously, amplifying its aggregate effect.
Or, translated: it’s not just that borrowing got more expensive — it’s that committing to a 30-year mortgage suddenly feels like signing a long-term contract in the middle of a plot twist you don’t fully understand.
This is where standard models begin to intersect with behavioral reality. Under heightened uncertainty, the option value of waiting increases. Households rationally defer large, irreversible investments. Buyers pause, reassess, and, in many cases, step back altogether — not because the desire to own a home has disappeared, but because the confidence to act on it has weakened.
The American Dream hasn’t been canceled. It’s just… buffering.
For now, it sits in a kind of economic limbo — finger hovering over the snooze button — waiting for clearer signals from markets, policymakers, and a geopolitical landscape that seems determined to keep rewriting the script mid-scene. And until that clarity arrives, the housing market, like much of the economy, will remain caught between resilience and hesitation — still standing, but thinking twice.
DC Aiken is Senior Vice President of Lending for CrossCountry Mortgage, NMLS # 658790. For more insights, you can subscribe to his newsletter at dcaiken.com.
The opinions expressed within this article may not reflect the opinions or views of CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC or its affiliates.
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Failing in the pursuit of excellence
DAN WHISENHUNT Executive Editor dan@appenmedia.com
Let me tell you a story.
My first major in college was not journalism. I didn’t grow up dreaming about holding a notebook and asking powerful people pointed questions. I wanted to be an actor. I majored in theater. It was not, as it turned out, an easy path. I struggled. I failed. And when you failed out of theater school at the University of Alabama, as people often did, you typically went to the broadcasting school, because a chunk of the credits were transferable. So I did that, but only because I wanted to be done with college. I didn’t know what came after. I didn’t care. I was lost. I struggled. My grades were atrocious. As part of my journey through the broadcasting school, I was required to take a journalism 101 class. They taught you the basics: the inverted pyramid form of story writing, Associated Press style guidelines, all the building blocks of what we do. I did not care for any of it. I scraped by.
The class was taught by Bill Keller, who was once the head of the Alabama Press Association. Bill would bring in
Primary:
Continued from Page 1
“I was [at the state Capitol] when SB 140 was passed — a bill that took away life-saving essential medical care from kids, the same medical care that I knew had changed and saved my life,” Baker said. “It was in that moment that I knew I needed to do more.”
Baker, a software architect for CocaCola, built two publicly available websites — Georgia Fast Track and Georgia Fast Money — that are designed to simplify the legislative process and expose corporate campaign contributions. She also seeks to demystify politics for her 50,000 followers on Instagram and TikTok through clips that explain how to reach out to their representatives to advocate for issues important to them.
“It almost feels intentionally obfuscated — like they don’t want you involved in the process,” Baker said of Georgia’s legislative system. “So, I built tools to make Georgia politics more accessible and expose money in politics.”
Baker said state lawmakers would find it harder to pass anti-trans legislation with a transgender person as a colleague. But, she said, corporate money
important people in the community, CEOs, politicians and the like, so students could practice asking them questions. The room, full of nervous college journalists, usually greeted these guests with an awkward silence. When it was their turn to ask questions, few did.
Except me. I was always the one asking the questions. They were pointed and effective at eliciting interesting answers. Where that instinct comes from, I could not tell you. I've always been an ornery person. Perhaps the questions were just a product of my own cynicism about life, how nothing seemed to fit.
Bill took an interest in me. I remember one day we were talking about what I was going to do after college.
Bill looked me in the eye and said, “I’ll tell you what you’re going to do. You’re going to buy a nice suit and I’m going to get you a job.”
He was the kind of person who could pick up the phone and make that happen. His word is something you can take to the bank.
And that’s how it started, my career as a reporter, Decaturish, all of it. It started because someone saw something in me that I did not see in myself. Someone intervened in my life and mentored me into a career that became a calling. I always think about Bill when I see the gatekeepers of our profession try to weed
in politics means most people do not have a seat at the table.
“The truth is trans people don’t have a seat at the table, but the people of Georgia don’t have a seat at the table. Politicians are funded by corporations and corporate interests. And the result of that is that we do not have a government that represents the people,” she said.
Residents in Roswell will soon be without a MARTA bus route on Holcomb Bridge Road. Baker said this is an issue she wants to take up at the state Capitol.
“I talked to workers in the district who do not know how they’re going to get to work,” Baker said. “The state of Georgia does not fund public transit, and I think that’s a huge oversight.”
Panitch is a trial lawyer. She was elected to the General Assembly in 2022 and she is the only Jewish legislator in the General Assembly. She touts a record of bipartisan accomplishment where Democrats are in the minority.
For example, she was the lead Democratic sponsor of Georgia’s IVF protection bill last year and authored legislation in 2023 codifying a state definition of antisemitism. This year, she passed a bill establishing a formal structure for Family Justice Centers across the state to provide coordinated services to victims of family violence,
out those they deem unworthy. I encountered this myself when I tried to land a job at a bigger publication –namely, the AJC – and was told, in no uncertain terms, that it was never going to happen for me. They said I wasn’t good enough. I decided that I was and launched Decaturish out of pure spite. I spent 10 years running my own small business because I believed that I could run circles around the AJC covering our community.
I achieved what I set out to do, but owning a small business was not easy. It changed me. Things happened to me along the way. I became a father. I earned some recognition for my work. I challenged powerful people and won. I made enemies. I hired my first full-time employee. My determination to prove people wrong carried me over all the gates standing in my way.
It also wore me out. Working around the clock takes a toll and by 2024, I decided it was time to let other, more capable people start making business decisions for me. Enter Hans Appen and Appen Media Group.
They offered me a fair deal and took care of my team. I started working for someone else again. It was … a period of adjustment. Becoming an employee after a decade as an entrepreneur was awkward in ways I did not anticipate. I went from
sexual assault and child abuse.
“The people of House District 51 elected me to get things done,” Panitch said. “We hear a lot of excuses from Democrats because we’re in the minority, but I have learned how to reach across the aisle and find common ground.”
Panitch dismissed Baker’s politics and membership in the DSA as being out of step with the values of District 51 voters. These values include entrepreneurship, home ownership and people who want to send their kids to good public schools, she said.
“I don’t think her politics match the district she’s running in. She’s far left,” she said. “Socialism is anathema to what we practice here.
“She has no history of advocacy except for the last few years. The legislature shouldn’t be a shiny thing someone wants to check off on their bucket list. This is a real job and the people of our district demand and deserve actual results, not just posturing or activism.”
Baker said thousands of voters in District 51 have told her they are concerned about housing and health care affordability, worried about how the federal administration is attacking the civil and human rights of their neighbors and want answers about “how rigged the economy has become against everyone
calling all the shots to consulting about all the shots. That was a change. But it was worth it. Knowing it wasn’t all on my shoulders, that other people wouldn’t be hurt if I failed, was worth it.
Decaturish has grown and prospered under the Appens’ stewardship. The paper you’re holding in your hands and the website of the same name are profitable. There aren’t many newspapers these days that can say that.
I had become accustomed to the tradeoffs and was thinking about my next public records fight when Hans Appen called me into his office a few weeks ago to tell me he had “big news.” I work in newspapers, so when a publisher tells you they have big news, it’s usually about launching a new curated email or something.
I sat on the couch in his office and he casually asked whether I’d want to take over all Appen Media’s editorial operations. Getting to manage a large team of journalists? Being able to bring the concepts I developed at Decaturish to a wider audience? Having the ability to shape news and influence people in an entire region? It was an instant yes. As of March 30, I am now the executive editor of Appen Media Group. I will oversee five full-time journalists, seven newspapers and three websites.
except for the wealthiest among us.”
“These are not ‘far left issues,’ and the fact that the incumbent believes that they are shows how out of touch she is with actual residents of our community,” Baker said. “If she wants to continue punching to the left while we are all under attack from the far right, that speaks volumes about her priorities and character.”
“Rep. Panitch and I agree that entrepreneurship and homeownership are wonderful things people should be able to achieve if they want,” Baker added. “Where we differ is that I understand these goals are usually unattainable unless a person’s basic needs are met.”
Both candidates support LGBTQ equality. Panitch noted she has fought anti-LGBTQ bills in the General Assembly and led the Democratic opposition to the state’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act last year. Baker said she wants people to have a choice when they head to the polls.
“I’m running to be the kind of candidate I’m excited to vote for,” Baker said. “People are excited about candidates who are fighting for what they believe in and who are out in the community. I’m trying to transform Georgia politics and make history.”
GARDEN BUZZ
Tiny borers, big problems: ambrosia beetles in landscapes
Ambrosia beetles are tiny insects that can cause big problems in Georgia landscapes. These bark-boring beetles attack more than 100 species of trees and shrubs, including many common ornamentals. While Georgia is home to over 170 species of bark and ambrosia beetles, most damage in nurseries and landscapes is caused by one invasive species: the granulate ambrosia beetle (Xylosandrus crassiusculus).
The good news is that ambrosia beetles don’t typically attack healthy trees. Instead, they target plants that are already stressed — from drought, flooding, root damage, or other pests. Understanding this behavior is key to preventing problems in the landscape.
When and why they attack
Ambrosia beetles become active in late winter or early spring, often when temperatures reach about 68 degrees Fahrenheit for a few days in a row. The adult females emerge from trees where they’ve overwintered and begin searching for new host trees.
What are they looking for? Stressed trees. These trees release chemical signals, like ethanol, that act like beacons to ambrosia beetles. They’re also drawn to wood containing some moisture, attacking stressed or dying trees, rather than those that are already dead.
Once a female finds a suitable host, she bores into the trunk or branches, creating tunnels called galleries. As she drills, she pushes out compacted sawdust, forming the telltale “toothpicks” or “noodles” sticking out of the bark. These are often the first and most noticeable sign of an infestation.
Fungus farmers
What makes ambrosia beetles especially unique is that they don’t actually eat the wood they tunnel through. Instead, they farm fungi.
Female beetles carry spores of “ambrosia” fungi in specialized structures on their bodies. Once inside
DEATH NOTICES
Joan Burke, age 89, of Alpharetta, GA passed away on April 1, 2026. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
the tree, they introduce this fungus into their galleries and carefully tend it like a garden. The fungus grows along the tunnel walls, and both adult beetles and their larvae feed on it.
This relationship benefits the beetles, but it’s bad news for the tree. As the fungus spreads, it can clog the tree’s water- and nutrient-conducting tissues, leading to wilting, dieback and eventually death. Smaller or already stressed trees are more likely to suffer worse fates.
What to look for
Because ambrosia beetles are tiny (2-4 mm) and spend most of their lives hidden inside trees, you’re unlikely to see the insects themselves. Instead, keep an eye out for signs of their activity.
The most distinctive clue is the presence of those small, toothpick-like strands of sawdust sticking out from the bark. You might also notice fine sawdust collecting at the base of the tree or in bark crevices.
As infestations progress, trees may show more general symptoms of decline, such as delayed leaf-out in spring, wilting or early leaf drop. In severe cases, branches or entire trees may die.
Ambrosia beetles attack a wide
James Toler, age 90, of Milton, GA passed away on April 5, 2026. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
range of plants, including crape myrtle, dogwood, redbud, oak, magnolia, peach and pecan, among others. While most species focus on stressed plants, one exception is the redbay ambrosia beetle (Xyleborus glabratus), which can attack healthy trees and has caused widespread losses of redbay, sassafras and avocado in the Southeast.
Prevention is the best protection
Because ambrosia beetles are attracted to stressed trees, the best defense is keeping your plants as healthy as possible. Start by choosing the right plant for the right place, and be mindful of site conditions like soil type, drainage and sunlight. The conditions at the planting site should match your plant’s preferences and tolerances.
During dry periods, irrigate as needed, especially for newly planted trees. Avoid injuring trunks and roots with lawn equipment, as wounds can increase stress and make trees more attractive to beetles.
What to do if you see signs
Once ambrosia beetles are inside a tree, control options are limited. The insects are protected within the wood, and because they feed on fungus rather than plant tissue, systemic insecticides are generally ineffective.
In most cases, early detection and removal of infested wood is the best course of action. Prune out affected branches or remove severely infested trees to prevent further spread. Be careful not to remove more than onethird of a tree’s canopy at one time. For fast-growing species like fig,
About the author
This week’s “Garden Buzz” guest columnist is Gabrielle LaTora, agriculture agent in Fulton County’s Extension office. An entomologist by training, Gabrielle is interested in insects on farms and in gardens. In addition to helping coordinate Fulton’s Master Gardener Extension Volunteer program, Gabrielle oversees the North Fulton Community Garden, answers clients’ questions about gardening and natural resources, works with urban farmers and delivers educational programs for Fulton County residents. Gabrielle’s favorite insect of the moment is the Pandora sphinx moth, Eumorpha pandorus.
cutting the plant back to the base may allow it to regrow. While it may be tempting to burn infested wood, that step isn’t necessary — ambrosia beetles are already widespread in Georgia. Chipping, composting or simply allowing the wood to dry are all acceptable options.
The bottom line
Ambrosia beetles are a common part of Georgia’s landscape, and in most cases, they’re taking advantage of plants that are already under stress. The key to managing them isn’t chasing the beetles, it’s supporting tree health.
By recognizing the early signs of infestation and focusing on proper plant care, you can reduce the risk of serious damage and keep your landscape thriving.
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://www.appenmedia. com/users/profile/garden%20buzz/.
Catch North Fulton Master Gardeners at these scheduled events throughout the season:
• Alpharetta Farmers’ Market (starting April 18)
• Sandy Spring Farmers’ Market: Diggin’ in the Dirt kid’s activities
• Crabapple Festival in Milton this fall
LAUREN LADOV (LADOV LANDSCAPING)/PROVIDED You can identify ambrosia beetles from their tell-tale sawdust “toothpicks” or sawdust at the base of the tree.
GABRIELLE LATORA Guest Columnist
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Continued innovation in digital media has changed the ways in which people buy, sell and interact with products and services. It has caused businesses to reassess the ways in which it communicates with potential customers and advertises its products. It has been well documented that these changes have had a destructive impact on local newspapers, which continues to be a primary source for local news, but is no longer a primary source for local advertising dollars – historically the lifeblood for reporters and their coverage. At Appen Media Group we want to address this conflict head on, and build new and innovative approaches to monetizing local news and creating a sustainable future for local journalism in metro Atlanta.
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YOUTH DIRECTOR (Part-Time) Alpharetta Presbyterian Church — Alpharetta, GA
APC seeks a vibrant, relational leader to serve as Youth Director for middle and high school students. 20–25 hrs/week | Up to $25/hr. Ideal candidates have a passion for youth mentorship and a background in education, coaching, or youth leadership. Retired teachers and ministryminded professionals encouraged to apply. Strong volunteer team and pastoral support in place.
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NFCC is looking for a part-time Bi-lingual (Spanish/ English) Thrift Shop Associate to join our team. In this role, you’ll deliver exceptional customer service while handling cash register transactions, managing our client clothing program, and keeping merchandise neat, clean, and organized. Above all, we’re looking for someone with a warm, welcoming presence who treats every shopper with dignity and compassion.
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