Suspect in assault dies after pulling gun ► PAGE 2 D e c e m b e r 1 1 , 2 0 2 5 | A p p e n M e d i a . c o m | A n A p p e n M e d i a G r o u p P u b l i c a t i o n | 5 0 ¢ | Vo l u m e 4 , N o . 4 9
Sandy Springs elects Mayor Paul to fourth term By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA
Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul and his wife, Jan Paul, react favorably to early voting results Dec. 2 during an election night party at J. Christopher’s in the City Walk shopping center. Advance voting and absentee by mail ballots showed Paul with a roughly 72-to-28 percent margin early in the evening.
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — A day after Sandy Springs celebrated its 20th anniversary, Mayor Rusty Paul cruised to a fourth term in a runoff election against 2021 runner-up Dontaye Carter. The Dec. 2 runoff between Paul and Carter was one of four mayoral contests across Fulton County, which included the cities of East Point, Roswell and South Fulton. More than 14,000 voters in Sandy Springs cast ballots in the runoff. Paul won with more than 10,000 votes, or roughly 69 percent. With none of the four mayoral candidates securing a majority Nov. 4, top vote-getters Paul and Carter advanced to the runoff. Council members Andy Bauman and Jody Reichel, who ran for mayor while criticizing aspects of Paul’s leadership, endorsed him before the runoff. City Councilwoman Melody Kelley,
reelected to the District 2 seat, was the only sitting Sandy Springs official to not endorse a mayoral candidate. All other sitting council members endorsed the mayor. Several local, county and state officials on both sides of the aisle endorsed one of the candidates in the weeks leading up to the runoff. The mayoral campaign tested just how nonpartisan local elections are in Sandy Springs. Carter describes himself as a “progressive Democrat,” and Paul has a GOP-heavy resume, including time as chair of the Georgia Republican Party in the late 1990s and work with presidential administrations. Early voting reactions After the Dec. 2 City Council meeting at 6 p.m., elected officials and some city staff headed over to J. Christopher’s in the City Walk shopping center for Paul’s election night party.
See RUNOFF, Page 9
City signs agreement to assist in World Cup security By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Sandy Springs approved a grant application to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Dec. 2 for its Police and Fire departments to assist with security at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The grant, administered through
the DHS and Federal Emergency Management Agency, covers reimbursements for eligible overtime personnel expenses incurred by local law enforcement. A city memo says the federal government is spending $625 million to enhance security and preparedness for the 2026 FIFA World Cup games across the United States and North America.
FIFA stands for Fédération Internationale de Football Association, which is French for International Federation of Association Football. Next summer, Atlanta’s MercedesBenz Stadium will host eight games of the World Cup, including one semifinal, from June 15 through July 15.
See SECURITY, Page 9
The 2026 FIFA Club World Cup drawings were Friday, Dec. 5 at 12 p.m. The specific match schedule, including kick-off times at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium, were announced after press time.