Sandy Springs Crier - July 16, 2026

High Street developer seeks plan adjustment

Thousands fill City Springs for Independence Day gala

By JIM BASS jim@appenmedia.com

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — An estimated 11,000 people packed into the City Green at City Springs on July 4 for a free Don McLean concert and fireworks show to celebrate America’s 250th Independence Day.

“What a crowd,” McLean said.

The annual “Stars and Stripes Fireworks Celebration,” hosted by the city of Sandy

Springs, was headlined by McLean, but well before showtime, a crowd began to grow at 4 p.m. as attendees staked their claim across the lawn with blankets and chairs.

Ticketed seats overlooking the event inside Sandy Springs City Hall were filled. Above them, police officers looked through binoculars to manage the large crowd and keep the event secure.

soar over Sandy Springs during the city’s July 4 Stars and Stripes event at City Green at City Springs.

Spectators watch the fireworks show at the city’s Stars and Stripes celebration at City Green at City Springs July 4. See FIREWORKS, Page 6

Back to school bash, movies by moonlight fill summer schedule

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — The City of Sandy Springs will host its annual Back to School Bash Tuesday, Aug. 4, from 6-9 p.m. at City Green at City Springs, 1 Galambos Way.

Attendees can meet police officers, firefighters and K-9 units, and get viewing access to police cars, fire trucks, a mobile command center and SWAT vehicles. Helicopters will land on Mount Vernon Highway during the event. Members of different state and national law enforcement agencies are participating alongside the Sandy Springs Police, Fire, and Recreation and Parks departments.

Activities include an inflatable obstacle course, free shaved ice, carnival games, a live DJ, and an interactive dinosaur experience from Prehistoric Nation.

Later that same week, the city will host its Movies by Moonlight series on Fridays starting Aug. 7. The amphitheatre and concession stand at the Heritage Amphitheatre Lawn will open at 7 p.m. with movies starting after sunset.

The lineup includes “The Lizzie McGuire Movie” on Aug. 7 and “Spy Kids” on Sept. 4. For the Oct. 9 finale, the community can vote on the city’s social media channels to choose a movie. Admission to the movie screenings is free.

More information is available at SandySpringsGa.gov/Events.

— Elle Girard

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No injuries after police chase ends in Avondale Estates

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — DeKalb County police were involved in a chase that ended in Avondale Estates on Sunday afternoon, June 21.

No one was injured, a police spokesperson said.

Police said the chase began at 4:30 p.m. when officers spotted a stolen vehicle on North Decatur Road. The officers tried to stop the vehicle, and the driver fled.

“The driver ultimately struck a mailbox and construction equipment in the 100 block of Olive Street in Avondale Estates,” the spokesperson said. “No injuries were reported. The occupants of the vehicle got out and ran. One person at the scene was detained, but later released. The driver and a passenger are still on the run.”

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.

Vandal smashes window of Johns Creek patrol car

ROSWELL, Ga. — A rock was thrown into the window of a patrol car belonging to the Johns Creek Police Department at an officer’s apartment complex on Saratoga Drive the night of June 30.

The female victim provided the responding Roswell officer with a video that showed a Black male with long dreadlocks wearing a white tank top and black shorts approach the vehicle with a large rock in his hands. He looked around the parking lot before throwing the rock at the back window of the patrol car and walking away.

The Roswell officer witnessed the

Police are still investigating.

“Anyone with information can send an anonymous tip through the free DeKalb County PD app or by texting ‘DKPD’ to 847411, followed by the tip,” the spokesperson said.

Police chases account for hundreds of deaths nationwide every year. Those killed are often bystanders. In early April, the Associated Press reported police pursuits had caused eight deaths nationwide in less than a week.

In 2023, the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) recommended limiting chases to life-or-death situations. Chases should be limited to when someone has committed a violent crime or is an imminent threat, PERF advised.

CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson has made public safety a priority for

shattered window and the rock inside the patrol vehicle.

The Johns Creek officer believes the unprovoked incident was one of two people that live in a nearby apartment. The Roswell officer was unable to contact the residents.

The Johns Creek Police Department responded to the scene and is pressing charges.

— Hannah Yahne

Phony officer impersonators rake in thousands of dollars

ROSWELL, Ga. — In two days at the end of June, the Roswell Police Department received two reports of phone calls impersonating police officers, one even giving fake citations.

The first fraud victim told a Roswell officer that her son had been arrested in Cobb County on June 28. That same afternoon, she was contacted over the phone by an individual identifying himself as Officer Carlton Mitchell.

The suspect led the victim to believe he worked for Cobb County pre-trial.

her administration. She has bolstered hiring, increased officer pay and made significant investments in crime-fighting technologies.

Under her administration, the department changed its chase policy last year. Police are now allowed to pursue people for nonviolent crimes.

At least one bystander has died due to a chase since the policy change.

On April 16, DeKalb police spotted a stolen vehicle in the area of Snapfinger and Panola roads and chased it when the 18-year-old driver refused to pull over.

The driver lost control of the vehicle, striking two pedestrians: Antoinette Catchings, 56, and an unidentified 14-year-old. Catchings died of her injuries.

— Dan Whisenhunt

He told the woman that if she did not pay the fees associated with her son’s “detainment,” that he would be re-arrested for his citation which had already been paid using a bail bondsman.

Over the phone, the fraudster instructed the mom to make four payments totaling nearly $2,000 using Apple Cash and Zelle, which she did.

On June 29, a Roswell officer was dispatched to a home on Hemingway Lane where a man said his wife was scammed out of $7,000.

An individual by the name of Lt. J. Owens told the Roswell woman that she missed jury duty and would need to pay or she would be arrested. He sent a copy of an arrest warrant complete with her information over text.

The woman sent the money in three increments using Apple Cash. Then, she was sent copies of three citations by the same supposed officer for failure to appear, contempt of court and avoiding civil duties.

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Sticker shock? How to appeal your property assessment

By JOSHUA WILSON joshua@appenmedia.com

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — The clock is ticking for property owners in Fulton County to appeal the values listed in their recently received annual notices of assessment.

Georgia law gives property owners 45 days from the date the notice was sent to file an appeal. The Fulton County deadline is July 31. Online filing of appeals is the preferred method, although the county also receives appeals by mail or in person at its main office (235 Peachtree St. NE, Suite 1200, Atlanta, GA 30303) or its satellite offices. The Sandy Springs satellite office is at 7741 Roswell Road NE, Suite 210.

View your assessment notice, file an appeal or learn more about the process at fultonassessor.org.

What are assessment notices?

The assessment notices inform property owners of their property’s assessed fair market value and also if any exemptions, and savings as a result of those exemptions, are being applied to the property. The notices are not bills. Those will be sent to property owners beginning in August.

Why do assessed values matter?

County taxing authorities, including the board of commissioners and the board of education, apply millage rates to properties at the assessed value provided in the notice. The boards are in the process of adopting proposed millage rates and holding public hearings — as required by state law — before adopting final rates.

Once the final millage rates have been set, the county tax commissioner will determine taxes owed by each property owner and begin collecting those fees.

Why would I appeal, and how does that work?

Property owners can appeal when they believe their assessed value is too high, does not reflect the property’s condition or does not match recent sales of comparable homes.

Owners choose how the appeal is heard, either through a county’s board of equalization, a hearing officer for certain high-value properties or binding arbitration.

If either side disagrees with the county board of equalization or hearing officer decision, they can appeal to a superior court, but arbitration decisions are final and cannot be appealed.

Developer wants more retail, office space at High Street

By DYANA BAGBY dyana@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — The developer behind High Street, the $2 billion mixed-use development in Dunwoody’s Perimeter Center, is seeking city approval to replace a planned apartment building with additional retail, restaurant and office space as it adjusts the long-term project to changing market demand.

The plan would also “open up” the development — currently closed off by a wall of buildings along Perimeter Center Parkway — as city leaders seek to transform the commercial hub into a more pedestrian-friendly district.

GID Development Group, through its affiliate High Street Development LLC, has filed an application requesting a major modification to zoning conditions for Block 6, a roughly 3-acre portion of the 36-acre development at Perimeter Center Parkway and Hammond Drive on Dunwoody’s border with Sandy Springs. The Dunwoody Planning Commission is scheduled to consider the request Aug. 11.

The requested change comes as GID plans the second phase of its planned urban district in the suburbs of Atlanta. The proposal would replace the approved residential building, which as planned

CITY OF DUNWOODY/PROVIDED

GID Development Group, developer of High Street at the corner of Perimeter Center Parkway and Hammond Drive, wants to replace a planned apartment building with three buildings for retail, restaurant and office space.

featured ground-floor retail, with three buildings. Each building would be up to five stories tall and designed for commercial tenants. Under the revised plan, no residential units would be built in Block 6.

In its application, the developer said the modification is intended to “respond to demonstrated market demand” while strengthening the long-term viability of the mixed-use development. Additional

commercial space would create more jobs and amenities for residents and employees in the area and enhance High Street as a walkable transit-oriented development across from the Dunwoody MARTA station by adding pedestrian connections through the site, according to the application.

“The developers see this proposal as an opportunity to do something a little

DRIVEWAYS

different, and I do think it is about opening the site to Perimeter Center Parkway and to the public,” Dunwoody Director of Economic Development Michael Starling said. “With some of these massive super blocks of development, we need to create more connectivity, more access.”

The request is a tweak to one portion of the master plan rather than a broader shift away from residential development, Starling noted. High Street already includes 598 apartments that opened as part of Phase 1 in 2024, and the approved master plan has several other blocks designated for multi-family housing. Under existing zoning approved by DeKalb County in 2007, High Street could ultimately include as many as 3,000 residential units, along with hundreds of thousands of square feet of office and retail space and a 400-room hotel. Phase 1 tenants include Puttshack, Jaguar Bolera, Velvet Taco and TriNet, an international HR company.

The proposal would lower the density for that one block and could create space for a purpose-built retail space, like a Restoration Hardware store or other largerscare retailers, Starling said.

“I think this is going to open up the whole development and benefit the whole site,” he said.

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, 4 and 5 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!

COMPOSERS

1. Immature. “Trumpet Concerto” composer. Curious.

2. Went by plane. Argument. “Lohengrin” composer.

3. “Goldberg Variations” composer. Sheik’s bevy. Master, in India.

4. Unlikely to bite. “Cosi fan tutte” composer. Dour.

5. “Nocturn in G Minor” composer. Howdy, to a salt. Exploding star.

6. Really angry. Bunsen burner. “Rigoletto” composer.

7. Hot rock. “Water music” composer. Verdant.

1 Immature. “Trumpet Concerto” composer. Curious

2. Went by plane. Argument. “Lohengrin” composer

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. “Goldberg Variations” composer. Sheik’s bevy. Master, in India

4. Unlikely to bite. “Cosi fan tutte” composer. Dour.

5. “Nocturn in G Minor” composer. Howdy, to a salt. Exploding star.

6. Really angry. Bunsen burner. “Rigoletto” composer

7. Hot rock. “Water Music” composer. Verdant.

How to Solve: To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and box must contain the numbers 1 to 9.

sum of the white squares to the right of it. A number below the diagonal line is the sum of the white squares in the sequence below it. You may only use the digits 1 to 9, and a digit can only be used once in any sequence.

Fireworks:

Continued from Page 1

Within a few hours, the event space became packed as the sun began to set. Long lines stood in front of food trucks, children played in the fountain area, teenagers threw footballs back and forth, and other attendees walked around the area to soak in the action.

After Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul sang the national anthem to the crowd, McLean and his supporting band took the stage and played for

more than an hour, saving his most well-known song, “American Pie,” for last. Among his songs, he performed a cover of Roy Orbison’s “Crying,” with attendees cheering him on throughout.

Paul later announced that the crowd had reached an estimated 11,000 following the performance and began the countdown to the 20-minute fireworks display.

As the crowd began to dissipate following the fireworks, a storm moved through Sandy Springs, knocking out power for more than 7,000 residents. However, the event was over well

in.

Brazilian steakhouse picks Dunwoody for expansion

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Adega Gaucha Brazilian Steakhouse is working to open its first Georgia location in the Twelve24 mixed-use development at 1224 Hammond Drive by the end of the year.

This location will mark the brand’s first expansion outside Florida, bringing its authentic Southern Brazilian churrasco and tableside rodizio experience to metro Atlanta.

“Dunwoody is exactly the kind of community where we believe Adega Gaucha can thrive,” CEO Ricardo Oliveira said. “Guests here appreciate quality, hospitality and memorable dining experiences. We are proud to bring the warmth and tradition of Southern Brazil to Twelve24 … we believe this will be a very special restaurant for the area.”

At the heart of the experience at Adega Gaucha is its full churrasco, a continuously rotating selection of premium, fire-grilled cuts including picanha, beef ancho, filet mignon and lamb chops carved tableside by Gaucho chefs. It aims to give guests a glimpse into the authentic tradition of Brazil’s Southern cattle ranches and a full rodizio, or all-you-can-eat, experience.

Guests are also invited to explore an expansive gourmet table featuring curated fresh salads, traditional Brazilian sides and imported delicacies.

The Dunwoody location will also offer an a la carte menu, giving guests the flexibility to enjoy select dishes, premium cuts, appetizers and lighter dining options at the bar, during lunch or for a more casual visit.

The new location will occupy the former Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant space at Twelve24, a 345,000-square-foot mixed-use development spanning 16 floors in Dunwoody’s Perimeter Center.

Hannah Yahne

All About Pets!

Sponsored Section

15 years of hope. Thousands of lives changed.

Brought to you by – All About Cats Rescue & Adoption

Right now, somewhere nearby, a frightened kitten is waiting to be rescued. A family is searching for the perfect companion. An overcrowded shelter is hoping someone will say, “We’ll take them.”

That’s what All About Cats Rescue & Adoption has been doing since

2011.

As a 100% volunteer-run, fosterbased rescue, we’ve given thousands of abandoned, neglected, and homeless cats a second chance. Without a shelter, every cat enters a loving foster home where they receive medical care, patience, safety, and the chance to become someone’s cherished family member.

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Every cat we save depends on people who choose to care. Someone opens their home to foster. Someone volunteers at an adoption event. Someone donates to cover food and veterinary care. Someone shares a post that reaches the person who falls in love with their new best friend. Maybe that someone is you.

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foster, volunteer, donate, sponsor, or simply help spread the word, you can directly change a life. Every dollar goes to the cats. Every hour volunteered matters. Every share reaches another potential adopter. Every act of kindness gives another cat hope.

Together, we’ve spent 15 years saving lives. One cat at a time.

Help us write the next rescue story. aacatsrescue@gmail.com

An exceptional start to an unstoppable future

We believe that when children are given an exceptional start to their school experience, they grow up to become:

The years from Kindergarten Prep through 8th Grade are special, consequential, and deserving of intentional focus. These are the years when children are most open to exploring: as students, athletes, artists, friends, and leaders. It’s when students begin to set great expectations, and when they discover their inner self is as important as their academic development. It’s when children recognize their critical role within their family, their community, and the greater world.

These are the formative years, and at The Davis Academy, they mean everything. As both a highly academic independent school and a Reform Jewish Day School, we are intentional about giving children an exceptional start to their school experience, providing students with individualized learning, well-rounded opportunities, and a loving community rooted in inclusive values.

• Undeterred by academic challenge and confident in their abilities.

• Understood and valued for both who they are and how they learn.

• Unafraid to explore their purpose, try new things, develop their voice, advocate for themselves, and speak up for what is right.

• United as part of a strong community built on L.O.V.E.—living our values every day.

Our families say we’re a school with a soul. That’s because we’re not just a place for the child but for the generations. When your family joins Davis, you begin a life-changing journey together and find a support system for life.

Welcome to The Davis Academy Kindergarten Prep - 8th Grade 8105 Roberts Drive, Atlanta 30350 770-671-0085 davisacademy.org

A commitment to excellence!

Brought to you by – Dunwoody United Methodist Preschool and Kindergarten

Dunwoody UMC Preschool and Kindergarten earned the prestigious “Accredited with Merit” status from Cognia, a global school improvement organization. This top-tier designation recognizes early childhood education programs that exceed standard requirements by demonstrating highly effective leadership, consistent teaching practices, and strong learning cultures.

Serving local families for over 60 years, the school continues its tradition of providing trusted early childhood education in the Dunwoody community. During the rigorous evaluation, Cognia reviewers observed classrooms, gathered feedback from families, and evaluated the learning environment. Evaluators highlighted the school’s joyful atmosphere, strong community relationships, and commitment to ageappropriate instruction.

The program serves children from toddlers through kindergarten. Its curriculum prioritizes academic readiness alongside social, emotional, and spiritual growth. Key components of the experience

include:

• Low student-teacher ratios: Classrooms are intentionally structured to ensure individual attention and tailored early instruction.

• Play-based & academic curriculum: To foster a love of learning, the multi-sensory curriculum blends structured academics with creative play to build language, math, and motor skills.

• Comprehensive Kindergarten preparation: The specialized, half-day program ensures smooth transitions to local public or private elementary schools.

• Flexible extended day programs: Families can utilize early drop-off and afternoon extensions to accommodate busy schedules.

“This honor reflects the dedication of our teachers and the meaningful partnership between our families and church,” said Director Amy Rohan. “It affirms that our school is a safe, enriching environment and a true benchmark of educational quality for our preschool and kindergarten students.”

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For registration inquiries, visit www. dumcp.org or contact the administration team at preschool@dunwoodyumc.org or (770) 394-2555.

SHOP LOCAL

Education solutions for every mind, every age

Brought to

Eaton Academy

Eaton Academy offers multiple programs, both in person and online, since a “one size fits all” approach to education is not effective in today’s world.

Academic programs

The full-day K-12 school with its 5:1 studentto-teacher ratio allows instructors to address the individual learning styles of both neuro-typical and neuro-diverse students. Using STEAM-related activities and multisensory instruction, students of all abilities achieve academic and personal success. The collegeprep curriculum is delivered in a safe, nurturing environment.

For students with more significant needs, the Pace Program customizes the curriculum to, not only meet their specific academic needs but also develop life skills and independent living strategies. This approach is perfect for students on the spectrum, those with developmental delays, and individuals with other scholastic challenges. Pace students follow the traditional school day and work to develop greater self-sufficiency and independence, on their way to earning a high school diploma.

The Independent Study Program (ISP), tailored to students’ schedules and academic needs, permits individuals to work at their own pace. The tutorial setting enables students who need a more flexible approach, such as aspiring athletes and performers, to work toward graduation while following their dreams. Some students enroll in ISP to accelerate their scholastic

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• 5:1 Student: Teacher Ratio

• Independent Study Classes

• Supportive, Nurturing Environment

• Post-Graduate Options Available

work; others seek academic remediation. ISP arranges the one-to-one sessions on a schedule that accommodates the students’ needs for flexibility in time or delivery. Sessions can be in person or online.

Post-graduate programs

LEAP is designed to help individuals strengthen their life skills to achieve greater independence. Participants benefit from job readiness training at local businesses and life skill development in our model apartment.

The LIFE program works with young adults living in their own apartments. Participants meet with a LIFE coach several times each week for support in areas such as meal-prep, budgeting, hygiene, roommate relations, and housekeeping.

Supported employment prepares young adults for the workplace. Assistance is given with resume writing, applying for positions, and keeping a job. A job coach serves as a liaison between the participant and job sites.

The College Foundations Program (CFP) is designed for individuals who completed high school but are not ready for college or to live on their own. CFP enhances students’ abilities in academics, social settings, independent living, and employment. Students receive onthe-job experience and academic enrichment to enable them to enter college and live independently.

Eaton Academy is the ideal place for families to discover education options and independent living solutions. Whatever students need, Eaton works to create the perfect education solution for them.

Change lives, change the world

Brought to you by – Wesleyan School

Wesleyan School believes faith and intellect are great partners with each other. At Wesleyan, it’s not a matter of choosing faith or intellect, but rather using both to create the best possible education for your child. Our leadership and faculty work to provide students with an atmosphere that is challenging, reinforces the value of hard work, and emphasizes character and integrity above accomplishment. Wesleyan prepares students for each stage of life and provides them with the opportunity to see all the possibilities that lie before them. Wesleyan’s school motto is JOY-Jesus, Others, Yourself, and every aspect of school life is oriented to reinforce this philosophy of putting Jesus first and others ahead of ourselves.

A college preparatory environment, students have access to a wide range of academic opportunities along with athletics, arts, service and other extracurricular activities. Wesleyan’s 85-acre campus provides state-of-the-art academic facilities along with on-campus practice space for athletics and arts.

Located just outside of I-285 in Peachtree Corners, Wesleyan enrolled 1,210 students in grades K-12 for the 2024-2025 school year. Wesleyan offers bus routes throughout the metro Atlanta area. Supervised care before school is included in the cost of tuition and after care is available (K-8) until 6 p.m. at an affordable rate.

The Wesleyan School 5405 Spalding Drive, Peachtree Corners, GA 30092 770-448-7640

https://www.wesleyanschool.org/

Dunwoody Fourth of July parade draws thousands

By STANLEY LEARY newsroom@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Saturday, July 4, 2026, the Dunwoody Fourth of July Parade celebrated its 50th anniversary, drawing tens of thousands of spectators for what organizers called the largest Independence Day parade in Georgia.

The parade stepped off at 9 a.m. from the intersection of Mount Vernon Road and Jett Ferry Road, following its traditional 2.7-mile route west on Mount Vernon Road before turning onto Dunwoody Village Parkway and concluding at Dunwoody Village.

This year’s theme, “Honoring the Past, Marching into the Future,” reflected both the parade’s fivedecade history and the nation’s 250th anniversary. The Dunwoody Preservation Trust served as grand marshal, an honor Executive Director Kristin Simons called incredible, given the organization’s long relationship with the Dunwoody Homeowners Association, which presents the parade.

Dunwoody police officers on hand described this year’s holiday as a perfect trifecta: the Fourth of July falling on a Saturday, giving families an extra day off; the city’s slate of America250 events;

and an influx of FIFA World Cup visitors from around the world eager to take in local traditions.

The parade traces its roots to 1976, when Dunwoody first marked the nation’s bicentennial with a parade that began in an office park and ended at a reviewing stand in Dunwoody Village, with then-U.S. Sen. Herman Talmadge serving as grand marshal. After lapsing for several years, the tradition was revived in 1991 to welcome home troops from the Gulf War and has continued every year since.

What began as a modest local event has grown into one of the region’s signature holiday gatherings, now featuring roughly 150 marching units, more than 2,000 participants and about 25,000 spectators lining the route, according to the Dunwoody Homeowners Association.

Following the parade, the community gathered for a festival in front of the U.S. post office in Dunwoody Village, featuring vendor booths, barbecue, hot dogs, frozen treats and a close-up look at parade entries.

Mount Vernon Road between Jett Ferry Road and Dunwoody Village was closed from about 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. to accommodate the parade.

COMMUNITY

North Atlanta mermaids make a splash

By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — At age 50, Amy Becham heard the water calling.

Not much of a swimmer, Becham felt a yearning that had been with her since she was a little girl.

While scrolling Facebook in 2018, the creative services manager for an international paper products manufacturer, saw a post advertising a mermaid swim camp at Weeki Wachee Springs in Florida.

“I don’t know,” said Becham, who grew up enamored by the Hans Christian Andersen tale “The Little Mermaid.” “It must have been fate or destiny, or whatever you want to call it.”

For two days, she donned a monofin mermaid tail, forging a deeper connection with the water and her inner child.

Eight years later, Becham is a Scuba Schools International certified mermaid, hosting classes, attending community events as her magical marine persona, Mermaid Amy. In her free time, she relaxes by swimming with the tail in pools at gyms, her subdivision and aquatic centers, often drawing curious onlookers.

“You should never lose your motivation to play,” Becham said. “It’s a very physical escape. You’re getting away from everything … It’s everything the real world is not.”

On a Saturday in late June, Becham and a half dozen other women met up at an indoor pool at a strip mall in Johns Creek. For more than an hour, they practiced monofin swimming techniques, their colorful tails gracefully propelling them through the water.

In between handstands, tail flips and other advanced techniques, the group also found time to laugh and play.

After the swim, Meredith “Mermaid Meredith” Simpkins said moving with the tail is harder than it looks.

Simpkins and Becham serve as certified mermaid instructors for Diveventures, a North Atlanta swim and SCUBA instruction center.

Made of synthetic materials, the fluke-like monofin attaches at the feet and joins the legs with fabric. Swimming relies on an undulating dolphin kick that requires coordination along the entire body and serves as a surprisingly hard workout.

“We joke with our students, it’s all in the hips, so just channel Shakira,” Simpkins said. “You want to really start with your head and shoulders and start a wave movement, and it continues down. A lot of your power comes from your hips and your upper legs.”

Like Becham, Simpkins said she

felt an inexplicable draw to becoming a mermaid. After becoming SCUBA certified at age 14, she grew increasingly interested in everything aquatic, eventually beginning study to become a marine biologist.

In between her studies and a job at Starbucks, Simpkins also leads mermaid classes.

Simpkins said there are scientific reasons behind the many benefits that

come with swimming. Whether with two legs or one fin, being in the water can reduce stress and promote physical fitness. Swimming also is an essential skill that can open doors for children later in life and ensure their safety should they fall into water.

“There is definitely something physiological and psychological about being in water,” she said. “We came from the water, we are meant to be in the

water.”

Apart from the general benefits of swimming, mermaiding also offers something more intangible. It stimulates the imagination, Simpkins and Becham said.

Both women routinely share their mermaid personas with Johns Creek and other North Atlanta residents. They host classes teaching swimmers how to use the fins and sometimes attend events.

At Autrey Mill Nature Preserve’s Earth Day celebration, Mermaid Amy met with children who eagerly formed a line to meet her. Enamored by her tail and persona, the wide-eyed kids asked questions about the water.

Becham recalled one mermaid class she offered for a girl’s birthday party. The girl was awestruck by the experience, she said, smiling at the memory.

“She probably has no idea what my name is, but she remembers having that first tail swimming with another mermaid,” Becham said.

More pragmatically, the magic of mermaids has enticed numerous young people to learn how to swim, Becham and Simpkins said.

“It is a life-saving skill,” Simpkins said. “No matter where you live or what kind of lifestyle you have, it is very, very likely that you will be around water at some point in your life.”

Northview senior grows program offering engaging classes to kids

By HANNAH YAHNE hannah@appenmedia.com

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — For Northview High School senior Aanya Shah, volunteering for Discovery Circle since 2020 isn’t about her sister founding the organization – it’s about believing in the impact of accessibility.

“So many students might do drives and things, and those are phenomenal,” Shah said, “but I think when you really get to see the impact that you make it’s a lot more inspiring.”

Discovery Circle, a student-driven organization working toward non-profit status, has brought free, online access to extracurricular activities to more than 500 students across the United States, Canada, India and Europe. It also provides a community of 75 high school students coaching participants in their passion.

As one of the founding team members when she was in sixth grade, Shah helped develop the website while participating in some of the classes offered at Discovery Circle. After taking over the program from her sister, Aesha, Shah has expanded its offerings to 20-30 courses over seven weeks each summer, all inspired by the coaches

themselves.

“I think it's really important for the high school students to showcase their passion and their true interest to the younger students, so they feel motivated to find that for themselves,” Shah said.

“I think, like, asking them what they want to teach makes it more engaging and more exciting for them to do.”

In recent summers, Discovery Circle has expanded from offering debate, chess and public speaking classes to jewelry making, creative writing, financial literacy and 3D computer-aided design courses for aspiring architects and engineers.

While coaches do offer free language courses and traditional academic topics, Shah said those are already accessible to most families. Discovery Circle has been working to bridge the gap between online, free extracurricular activities.

There were academic resources students could access online, Shah said, but often, students want to pursue their passions instead of academics.

That’s when Discovery Circle’s main mission formed: to provide free, online lessons for elementary and middle school students.

AANYA SHAH/PROVIDED

Program Director Aanya Shah has been leading Discovery Circle since 2022. She is entering her senior year at Northview High School in Johns Creek.

are certified with different nonprofits or organizations nearby or different school clubs that are also focused on volunteering,” Shah said.

As a coach herself, Shah said she’s experienced a lot of personal growth and gathered new skills working with fellow coaches, students and their parents. Even with a five-person team, Shah said the demands can get overwhelming.

“But over time … I've really been able to kind of guide our newer members of our management team on how to approach those kinds of situations,” Shah said. “And I think it's a great skill for all of us to … learn how to balance all of those things.”

As current students grow, Shah hopes to see more of them get involved in the program and eventually take the lead. She wants to see even more creativity in the classes offered as new coaches bring different passions.

“Especially with everything being digital and so much social media, it’s important to make sure that we’re fostering real passion in the next generation,” Shah said.

“We work to make sure our hours

The organization is one of several community service activities Shah has participated in through middle and high school. She’s brought it to other local service organizations, like her high school’s Beta Club, as a way for members to earn community service hours.

For those interested in learning more about Discovery Circle, visit discoverycircle20.wixsite.com/ freeonlinelessons.

Northern Ridge District names June Eagle Scouts

ALPHARETTA, Ga.— The Northern Ridge Boy Scout District (cities of Roswell, Alpharetta, John’s Creek, Milton) is proud to announce its newest Eagle Scouts, who completed their Eagle Board of Review on June 25, 2026, at Alpharetta Presbyterian Church.

Top row, from left:

Nick Waters, of Troop 1717, sponsored by Cross of Life Lutheran Church. Nick’s project was replacing outdoor steps from the parking lot to the volleyball court and walking trails for Cross of Life Lutheran Church.

Praneeth Bhat, of Troop 2000, sponsored by Johns Creek Presbyterian Church. Praneeth’s project was building two benches, adding mulch to two playground sections and improving the drainage of an existing cement drainage ditch for Yugal Kunj.

Moksh Somayajuloa, of Troop 2000, sponsored by Johns Creek Presbyterian Church. Moksh’s project was the construction of two wooden shelves for equipment storage and reinforcing existing shelving units for Chinmaya Niketan Atlanta.

Amaan Jabrani, of Troop 143,

sponsored by Greenleaf Capital Partners. Amaan’s project was constructing a paved entrance and a paved walkway from the kiln room to the clay disposal area behind the glaze room for the Johns Creek Arts Center.

Noah Ronkainen, of Troop 69, sponsored by Alpharetta Methodist Church. Noah’s project was refurbishing (deleting existing hard drive data and reinstalling the operating system) 55 laptop computers and donating them to the organization Meals of Grace.

Bottom row, from left

Sebastian Ulffe, of Troop 10, sponsored by St. Benedict’s Catholic Church. Sebatian’s project was refurbishing an outdoor classroom: building two benches, two standing tables, an easel stand and repairing the broken lectern for Elkins Pointe Middle School.

Vibhor Gupta, of Troop 2143, sponsored by The American Legion, Post 251. Vibhor’s project was construction of three picnic tables, then repairing and repainting the existing picnic tables for Yugal Kunj Radha Krishna Temple.

Nihitha Chandran, of Troop 2000, sponsored by Johns Creek Presbyterian Church. Nihitha’s project was constructing a three-tier wooden hanger rack system and an eight-layer marching band shanko inside a truck to store hanging uniforms for the Chattahoochee High School Band.

Ammaar Muhammad, of Troop 12B, sponsored by Muslim American Society Youth Center. Ammaar’s project was rebuilding a three-layer block firepit and the area around the firepit, building a vinyl archway and two raised garden beds with plants for Masjid Al-Furqan. Lucas Spanier, of Troop 1486, sponsored by North River Baptist Church. Lucas’s project was the removal of existing cubbies and construction of new storage cubbies and hanging rods in a semi-trailer for the Roswell High School marching band.

Duy Tran, of Troop 1857, sponsored by Christ the Shepard Lutheran Church. Duy’s project was the construction of two wooden Little Free Libraries and collection of 60 books to stock the libraries for Caney Creek Preserve and Old Atlanta Park for the Forsyth County Park and Recreation Department.

OPINION

Small steps, not grand gestures, can heal division

“The earth turns, but we don’t feel it move. Then one night you look up, one spark, and the sky is on fire.” — Amsterdam Vallon, “Gangs of New York”

Political polarization rarely arrives with a bang. It seeps in quietly through hardened rhetoric, siloed media and the slow erosion of shared civic ground. It’s tempting to treat polarization as a modern phenomenon, fueled by the invention of social media and 24hour cable news. But the truth is that polarization thrives when institutions

fail to evolve alongside the people they serve. When systems become rigid, unresponsive or perceived as unfair, frustration hardens into distrust, and distrust calcifies into division.

That’s why change, even incremental change, matters — not because it offers a quick fix, but because it signals responsiveness. It tells people the system can still hear them.

Consider our most powerful institutions. Congress, for example, is structurally incentivized toward gridlock and partisan entrenchment. The Supreme Court, meanwhile, faces growing public skepticism about its impartiality. These aren’t fringe concerns. They’re mainstream anxieties. Addressing them doesn’t require tearing everything down — it requires

thoughtful recalibration. Ethical, procedural and transparency reforms are not radical ideas, but they are meaningful steps toward stronger, more accountable government. They recognize that institutions are not sacred relics but living systems that must evolve to remain relevant and effective. Failure to adapt risks not only ineffectiveness but also deeper political division.

Adaptation is not a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of vitality.

Look at baseball, famous for its reverence for tradition. For decades, it resisted modernization, clinging to its rhythms and rules as if they were sacrosanct.

Then viewership declined alongside shifting cultural habits. Leadership changed. They introduced the pitch

clock and other rule changes to speed up play. The efforts to make the game more engaging weren’t betrayals of baseball’s essence — they were acts of preservation. By evolving, the sport is trying to ensure that new generations will care about it.

Political polarization feeds on the belief that nothing can change, that the system is broken, that the other side is not just wrong but unreachable. Breaking that cycle doesn’t start with grand gestures. It starts with small, visible steps that restore a sense of movement — proof that the “earth” is turning in ways we can actually feel.

If we ignore the quiet shifts, if we dismiss incremental change as insufficient, we risk waking up one night to find the sky already on fire.

The Fed’s crystal ball is costing markets their compass

D.C. AIKEN Guest Columnist dcaiken.com

Somewhere along the way, Wall Street stopped reading economic reports and started treating every Federal Reserve meeting like a séance.

What was once a discussion about current economic conditions has become an elaborate exercise in divination. Every Federal Open Market Committee meeting now resembles a national scavenger hunt. Investors parse every adjective in the policy statement, every raised eyebrow during the chair's press conference and every colorful dot on the infamous Dot Plot as though the future had been secretly encoded in punctuation. Somewhere along the way, Wall Street stopped analyzing data and started auditioning for The Amazing Kreskin, a famous mentalist.

Perhaps it's time for the Fed to rediscover a simpler philosophy: present the facts, explain today's economy, and let markets do what they were designed

to do…price risk based on evidence rather than speculation.

The flaw in forward guidance is deceptively simple: it assumes the future will cooperate. It almost never does.

Only weeks ago, escalating tensions in the Middle East had analysts confidently forecasting oil prices above $100 per barrel for an extended period of time and warning of a renewed inflation surge. Today, crude trades closer to $70, dramatically reshaping the inflation outlook before a single Fed projection had the opportunity to become reality.

That is the fundamental weakness of long-range policy forecasts. They cannot foresee wars, ceasefires, pandemics, supply chain disruptions, technological breakthroughs or geopolitical surprises. Yet financial markets routinely react to these projections as though they were economic destiny rather than conditional forecasts built on assumptions that may be obsolete by next Tuesday.

Mortgage rates offer a perfect illustration. Rather than responding primarily to incoming data on inflation, employment and economic growth, they often swing on speculation about where policymakers might be headed months

Ironically, the Fed's effort to reduce uncertainty through forward guidance may be creating more of it.”

D.C. AIKEN Senior VP of Lending,

CrossCountry Mortgage

from now… intentions that can change after the very next employment report or inflation release.

Markets function best when disciplined by facts, not forecasts. Price discovery is most effective when participants evaluate current information instead of attempting to reverse-engineer the Federal Reserve's state of mind.

Ironically, the Fed's effort to reduce

uncertainty through forward guidance may be creating more of it. Rather than encouraging investors to study the economy, it encourages them to study the Fed studying the economy a hall of mirrors where expectations increasingly drive prices instead of fundamentals.

Sometimes the most effective monetary policy is also the least theatrical: present the data, acknowledge the uncertainty, and allow markets to perform their essential function.

After all, I have a philosophy that has served me well: “I am only sometimes right. The market is always right.” The Federal Reserve might benefit from embracing a little of that humility. Crystal balls have a poor track record. Markets, eventually, do not.

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.

Trout fishing and cooking at English Mountain

One nice thing about fishing is that most anglers are great stewards of the environment and believers in “catchand-release.” The idea (like somebody once said) is that a trout’s too valuable to catch just once. But come on. Admit it. Sometimes you like to eat trout.

There. I said it, and lightning has yet to strike me dead. Does that maybe say something about how God Himself views all of this? Does it maybe even mean it’s okay to eat fresh-caught trout once in a while?

Sure it is, and I’ve found a perfect place to do it: English Mountain Trout Farm & Grill (“You Hook ’Em, We Cook ’Em”) just up the road in Sevierville, Tenn.

English Mountain Trout Farm, a family-owned and operated venture located about a half hour from the touristic exuberances of Pigeon Forge, provides fresh trout to many area restaurants.

But there’s another side to English Mountain, too, and that’s where “youhook-’em-we-cook-’em” comes into play.

Here’s how it works. You pay a small fee ($5 as of this writing, and bring cash since they don’t take credit cards) to fish in the pond. No fishing license is required.

What then? One option is to purchase your trout at market price (plus a little more to have them cleaned and butterflied, if you wish) to take home and cook yourself.

There’s another option, too. You can have them prepared for you right there in the English Mountain Trout Farm restaurant – and let me tell you that you’ll be eatin’ good.

How good? Let’s just say it attracted the attention of Food Network’s Guy Fieri, who featured English Mountain on “Guy’s All-American Road Trip,” his Food Network show. He was enthusiastic. You will be too.

But first you ‘ve got to catch supper. It starts at the pond, where they’ll set you up with a cane pole and even bait your hook. Then pick out a good spot (hint: there are no bad spots) and flip your offering out into the water. No fancy casting is required; a gentle underhand swing is all it takes.

My wife goes first, working the cane pole so the corn-laden hook arcs smoothly up and out, just as it should. It lands on the water with a soft splat.

English Mountain Trout Farm & Grill offers a unique opportunity to catch trout and then enjoy them for supper. It doesn’t get much fresher than that.

English Mountain Trout Farm & Grill provides a great opportunity for parents and kids to enjoy the outdoors together.

And then…the line goes tight. From the depths, something pulls one way. She pulls the other – and just like that there’s a trout on the line. She lifts her pole, and there’s a huge splash as the trout flashes into view. Folks around her clap and yell “Way to go!”

Our dinner, it seems, is off to a good start.

It’s a pattern that replays dozens of times each hour at English Mountain Trout Farm. There’s that splash as the hook hits the water, and then comes gleeful screaming and happy dancing –and a trout.

By the way, don’t forget that this is catch-and-keep. When you catch a trout (and you will) it goes in your bucket and on your tab. Keep that in mind if your kids are fishing, too, for they may not want to stop. They’ll just be having too much fun.

On a typical day, the folks at English Mountain may process 500 to

An English Mountain Trout Farm visitor with a fine batch of trout – and the makings of a great meal to come!

600 trout. To make that task easier, owner Charlie Ford has developed and patented an innovative fish cleaning tool called the Butterfly Board. With it, a trout can be cleaned and butterflied in as little as 45 seconds.

The board, which is available for sale in the small gift shop, “makes the whole process significantly easier,” notes Caleb Huttinga, who handles much of the fish preparation. “I don’t know how I made it before without one.”

Another option is to have the English Mountain kitchen do the cooking for you. For $26.99 they’ll prepare your trout (lemon-pepper, blackened, or fried) and serve it with two sides (try the homemade applesauce!) and hushpuppies. The trout is prepared using recipes developed by Charlie’s wife Angie. We start with a couple of English Mountain specialties – the smoked

Another specialty of the house is fried trout, which we agreed was the best we had ever tasted.

trout dip and also a trout cake appetizer. The latter is served with a raspberry chipotle jam that perfectly illuminates the trout cake’s flavors. “Illuminates?” Now I’m sounding like a food writer.

For dinner, I order my trout “halfand-half” – part lemon-pepper, part blackened. Each comes seasoned just right to enhance but not overwhelm the trout’s subtle flavor. That can be hard to pull off, but Tiffany nails it.

We also try the fried trout. The fish is crisp outside and moist inside. It’s the best fried trout we have ever tasted.

After dessert (moonshine apple pie … delicious!) I wander back to the pond. Several families are still fishing, and I find myself thinking about the idea of catch-and-cook. What do folks really think about it? Curious, I sat myself down at one of the picnic tables and just listen. Parents and kids are fishing together, having great fun, and I even hear one young angler of about 7 or 8 have a brief chat with her trout as it went into her bucket.

“Mr. Fish,” she says, “you’re going to be my supper!” So there’s one, at least, who is not bothered by the idea of keeping fish.

Neither, it seems, are many of the parents. As one mom put it, “The kids get to see how things actually work. We get to go trout fishing and have a good supper.”

She adds, “And I don’t have to do any dishes!”

English Mountain Trout Farm & Grill is at 291 Blowing Cave Road in Sevierville, Tenn., and can be reached at (865) 429-5553.

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