Issuu

Put Our Experience To Work For You

JAN HART | REALTOR® c: 678.596.3684 o: 404.480.HOME

GEORGIA RAE HART | REALTOR® c: 678.266.8241 o: 404.480.HOME

Voters registration ® GEORGIA RAEisHART REALTOR open| until Oct. 5 c: 678.266.8241foro:general 404.480.HOME election

ANSLEYRE.COM | 404.480.HOME | 3035 PEACHTREE ROAD, SUITE 202, ATLANTA, GA 30305 Equal housing opportunity. If you have an existing brokerage relationship, this is not intended as a solicitation. All data believed to be accurate but not warranted.

► PAGE 4 ANSLEYRE.COM | 404.480.HOME | 3035 PEACHTREE ROAD, SUITE 202, ATLANTA, GA 30305 Equal housing opportunity. If you have an existing brokerage relationship, this is not intended as a solicitation. All data believed to be accurate but not warranted. O c t o b e r 1 , 2 0 2 6 | 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 5 , N o . 4 0

JANHARTGROUP.COM

Put Our Experience To Work For Y

JANHARTGROUP.COM JAN HART | REALTOR® GEORGIA c: 678.596.3684 o: 404.480.HOME c: 678.266

ANSLEYRE.COM | 404.480.HOME | 3035 PEACHTREE ROAD, SUITE 202, ATLANTA, GA 303 Equal housing opportunity. If you have an existing brokerage relationship, this is not intended as a solicitation. A

Neighbors raise concerns over synagogue move By HANNAH YAHNE hannah@appenmedia.com

FULTON COUNTY/PROVIDED

Fulton County officials — including Commissioner Bob Ellis, second from right — present a proclamation to representatives from the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University.

Emory Winship looks to catch prostate cancer early By HANNAH YAHNE hannah@appenmedia.com ATLANTA — September was National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, and local officials, including a Fulton County commissioner, say early detection is key to preventing and treating the disease. Commissioner Bob Ellis was diagnosed with prostate cancer last year. He credits early detection with presenting a manageable plan for treatment, with no chemotherapy or radiation therapy needed. “It was eye-opening

to see … the range of treatment options that are available for prostate cancer,” Ellis said. “It’s so eminently treatable when caught early.” The American Cancer Society says prostate cancer symptoms don’t typically present themselves until the disease’s more advanced stages, which is why annual screenings are so important. Those screenings are particularly important for Black men, who are nearly 70% more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer.

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Some residents living off Long Island Drive NE are concerned that variances requested for a building at 4930 Long Island Terrace will bring increased traffic and noise to their protected neighborhood district. The applicant is Kesher Torah of Sandy Springs, an Orthodox

Jewish congregation that has worshipped at 5075 Roswell Road for the past 15 years. The congregation wants to move to the Long Island Terrace location, which is about a half mile away from its current facility. The location previously housed a business. Members are seeking a variance to allow the synagogue to bypass distance requirements that apply to places of worship under

the city’s development code. Under that code, a place of worship is permitted in the Long Island Terrace location’s current officeneighborhood zoning district. However, the place of worship, according to the code, cannot be within 100 feet of a protected neighborhood district. Parking areas cannot be within 50 feet of a protected neighborhood district.

See CONCERNS, Page 6

Dunwoody nonprofit turns leftover bagels into a lifeline By HANNAH YAHNE hannah@appenmedia.com DUNWOODY, Ga. — Since founding Bagel Rescue in 2021, Erin Stieglitz has connected strangers in what she calls an “epic web of goodness” one bagel at a time. STIEGLITZ The concept is simple: volunteers collect unsold baked goods from local businesses and deliver them to housing shelters and food banks. But Bagel Rescue wasn’t always a nonprofit organization partnered with 88 restaurants and 175 receiving agencies across six states.

See BAGELS, Page 7

PHOTOS BY BAGEL RESCUE/PROVIDED

Dunwoody High School students make sandwiches with bread donated to Bagel Rescue during a community service project. The nonprofit organization delivers the sandwiches to its receiving agencies.

See CANCER, Page 7

Your Trusted Real Estate Expert

RACHEL PROVOW

2 | October 1, 2026 | Sandy Springs Crier | AppenMedia.com/Sandy_Springs

PUBLIC SAFETY

770-442-3278 AppenMedia.com 319 N. Main Street Alpharetta, GA 30009 HANS APPEN Publisher CONTACT NEWS TIPS Contact reporters directly or send story ideas to newsroom@appenmedia.com. LETTERS, EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS Send your letters, events and community news to newsroom@appenmedia.com. See appenmedia.com/submit for more guidance. ADVERTISING For information about advertising in the Sandy Springs Crier or other Appen Media properties, email advertising@appenmedia.com or call 770-442-3278. CIRCULATION To start, pause or stop delivery of this newspaper, email circulation@appenmedia.com or call 770-442-3278.

ATLANTA NEWS FIRST/PROVIDED

A DeKalb County Police spokesperson said officers responded to 1075 North Hairston Road on Sunday, Sept. 20, after getting reports of multiple people shot. An 18-year-old suspect has been arrested.

Police arrest suspect in shooting that left two boys dead By DYANA BAGBY dyana@appenmedia.com DEKALB COUNTY, Ga.— DeKalb County Police have arrested an 18-year-old suspect in a weekend shooting that left two boys dead and two women injured. Julian Ellis was arrested late Tuesday, Sept. 22. He is charged in the Sunday, Sept. 20, shooting deaths of brothers Jamarion Rolle, 11, and Jakhi Clark, 12, at the Nissan Golden Gate

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.

RESS NP

UB CL

APPE

Drivers rage in midnight incident

appenmedia.com/join

ROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell police officers responded to a road-rage incident around midnight Sept. 17 between two drivers who offered competing accounts of an incident on Willis Road. The driver of the Hyundai Palisade told officers he was driving behind a Ford Explorer on Willis Road, and they stopped at a traffic signal. He noticed the other driver using a cellphone and honked when the signal turned green to get the driver’s attention. The cars continued driving, and both arrived at the Palisade driver’s subdivision. As he was pulling into his Harlow Circle driveway, the Explorer allegedly attempted to block his entry. The Palisade driver said he continued driving but eventually stopped. The Palisade driver told police

apartments on North Hairston Road in unincorporated Stone Mountain. Ellis is also charged with shooting two women, ages 19 and 37. The women survived and received treatment for their injuries, according to police. Ellis faces two counts of felony murder and six counts of aggravated assault, police said. A preliminary investigation indicates that the shooting may have been connected to a fight or

disagreement that occurred earlier in the day, police said. “We continue to extend our deepest condolences to the families of the young victims,” DeKalb Police said in a news release. “We recognize that their loss is unimaginable, and we stand with those who are grieving during this difficult time.” The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call DKPD’s Homicide Assault Unit at 770-724-7850.

the female driver of the Explorer yelled racial slurs at him and his passengers and told them they “don’t belong here.” The Palisade driver then contacted the police. The driver of the Explorer provided a similar story until the traffic signal on Willis Road turned green. The female said the Palisade passed her car and began to brake-check her until they reached a roundabout on Old Roswell Road. The female driver said she followed the Palisade into the subdivision to get its tag number to share with the police. The woman said the Palisade’s driver started taking photos and videos of her as he approached her car, saying he was going to post them online. She told police he then hit the driver’s-side mirror of the Explorer but did not cause damage. Police did not take any action but informed both drivers of the applicable traffic laws. — Hannah Yahne

residents reporting males wearing ski masks and driving in residential areas off Grimes Bridge Road in Roswell. The first call came before 2:10 a.m. when two masked men knocked on the front door of a Tuxedo Court residence and ran away on foot toward the entrance of the neighborhood. The female owner showed police video of the incident recorded by a Ring video doorbell. She said she could not think of a reason for the house being targeted. About 30 minutes later, the same officer received a call from a resident on Grimes Place, which is around the corner from Tuxedo Court. The caller reported sitting on his front porch when he saw four or five masked men exit a black Toyota 4Runner parked down the street. He said the group saw him sitting outside, got back in the vehicle and drove out of the neighborhood. The caller said that, a couple of minutes later, one of the males returned on foot and started to walk toward his home but ran after seeing him again. The caller told police he followed the man around the corner and saw a van driving away from a parking lot. — Hannah Yahne

Masked men roam neighborhood at night ROSWELL, Ga. —Police received calls after 2 a.m. Sept. 13 from two

AppenMedia.com/Sandy_Springs | Sandy Springs Crier | October 1, 2026 | 3

GFWC Dunwoody Woman’s Club

Thank you to our 53rd Annual Dunwoody Home Tour Sponsors Friday, October 2, 2026

Diamond Sponsors Appen Media / Dunwoody Crier Dentistry with a Difference Rachel Provow, HOME Real Estate Linda Mote Friday, October 2 10-2 pm

In Loving Memory of Nancy D’Ardenne

Gold Sponsors Jane L. Boney ~ Susan and Dohrm Crawford Dunwoody Fine Art Association Dunwoody Gallery ~ Dunwoody Nature Center E. 48th Street Market ~ Face Haven Fitness Together ~ Donna and Tom Fullilove H&A International Jewelry Ltd. Josephine’s Antiques & Fine Linens Judy & Grace Boutique ~ Terry and Alan Kemp LookinGood Hair Salon ~ Rita Lynch Maximos Gyro & Kabobs ~ Monterey Wealth Dr. James Reilly, DDS Stage Door Theatre ~ Vintage Pizzeria Silver Sponsors Judy and Paul Bertrand ~ Martha Blondheim Budget Upholstery ~ The Capital Grille Carol Ciepluch ~ Sharon and Tom Clark Lori and Nicholas Desoutter Dunwoody Village Ace Hardware Judie Erickson ~ Funwoody Restaurants Deborah Gault ~ Prelude Bookstore Barbara and Jay Pryor Vicki and Bruce Strahan ~ Pat Troxel

Platinum Sponsors Ken, Karen, Michael, and Walker Ashley in memory of Toine Ashley Maria and Tony Barnhart Faye and Steve Cashwell Beverly and James Clark Club Pilates Dunwoody Dunwoody Animal Medical Center Dunwoody Preservation Trust The Enchanted Forest ~ The Hanna Family Kerry Arias Team Realtors, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties Donna and Greg Knowlton Jo Ann and Robert Kostkan Lauderhills Fine Jewelry Diane Norris ~ OnPoint Wealth Publix Super Markets Charities Jan Slater ~ Spruill Center for the Arts Thornton Law Firm Zurn Plumbing Service Friends of the Tour: Mary Jane and Todd Hollander ~ Kay Moe Novo Cucina ~ Anne Davenport ~ Sheila and Arif Jiwani Brenda and David Quickel ~ Pattie Simone and Rob Schreiner Shari and Steve Wassell

In gratitude to our in-kind and other contributors: Spruill Center for the Arts ~ Dunwoody Homeowners Association ~ The Enchanted Forest ~ Judy & Grace ~ Pat Fiorello ~ GoFar Atlanta Cart Rental ~ Mount Vernon Printing

NEWS

4 | October 1, 2026 | Sandy Springs Crier | AppenMedia.com/Sandy_Springs

Voters have until Oct. 5 to register for general election By JOSHUA WILSON joshua@appenmedia.com ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Georgians have until Oct. 5 to register to vote ahead of the Nov. 3 general election, according to the secretary of state’s office. The deadline applies to residents who want to cast a ballot in the general election, which will decide federal, state and local races across the state. Advance voting for the election runs Oct. 13-30. To register, Georgia residents must be U.S. citizens, legal residents of their county and at least 18 years old by Election Day. Applicants cannot be serving a sentence for a felony conviction involving moral turpitude or have been declared mentally incompetent by a judge. Residents can register online — download a postagepaid paper application to mail in — through the Secretary of State’s website at registertovote.sos.ga.gov. Those who have already registered

can confirm their status, find their polling place and check ID requirements through the state’s My Voter Page at mvp. sos.ga.gov. Voters who move must update their address with their county’s board of registrars or submit a new registration application before the deadline. Anyone who submits a registration and does not receive a precinct card within three to four weeks should contact their county elections office. A precinct card is not required to vote, but it shows where a resident’s polling place is located. Polling places will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day. Voters must bring a valid photo ID, such as a driver’s license, passport or state-issued voter ID card. If the Nov. 3 election requires a runoff, that election is set for Dec. 1. The registration deadline for the runoff is also Oct. 5 for most contests, though voters registering solely for a federal runoff race have until Nov. 2.

APPEN MEDIA FILE PHOTO

“I Voted” stickers await voters.

Welcome

Joanne Jacob, MD! We’re pleased to welcome Joanne Jacob, MD, to our Brookhaven, GA, location. Now accepting new patients!

SCHEDULE N O W! Joanne Jacob, MD • Tiffany Clay-Ramsey, MD • Kehinde Raji Olumesi, MD, MPH, FAAD • Titilola “Lola” Sode, MD

BROOKHAVEN, GA 4360 Chamblee Dunwoody Rd Ste 280 Atlanta, GA 30341

CALL OR SCAN TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT

(470) 903-8886 E P I P H A N Y D E R M AT O L O G Y. C O M

Puzzles

er 8/7/25 Connect-it

PuzzleJunction.com

Connect-It

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!

Sandy Springs Crier..............................October 1, 2026 | 5

Dunwoody Crier 8/7/25 Crossword

CITIES OF THE WORLD 1. City in Montana. Hurry up. Like a beaver. 2. Edible mushroom. Sheik’s bevy. City in Peru. 3. Swiss city. Bird of prey. Genre of music. 4. Gambling game. City in Belarus. Like a sheep. 5. City in Utah. Disney dog. Miserly. 6. Baby’s bed. Malian city. Spill the beans. 7. Beach sight. Fertile track in a desert. City in North Dakota. PuzzleJunction.com

2 3

/14/25 Sudoku7

World Cities 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, soaon. The connecting letter is outlined, giving you the correct number of letters for each 1. Montana city. Hurry up. and Like beaver. 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 3 answers on the puzzle, line. Sheik’s But each here’srow, the catch! Theand clues are not in order - so the first clue in Line 1 may (or may not) actually 2. Edible bevy. City of Peru. Tothe solve themushroom. Sudoku column be formust the second or the thirdnumbers answer in 1that line. Got it? Good luck! box contain to 9. 3. Swiss city. Bird of prey. Music genre.

4. Gambling game. City of Belarus. Like a sheep.

5. Utah city. Disney dog. Miserly.

3 5

6. Baby’s bed. City of Mali. Spill the beans. 7. Beach sight. Fertile track in a desert. North Dakota city.

9 9 3

7 1

7 4 1 6

5 3 9 2 7 6

6 5

9 8

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

3 4 2 7 6 5 9 8 1

7 8 1 3 9 4 2 5 6

8 1 6 9 3 2 5 4 7

2 7 4 5 8 1 6 3 9

9 3 5 4 7 6 1 2 8

1 Comic Sandler 5 Nabokov novel 8 Destiny 12 Fight decisions 14 Peddle 16 Food thickener 17 Stave off 18 Roof overhang 19 Water stoppers 20 School assignment 22 Fissure 24 Three-way joint 25 Sandusky’s county 27 Ransacker 29 Waterford lass 32 Psyche 33 Aphrodite’s lover 34 First name in jeans 37 Choler 41 Came across 42 Looks up to 44 Sugary drink 45 Conundrum 47 Wild oxen 48 Auxiliary 49 Irritation 51 Nonstop 53 London attraction 56 Residence hall 57 Preceded 58 Resting on 60 Nonpoetic writing 63 Mishmash 65 Pitfall 67 Pontificate 69 Swill 70 Discharge 71 Fit for a king 72 Paving stone 73 Menu words 74 Plaything

8 15

21 25

22 26

23 27

51 55

58 64

69 72

56 59

60 66

61 67

4 6 7 1 5 3 8 9 2

62 68

71 73

Down 1 Wanted-poster letters 2 ‘93 Kevin Kline comedy 3 Some votes 4 Crumbs 5 Caesar’s hello 6 Letter opener 7 Blacksmith’s block 8 Craze 9 Banded stone 10 Circus performer 11 Highlands tongue 13 Rubberneck

15 Roxana author 21 Traffic sign 23 Cloaks 26 Hostile force 28 Heavy weight 29 Tastelessly funny 30 Popular cookie 31 Leases 35 ___ Appia 36 Annoyed 38 Acquire 39 Mythology anthology 40 Quaint dance 42 Curacao neighbor

43 Bar in court 46 Physics unit 48 Type of car 50 Actress Davis of Mr. Skeffington 52 Trial’s partner 53 Scarlett O’Hara, e.g. 54 Dimwit 55 Bellini opera 57 Red ink amount 59 Beach item 61 Palm starch 62 List abbr. 64 Choose 66 Educ. group 68 Building wing

See puzzle solutions on Page 12

What do you want to know about the community?

1 9 3 8 2 7 4 6 5

Solution on next page

5 2 8 6 4 9 7 1 3

24 28

ASK APPEN

Solution 6 5 9 2 1 8 3 7 4

How to Solve: Kakuro, also known as Cross Sums, is a challenging number puzzle, solved in a crossword style grid. The rules are easy: A number above the diagonal line in a black square is the sum of the white squares to the right of it. A number below the diagonal line is the sum of the white squares in the sequence below it. You may only use the digits 1 to 9, and a digit can only be used once in any sequence.

Across

PuzzleJunction.com

Submit questions at appenmedia.com/ask or scan QR code.

6 | October 1, 2026 | Sandy Springs Crier | AppenMedia.com/Sandy_Springs

SCHOOLS

Fulton honors educators in annual ceremony By JIM BASS jim@appenmedia.com ATLANTA — Fulton County Schools on Sept. 16 rolled out the red carpet to honor more than 200 teachers and school professionals at its annual Legacy of Excellence Awards, held in the Georgia International Convention Center ballroom. A teacher of the year and school or support professional of the year were each honored for each of the 101 schools in the district, walking to the stage in front of more than 1,000 attendees consisting of family, friends, principals and other teachers. Board president Kristin McCabe said it's her favorite event of the year. She was attending the event as a board member for the fourth time. “It is necessary to recognize those that make a difference in our children's lives every single day,” McCabe said. “I think it's important that we recognize people for the work that they do, celebrate them so they know their value, and how much we appreciate them,” McCabe added. Joining WSB-TV news anchor Wendy Corona and board president

Kristin McCabe on the list of speakers, superintendent Mike Looney spoke about the positive impact that a teacher can have on a student, and why it's worth remembering. “Long after our students matriculate through our system, they're going to be thinking about their public education experience here in Fulton,” Looney said. “They're not going to remember perhaps their bus number, or what they ate at lunch one day, or the lesson that a teacher taught, but what they are going to remember is how we made them feel.” The Westlake High School Jazz Ensemble and New Prospect Elementary School Musical Theatre performed during the lunch hour. The Roswell High School Drumline later escorted the overall teacher of the year to the stage. The district honored its overall teacher of the year award winner: Crabapple Middle School’s Jennifer Priddy. She took home the honor along with overall support professional of the year Vahnesa Jourdan, who is a district human resources employee, and school professional of the year James Grantham of Centennial High School.

Priddy, an English Language Arts teacher, first won the schoolwide teacher of the year award after a contest between three finalists was decided by who students would produce the most noise for. Priddy, who leads the school’s student-led news crew for the school, heard she won the overall award during a live show in April. “I was there supporting them, making sure all the kids were behaving themselves and all of a sudden, they turned the announcement around on me,” Priddy said. Priddy has been teaching students since 1996 and joined the district 15 years ago. Crabapple Middle School principal Stephanie Haga said she is special in how she is able to support students by listening to what they want to accomplish instead of giving it to them and helping guide them to those goals. “[Priddy] She seeks to support kids, and she got recognized because of that. She had an opportunity to leave the classroom, and she said, ‘I want to be with the kids. That's where I belong,” Haga said. “I think that is the true teacher's heart.”

Concerns: Continued from Page 1 The Long Island Terrace location is 0.66 acres in size and less than 100 feet wide because of a stream and the associated required buffers at the back of the property. These constraints “pose a significant hardship,” according to the variance request. Without the variance, the applicant says it cannot comply with city code. The congregation only meets indoors and on weekends, including a Friday evening service, two Saturday services and a Sunday service followed by a light lunch. Members also gather throughout the year to honor the 12 Jewish holidays, host communal Friday night dinners, and occasionally meet for family-oriented educational and community events. The applicant claims the parking demand will be minimal, as members do not drive on the Sabbath — from sundown Friday to nightfall Saturday. Between eight and 15 members attend the Sunday service, the variance request says. There are four parking spots and a driveway at the Long Island Terrace location. Several residents who spoke to Appen Media said they were concerned their streets would become overflow parking once those spaces are filled. “Aside from the ranch home’s driveway, parking is not available without it spilling

JIM BASS/APPEN MEDIA

Fulton County Schools superintendent Mike Looney speaks at the annual Legacy of Excellence Awards on Sept. 16. over to city-owned streets, namely Long Island Terrace, Fountain Oaks Way and Fountain Oaks Lane,” said Jason Smithgall, who has lived on Fountain Oaks Way for 10 years. “These streets do not have the dedicated width to allow vehicles to park on both sides without creating ingress and egress problems for residents.” Appen Media asked residents if there were issues with the previous business that occupied the building. Residents said that business was quiet and unintrusive since it only had a few visitors each day. Residents added they worried the synagogue’s services and events would create bursts of vehicle and foot traffic, which would be disruptive to their narrow streets. Smithgall and others said they were also concerned about the congregation’s growth and the impact of noise from its activities on their neighborhood. “Congregations’ social times inherently create ongoing noise issues,” Smithgall said. “Inevitable membership growth will create even more noise.” The Sandy Springs Board of Appeals will discuss the variance request at 6 p.m. Oct. 1 at 1 Galambos Way. Editor’s note: Several residents interviewed for this article asked not to be named. Because Appen Media generally does not use anonymous sources, their comments are not quoted and were used only to describe general neighborhood sentiment.

Bagels:

COMMUNITY

AppenMedia.com/Sandy_Springs | Sandy Springs Crier | October 1, 2026 | 7

Continued from Page 1 It started during COVID-19 when Stieglitz wanted to bring a bagel breakfast to Northside Hospital employees. Her son called their favorite bagel shop – Goldbergs Fine Foods – and asked the manager if they would help. He agreed. “I was really stunned by the hundreds of bagels that we picked up that day,” Stieglitz said. Stieglitz started collecting the eatery’s excess bagels and distributing them to frontline workers once a week during the 2020 holiday season. Other restaurants soon joined the cause. “[I wanted to do] just my little part in making things better … and bagels were the answer for me,” Stieglitz said. ‘Literally one relationship at a time’ Stieglitz and her friend, Amy Wilensky, worked together to find businesses where they could “rescue” excess bagels. So far, they have formed partnerships with 71 businesses in metro Atlanta. Stieglitz calls them her “bagel babies.” “Everything was built just piece by piece,” she said. “It was literally one relationship at a time.” The duo also recruited other volunteers, including Jake Greenfield, a recent Dunwoody High School graduate. He started volunteering with Bagel Rescue during his sophomore year. With his mom, he started picking up bags of bagels and delivering them to Stieglitz. Greenfield later struck up a conversation with Kristin HathawayHansen, executive director of The Rich’s Foundation. The Atlanta-based grantmaking organization supports nonprofits working in a variety of areas. During

Cancer: Continued from Page 1 Black men are also more than twice as likely to die from prostate cancer compared to white men. Ellis said the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University is leading the charge in researching, preventing, detecting and treating prostate cancer. The commissioner led his colleagues on the Fulton County Board of Commissioners in recently proclaiming Sept. 16 as Winship Cancer Institute Appreciation Day. Among other offerings, the nonprofit cancer research and patient care center has a bus that brings complimentary prostate cancer screenings to communities across

BAGEL RESCUE/PROVIDED

Members of the Young Men’s Service League’s Brookhaven chapter lift bags of sorted bagels. Bagel Rescue will donate the bagels to its partner agencies in the area. that chat, Greenfield said a “light bulb went off,” and he connected Stieglitz with the foundation. It later granted $25,000 to Bagel Rescue. That gift helped Bagel Rescue lease a delivery van and keep its work going. “I think there’s so many times in all of our lives … where we have a choice in that moment to put things together in our brains,” Stieglitz said. “What seems like such a small gesture made such a huge difference to Bagel Rescue.” An ‘opportunity to help’ As a junior, Greenfield took on an expanded role with Bagel Rescue and joined the nonprofit’s teen program alongside other high schoolers. The program gives teens a “behind-thescenes” look at running such an organization. The students recruit volunteers, lead delivery routes and facilitate community service projects, including making sandwiches and sorting deliveries. Greenfield said the best part of working with Bagel Rescue is seeing it grow throughout his hometown of Dunwoody. “It’s amazing we’re helping people,” Georgia. In August, Ellis hosted a men’s health tailgate at the county’s Health and Human Services Center in Alpharetta. The bus was there, and cancer center personnel performed the screenings — done through blood tests — on 110 men. It was the cancer center’s secondhighest turnout for the free, mobile screenings. The bus launched last year in partnership with the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation and Mount Sinai Health System. Blank, the cofounder of Home Depot and owner of the Atlanta Falcons, is a prostate cancer survivor and said at the launch that he personally knows the benefits associated with yearly screenings. In the first year of the mobile screening program, Winship personnel screened more than 2,500 men, making 40 prostate cancer diagnoses.

Greenfield said. Dunwoody High senior Catherine Le, also the president of the school’s National Honor Society chapter, recently led one of Bagel Rescue’s sandwichmaking projects. “We’ve worked with Bagel Rescue for a couple of years now,” Le said. “Their work and mission are admirable and something that we as an honor society are grateful to have the opportunity to work with.” Juliet Utreras, also a Dunwoody High senior, is a member of the nonprofit’s third teen group. She said the program gives young people a meaningful way to address food insecurity in their communities. “It’s hard when you’re a kid to feel like you can actually make a meaningful impact or create change in the world, especially when you see people struggling,” Utreras said. “Bagel Rescue gave me the opportunity to help … to make a difference.” As president of the school’s Spanish National Honor Society, Utreras said she hopes to get its members more involved with Bagel Rescue in the future. The screenings also identified 377 men with elevated prostate-specific antigens for additional testing. Screenings rise, but often too late According to statistics published by the American Cancer Society, new prostate cancer cases are increasing by about 3% each year, driven by a sharp rise in advanced-stage diagnoses. Health officials attributed the rise to more men getting screened but said too many still aren’t being tested early enough. “We’re seeing two things happen at once — more men are being diagnosed with prostate cancer and a growing share of those cases are happening at a more advanced stage,” Dr. William Dahut, chief scientific officer for the cancer society, said. “That tells us screening conversations are happening

‘A huge impact, even with small things’ The nonprofit’s reach is steadily growing across the country. Volunteers have moved out of the Atlanta area and taken the mission with them. In 2025, Bagel Rescue expanded to Birmingham, Alabama, as well as Raleigh, North Carolina, and Portland, Oregon. The group also operates in Nashville, Tennessee, and Alexandria, Virginia. “We identified those cities as cities that have bagels to donate … and also areas of need,” Stieglitz said. In its first five years, the nonprofit has kept more than 1.7 million pounds of baked goods — bagels, breads and pastries — out of landfills. Volunteers have helped deliver 30,000 meals a week, with more than 4.4 million items donated to the group. Corporations are also recognizing the impact of Stieglitz’s organization and helping to grow Bagel Rescue. The nonprofit partners with around 20 Einstein Bros. Bagels locations in metro Atlanta. The chain’s leadership recently connected Stieglitz with three locations in Birmingham. “I know we will continue to grow into new markets,” Stieglitz said. “It’s going to be where we have some strong leaders and where we recognize that that’s a good place for us to be.” Stieglitz said she looks back at the organization’s humble beginnings — with hundreds of bagels stuffed in freezers in her garage — and feels full of joy. “I feel so lucky to get to be doing what I’m doing, and I feel like it happened just at the right time of my life,” she said. “Bagels are small, but we’re trying to show people that you can make a huge impact, even with small things.” To learn more about Bagel Rescue or to get involved with the organization, visit bagelrescue.com. too late for too many men, particularly those at high risk for the disease.” The cancer society recommends men at an average risk for prostate cancer speak with their health care providers about screenings beginning at 50. Men at elevated risk, including Black men and men with a family history of prostate cancer, should talk with their doctors earlier, at 45 or even at 40 if multiple close relatives have been diagnosed with the disease. Dr. Martin Sanda, director of Winship’s prostate cancer program and a urology professor at Emory’s School of Medicine, said men are often afraid of approaching the topic with their doctors. “It is vital for men to understand — or learn — that they can have influence over their own health and well-being,” Sanda said.

8 | Sandy Springs Crier | October 1, 2026

Sponsored Section

ISTOCK

Take control of your next remodel Brought to you by – Bath and Kitchen Galleria For decades, the relationship between homeowners and the home improvement industry has been defined by friction and unfulfilled expectations. While technology has revolutionized sectors like retail and banking, residential remodeling remains stubbornly resistant to progress. Year -after -year, consumer protection agencies report the same reality: home improvement ranks near the top of consumer complaint lists. According to John Hogan, president of Alpharetta based Bath and Kitchen Galleria, “there are 3 main causes and there is a 5 step process to fix this. • The overwhelmed contractor: The vast majority of remodeling businesses employ fewer than five people. The person swinging the hammer is often the same person

trying to order materials, balance the books, and return your phone calls. When they get overwhelmed, proactive communication completely vanishes, leaving you in the dark. • The massive knowledge gap: Unless you work in construction, you don’t know the exact going rate for copper pipes or how long a drywall inspection should take. Contractors hold all the specialized knowledge. This massive information imbalance naturally amplifies anxiety and mistrust, especially when things start going wrong. • Living inside the factory: Remodeling is essentially a custom manufacturing process executed right inside your sanctuary. Forcing your family to live amidst dust, noise, and a rotating cast of strangers strikes at your basic need for comfort. This intense, daily spatial stress naturally magnifies every minor mistake or delay into a major emotional crisis.

How to take control of your remodel You do not have to be at the mercy of a broken system. On your next project, you can fundamentally alter the dynamics by setting strict, unyielding boundaries before anyone picks up a tool: • Make communication part of the agreement: Do not sign a contract until you agree on how and when you will get updates. Require a specific communication channel and a mandatory weekly status update. • Documented change-order rule: Hidden issues like rot or bad wiring happen. Protect yourself with a contract clause stating that no unexpected work will be paid unless a written “Change Order”—detailing the exact price and timeline delay—is signed by you before the work begins. • Documented construction drawings: They MUST be an exhibit to the contract. NEVER proceed without them and they MUST be 100% complete

before any material orders are placed. DO NOT DESIGN ON THE FLY! • Payment by milestones: NEVER agree to a payment schedule based on dates. Instead, tie your payments strictly to verifiable physical milestones (e.g., X % after rough plumbing, X % after drywall is hung, etc.). This ensures the contractor only gets paid when real progress is made. • Project schedule in writing. Contractor MUST provide a weekly schedule or Gantt chart showing work completed by week and completion date. With certainty, you can avoid the 80% home improvement dissatisfaction rate by requiring all of the above 5 items. These avoidance steps all need to happen before the job starts. To learn more about this contact John Hogan, 678 459 2292, Bath and Kitchen Galleria, 10591 Old Alabama Rd Connector, Alpharetta.

REAL ESTATE REPORT • Sponsored Section

AppenMedia.com/Sandy_Springs | Sandy Springs Crier | October 1, 2026 | 9

10 | October 1, 2026 | Sandy Springs Crier | AppenMedia.com/Sandy_Springs

OPINION

PICT RIDER/ISTOCK

Rage against the machine It is hard to know where to start. And maybe just simply, “rage” is the logical place. Road rage. AI rage. Political rage. Inflation rage. Clean air and water rage. Immigrant rage. RAY APPEN Food rage. Pesticide Publisher Emeritus ray@appenmedia.com rage. Vaccine rage. Wage rage. Facebook rage. School rage. Education rage. Gun rage. Screen rage. Social media rage. Tat rage. Home-school rage. Government rage. Regulation rage. War rage. Faith rage. Musk rage. Coal rage. EV rage. Waiting in line rage. Rage, rage, rage. Freaking exhausting. Meanwhile some go about their daily lives miffed that they have to wait an extra 30 seconds in the grocery store because the special-needs clerk moves too slow, or because someone can’t find their voucher to pay for food fast enough, or on the way to the grocery, that old guy slows down to enter the roundabout. Blast the horn. White knuckle-grip the steering wheel. Drop some F-bombs,

Rage – anger by another name – is something we live with day in and day out – to one degree or another...Rage perhaps is a manifestation of a sense of powerlessness – the feeling that you have no control over your life.” rage. Beat someone. Culture anger in a petri dish and make it grow. Only the petri dish is you. What is happening? Has it always been like this? Or is it business as usual but maybe wearing slightly different clothes? Life is hard, I know, but does it have to be this hard? I am not unhappy; why should anyone else be unhappy? I got mine; go out and work and get yours. Alarmist? Buzz-killer? Whiner? Bad attitude? Maybe. Probably. Bueller? My dad always used to say that “no news is good news.” Which is to say that at least nothing bad is happening. I suppose. But he saw bad stuff every day – day in and day out. He was a doctor in a small town with his own practice.

He saw a lot of sick people. Then, on weekends he would do a 24 hour shift in the ER. He saw even more sickness – a lot more. I always used to wonder how he could still function and see so many people hurting – so many people in pain – and still be able to smile or carry on a conversation with his children or wife – talk about history class, the recital, or her book club. Maybe he couldn’t. Maybe he was just pretending to be interested or care. Maybe he just blocked that part of his life out – compartmentalized it – so there was enough room left over for something positive – something affirming – something with light. But when you do that – when one isolates part of themselves from themselves – from the

inside and the outside world, what is left? Ah, there is the rub. Is it enough? Rage – anger by another name – is something we live with day in and day out – to one degree or another. Everyone has their own personal 24-hour ER shift of some kind and has to choose or find a path to deal with it. The “stuff” today is probably the same as the “stuff” in the past, but if there actually is a difference, it may be that much of life today is amplified — which makes it harder to escape or compartmentalize. That is, it is getting harder to believe that because life is not awful, that it is good. I am not sure how sustainable that path is. Rage perhaps is a manifestation of a sense of powerlessness – the feeling that you have no control over your life. As AI evolves – as technology takes an increasing role in our lives – in how the world around us works, is viewed, and communicated – it is hard to imagine our ability to cope with it all improves in any significant way although perhaps — just maybe — we can learn to find more balance in simple things – the arts, music, giving, sharing, helping, caring and faith. That wouldn’t change what we must cope with, but it might change how we nourish our souls and sustain ourselves.

OPINION

AppenMedia.com/Sandy_Springs | Sandy Springs Crier | October 1, 2026 | 11

AIKENOMICS

Washington stirs pot again, mortgage rates climb Just when it appeared tensions in the Persian Gulf might finally be cooling, Washington stirred the pot again. Fighting between the U.S. and Iran intensified, quickly D.C. AIKEN sending oil prices Guest Columnist dcaiken.com higher and once again, the bond and mortgage markets followed. We’ve seen this movie before. Whenever conflict escalates in the Middle East, financial markets immediately begin calculating the potential impact on the global oil supply. It doesn’t necessarily take an actual shortage to move prices. The possibility of disrupted production, shipping lanes or exports is often enough for traders to build a geopolitical “risk premium” into the price of a barrel of oil. And that matters far beyond what we pay at the gas pump. Oil is woven throughout the economy. Higher energy prices increase transportation,

DRIVEWAYS & CONCRETE

Pool Decks, Patios, Walkways, Slabs

$250 OFF

Mention ad for $250 Off. New Driveway. Cannot combine coupons.

BBB A+ Rating

ARBOR HILLS CONSTRUCTION INC. 678-250-4546 | FREE QUOTES • Landscaping Residential & Commercial • Tree Services • Sprikler Systems • Maintenance & Installation Pine Straw & Mulch • Over 25 Years of Experience • Many Local References • Fair Prices for Professional Work • Maintenance & Installation Pine Straw & Mulch • Reliable, Punctual, Honest

manufacturing, shipping and distribution costs. Airlines pay more for fuel. Trucking companies pay more for diesel. Manufacturers pay more to produce and transport goods. Eventually, some of those increased costs find their way to consumers. In other words: higher oil prices can mean higher inflation and inflation remains the bond market’s biggest enemy. When investors believe inflation may remain elevated, they typically demand higher yields to own longerterm bonds. That puts upward pressure on the 10-year Treasury yield, which is one of the most important benchmarks influencing mortgage rates. The chain reaction looks something like this: Persian Gulf tensions — higher oil prices — greater inflation concerns —higher Treasury yields — higher mortgage rates. Unfortunately, that chain reaction is playing out again. The average top-tier 30-year fixed mortgage has climbed to about 6.89%, its highest level since June 2025. We haven’t quite reached the June 2025 peak of roughly 6.97%, but we are getting uncomfortably close

CONCRETE

Driveways • Patios • Walls • More McKemey concrete $250 OFF* Any job $2500 or more

Competitive Pricing Many Local References

IMAGE PROVIDED TO APPEN MEDIA

to seeing a “7” in front of mortgage rates again. Perhaps the most frustrating part for homebuyers is that this latest move has very little to do with housing. Home prices didn’t suddenly surge. Mortgage demand didn’t suddenly explode. And the U.S. economy didn’t suddenly change overnight.

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. ATTENTION - Double check ad for ALL content. Phone, web, address, coupons, etc. Assume nothing Reply back that ad is approved once ALL ITEMS HAVE BEEN CHECKED FOR ACCURACY.

DRIVEWAYS

NEW or REPAIR and Patios • Slabs • Walls Sidewalks • Pool Decks McKemey concrete $250 OFF

Any job $2500 or more

Bobby Albritton

Master Licensed Electrician Bobby Albritton

Residential & Commercial Services Master Licensed Electrician

CallResidential for a FREE Estimate &

404-519-8635 Commercial Services bgalbritton@live.com

Many Local References

10% OFF

*Offer expires 10 days after publication

Any job $500 or more.

*Offer expires 10 days after publication

Ask for Dave McKemey

678-648-2010 | FREE QUOTES

678-506-0006 | FREE QUOTES

ROOF REPAIR & REPLACE

Fruit Trees NOT Producing Fruit?

STOP LEAKS

Serving North Atlanta Since 1983. Affordable Quality Roofing. Based in Roswell.

98 • Tree Removal • Tree Pruning • Stump Grinding

• Full Insured • Free Mulch • Emergency 24/7

$150 OFF

$200 Leak Repairs or 10% OFF New Roof *Offer expires 10 days after publication

770-450-8188 | FREE QUOTES

Fruit Tree Pruning Fruit Tree Planting  Soil Care



$200 leak repair. Up to 8 penetrations. (1-story house, up to 7/12 pitch). Some restrictions apply

jobs $1500 or more

770-771-5432 | FREE QUOTES

Instead, mortgage rates are once again being influenced by events occurring thousands of miles away. That’s also why predicting where rates go from here is particularly difficult. A cooling of tensions and a retreat in oil prices could quickly provide some relief to bonds and mortgage rates. Additional escalation, however, could push oil higher and keep inflation fears and mortgage rates elevated. For buyers waiting for the “perfect” interest rate before purchasing a home, this is another reminder that the road to lower mortgage rates was never going to be a straight line. For now, keep one eye on the 10year Treasury and the other on the Persian Gulf.

770-284-3123 | FREE QUOTES

Specialized Fruit Tree Prunning and Care

bloom and fruit

bloomandfruit.net

info@bloomandfruit.com

12 | October 1, 2026 | Sandy Springs Crier | AppenMedia.com/Sandy_Springs

3 SOLUTIONS 7 5 Join today 1 9 2 for $16/month 7 4 9 3 1 6 5 DC Aiken Big Sky Franchise Team David & Michelle Bertany 3 9 2 MaryAnne Browne Amour & Duane Carthy 6 Scott Childress 7 5 8 6Connect-It9 Solution 4

Solution

F A T E A D A A D A M A G A R V E N D K A Y O S D A M S E A V E A V E R T T E E R I F T E S S A Y L O O T E R E R I E E G O C O L L E E N A N G E R L E V I A R E S A D E A D M I R E S M E T A I D E Y A K S P O S E R E T E R N A L R U B D O R M B I G B E N P R O S E A T O P L E D O R A T E T R A P O L I O R E G A L E M I T S L O P D O L L A L A S E T T

Support Local News Join Appen Press Club CHARTER MEMBER Adam Corder Patrick Cressaty Lindsay DeFranco Robert Flint Robin Fricton Zachary Hahn

2 H A R E M O R E L I M A

3 J A Z Z U R I C H A W K 4 M I N S K E N O V I N E

Barbara Anderson Kerry Arias Scott Baynton Joseph Bell Rita Brown SM Buscher Mark Casas

David Conti Theodore Davis III Maureen Drumm Charlcie Forehand Aileen Horton Deborah Jackson David Johnson

Solution

7 F A R G O A S I S U R F

6 5 9 2 1 8 3 7 4

3 4 2 7 6 5 9 8 1

7 8 1 3 9 4 2 5 6

8 1 6 9 3 2 5 4 7

2 7 4 5 8 1 6 3 9

9 3 5 4 7 6 1 2 8

5 2 8 6 4 9 7 1 3

1 9 3 8 2 7 4 6 5

4 6 7 1 5 3 8 9 2

Kim Truett Roger Wise Jr. Colt Whittall

Ali Mahbod Richard Matherly Evan McElroy Vickie McElroy Anne Peer Helen Perry Mary Phelps

Jennifer Phillippi Robert Popp Dave Rhinehart Sergey Savin Heather Sawyer Kate Seng Karen Shih

Christina Singleton Bob Stevens Kimberly Verska Carol Williams

Ann Donie Rebecca Donlan James Dorsey Tom Driscoll Michael Dudgeon Jeanette Dummer DutchCrafters Amish Furniture Thomas Edmonds William Edmundson Denise Eicher Mim Eisenberg Danny Elkins Su Ellis Grady Evans Leslie Ann Everett Steve Fabian Carol Fain Martha Fasse Nell & Doug Fernandez Renai Fitzpatrick Daniel Fleck Lee Fleck Laura Floyd Andrew Flynn Cathy Flynn Paul Folger Adrienne Fontaine Mary Ford Nanci Foster Amy Frederick Kelly Frommer Carol Fry

Tim Fulton Andrew Garner Tracey Ganesh Steve Garrett Daniel Gay Matthew Geller John Gibbs John Gilberto Leslie Gilliam Bailey & Ryan Gladysz Michelle Glotzbach Harvey Goldberg Christopher Goodrich Jim Gray Ralph Griffin Rihard Griffiths Elaine Gwynn Carolyn Hall Marilee Hamilton Susan Hanna Marion Hannah Chris Harrell Roxanne Hazen Penn Hodge Dianne & Steffan Holmquist Joan Hostetter Julie Hostetter Krista Howland Austin Hughes Jason Hunyar Jacqueline Hursh Barbara Hurt-Simmons

MEMBER

5 C H E A P L U T O R E M 6 C R I B L A B A M A K O

Bruce Paulk Ross & Lori Ramsey Sarah Reiter Mark Rundle Matthew Sayle Lynn Thomas

MEMBER+

Allison January Michael Kenig Roderick Liptrot Bob Meyers Claude Nardy Cliff Oxford

Carl Abernathy Bruce Ackley Salpi Adrouny Alpharetta Lions Club Omar Altalib Dave Altman Ron Altman Joel Alvis American Legion Post 201 Ken Amos Alice & Dr. Richard Appen Stewart Applbaum Gaye Armstrong Mary Asbury Marcus Ashworth Amy Auffant Bonnie Avera Carolyn Axt Bangkok Boxing LLC Sandra Balmer Shannon Banna Beth Barnes Michael Baron Janet Bass Caitlin Bates Jannet Bauer Barbara Bauschka Miriam Beattie Kathy Beck Laura Bentley William Bentley Steve Berman

Leslie Berry Tom Billings Caroline Blackmon Tochie Blan Ron Boddicker Jodi Bogen JoAnn Bogner Sherri Bolles-Rogers Katherine Bolt Helen Borland Debra Bowen Joe Bowen Kenneth Bowman David Boy Ryan Brainard Mark Brandus Mel Brannen Amy Bratten Carol Bright Linda Brill Dorothy Brouhard Mary Anne Brown Erendira Brumley Zack Buchanan Lee Buechele Bernhard Burgener Alvin Burrell Mike & Theresa Buscher Mary Busman Clea Calloway Jean Campbell Kirk Canaday

James Carr Bridgette Carter William Carter William Cartwright Linda & Frank Catroppa Pat Check Virginia Christman Adam Cleveland Ann Coaloa Kim Coggins Michael Cohen Kathleen Cohen Evelyn Collazo Jeffery Conn Michael Mackenzie Communications Joan Compton Kathleen Cook Carol Cookerly Terri Coons Sarah Cox Cynthia Crawford Rhonda Cude Connie Cunningham Christopher Cupit Bart Dean David Dean Duane DeBruler Marilyn DeCusati Kathleen DeMartino Nancy Diamond Sarah Donehoo

To join go to appenmedia.com/join and follow the prompts to select your membership level and select your t-shirt size! Questions? Email Hans Appen at hans@appenmedia.com or call 770-442-3278.

Scan QR code to join the Appen Press Club

AppenMedia.com/Sandy_Springs | Sandy Springs Crier | October 1, 2026 | 13

Support Local News Join Appen Press Club

Join today for $16/month

MEMBER (CONT.) Susan Huss Paul Huth Jeffrey Hyde J. Craig Inman Sandra Jacobs Susan Jacques Lynn Johnson Tyler Jones Zach Jones Patricia Kachur Amy Kanderis Arthur Kebanli Laura Keck Mark Kelly Nancy Kennell Randall Kent Carol Kerr Sally Klaskala Allison Kloster Dyna Kohler Brett Koutnik Larry Krueger Jess & Chris Kysar Malinda Lackey Sarah Lamm Daniel Lashinsky Richard Lapin Christine Law Brandon Leach Dennis Lee Ken Leffingwell Carol Lehan

Melissa Libby Bonnie Lind Francia Lindon Karen Lippert Harlan Little Jarrett Long Ross Long Kyser Lough Rita Loventhal Jerry Lucas Brenda Lundy Harry Lutz Rita Loventhal Karen Magill Freda Manning-Rumph Hilbert Margol Julie Martin Linda & Todd Martinez Carla Masecar Valerie Matthews Theresea Mattioli William Maxwell Nicole Mayer Rachel McCord Austin McCully Diane McDonald Evan McElroy Karen McEnerny Jack McGinnis Lynn McIntyre Mike McLoughlin Margaret McManus

Jay O’ Meara Celia Mendez Jennifer Mendoza Dan Merkel Al Merrill Chris Miller Christine Miller Patricia Miller Milton Animal Hospital George Mobley Joe Modica Fred Moeller Sarah Moen Catherine Moore Ralph Moore Carol Morgan Kathy Morgan Stu Moring Karen Mowery Leslie Mullis Donna Murphy Jack Murphy Aileen Nakamura George Nathan Caroline Naughton Richard Nichols Cindy Nolan North Fulton Master Gardeners, Inc. Carol & Carl Obenland Tricia Novarro Bob O’Brien Martha O’Brien

THE FUTURE OF LOCAL NEWS

Jay O’Meara Diana O’Sullivan Anne Pappas Lynn Pennington Jonathan Peters Kurt & Leslie Phillips Mary & Jan Phillips James Potts Debra Powell Seth Price Joyce Provissiero Chuck Pugh Douglas Quat Patricia Rackliffe Robert Radloff Raj Rajagopalan Pankaj Rajankar Ashwin Ramaswami Cheryl Rand Manu Rao James Rasmussen Paula Rattray Lori Rausch Jean Rearick Joseph Reed Scarlett Reynolds Righteous PR Angie Rigney Sean Riley Neil Robertson Rory Robichaux Kimberly Robinson

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.

Matt Rohs Kim Romaner Courtney Rozear Fran Russell Janet Sandberg Carolina Santos Kelly Sarmiento Fran Schefer Derek Scheidt Dorothy Scherr Stephanie Schniederjan The Schoenblum Family Robert Scholz Robert Schreiner Stephanie Schuette Susan Searles Frances Segars Tracy Shealy Tina Shelton Lisa Shippel Steve Short Tom Simon Cindy Simpson Robert Singleton Faye Sklar Mitchel Skyer Judith Slaughter Andy Smith Lee Smith Tia Solh Morris Soriano Heidi Sowder

Gena Spears Donald Spencer Melissa Spencer Jordan Spivack Jan Stephens Judith Stewart Wesley Stewart Cathryn Stovall Celeste Strohl Diana Sullivan Andy Sumlin Kathy Swahn Carol Tall Mike Tasos Candice Teichert The Small Business Advisor Suzanne & Bob Thomas William Tietjen Lisa Tilt Michael Townes Trunnion LLC Matthew Tyser Edward Votta Linda Wabler Ollie Wagner Lewis Walker Elizabeth Waller Valerie Walters-Gold Ann Marie Warning Terry Warnke Jonathan Washburn Michael Watson

Deborah Weiss Michael Weiss Herbert Wells Benjamin Wemberly Beverly Whisenant Sally White Thom White Umpika White Mae Whiteside Ashley Whitt Jennifer Wieland Christine Williams Jamie Wimberly Jonathan Winkie Nancy & Dave Wistrand Kalle Wood Theresa Woolridge Laura Wysong Jonathan Young

THE APPEN PRESS CLUB

One solution is the creation of a membership driven organization called the Appen Press Club that is dedicated to recruiting people and companies to join as members. Members pay recurring monthly or annual dues that are 100% dedicated to sustainable journalism. By providing predictable revenue, Appen Press Club members and partners help fund the salaries and expenses of local reporters who will no longer be subject to the whims of marketing budgets and an ever changing advertising world. In turn, those reporters will provide the readers they serve with highly researched and qualified journalism focused on subjects that directly affect their quality of life.

To join go to appenmedia.com/join and follow the prompts to select your membership level and select your t-shirt size! Questions? Email Hans Appen at hans@appenmedia.com or call 770-442-3278. Scan QR codeto join the Appen Press Club

14 | October 1, 2026 | Sandy Springs Crier | AppenMedia.com/Sandy_Springs

SERVICE DIRECTORY Landscaping

Pressure Washing

AwArd winning LAndscApes

20 years of Keeping Dunwoody Green

Installation Maintenance Seasonal Color

Ogletree Enterprises

a MALTA Award Winning Firm Ken Ogletree

770.840.8884

Servicing the Dunwoody area since 1981, with more than 1000 established references available.

CELEBRATING MY 45TH YEAR! THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU! • Competitive Pricing: Ext. house wash, fences, pool/patio decks & driveways (ASK ME ABOUT MY

TWO-COAT HAND BRUSHED EXTERIOR PAINTING)

MY EXPERIENCE ACHIEVES OPTIMAL RESULTS!!!

Licensed • Insured • References Concrete/Asphalt

Roofing

ALEX FRASER MASONRY INC.

ROOF LEAKING? Call us for roof repair or roof replacement. FREE quotes. $200 OFF Leak Repairs or 10% off New Roof. Affordable, quality roofing. Based in Roswell. Serving North Atlanta since 1983. Call to schedule FREE Quote: 770-284-3123. Christian Brothers Roofing

• BRICK • CONCRETE Alex Fraser, President www.alexfrasermasonry.com E-Mail: afrasermasonry@aol.com

• BLOCK • STONEWORK FULLY INSURED

Cell: (404) 281-0539

Driveways $250 OFF NEW DRIVEWAY!

ROT-DOC

Dunwoody Door Lift Co.

Mention this ad. Concrete driveway specialists. Driveways, Pool Decks, Patios, Walkways, Slabs. A+ BBB rating. FREE ESTIMATE. Call Rachael at 678-250-4546 to schedule a FREE Estimate. 30 years of experience. ARBOR HILLS CONSTRUCTION INC. Please note we do have a minimum charge on accepted jobs of $5,000.

Don’t waste good paint on rotten wood. Minor repairs make a major difference!

We sell, install and repair garage doors and openers.

Miscellaneous

Home Improvement

Rot Repair Technician

Interior/Exterior Painting Pressure Washing Rotten Wood Deck Repair Free Estimates

Thurman | 770.899.1354 | www.rot-doc.com

Garage Doors

The ONLY garage door company in Dunwoody!

Authorized Genie Dealer serving Dunwoody since 1973.

Budget Fabrics And Upholstery

770-393-1652

If you can’t lift your door, let Dunwoody Door Lift it!

*DISCOUNT PRICES*

-FREE Design Consultation• Thousands of designer 770-396-6891 fabrics IN STOCK 770-396-6824 Mon-Fri 8-6 • Sat 8-3

Electricians

Belco Electric

“Family Owned Since 1972” Fast Dependable Service by Professional Uniformed Electricians

Check out our new website:

770-455-4556 BelcoInc.com

and follow us on:

Handyman Matthew the Handyman - Carpentry, painting, drywall, plumbing. Electrical and small jobs. 404-547-2079. CARPENTRY AND REPAIRS Wood Rot, Roof Leaks, Decks and Refinishing. Interior and Exterior Painting. Flooring, Doors and Handyman Punch Lists. Give us a call, we do it all. 770-262-6272.

To place a classified ad, email classifieds@appenmedia.com. Deadline is Thursdays by 3pm

AppenMedia.com/Sandy_Springs | Sandy Springs CrierT:\ADS_2025\Appen | October 1, 2026 | 15 Media Group\Filler Ads\ Shop, Eat, Read Local

Full-Time Job Opportunity: Supervisor – Retail Sales Company: Hi Level Fashion LLC Location: POWELL, OH Responsibilities: • Supervise and train staff • Schedule shifts & manage inventory • Assist customers & maintain store displays Requirements: • Diploma/Associate in Business or related • 3+ years retail supervisory experience • English required. Contact: e.qusrawi@gmail.com

Part-Time BUSINESS ADMINISTRATOR (Part-Time) Alpharetta Presbyterian Church Seeking an organized, detail-oriented professional to support church operations and staff. Position is 2025 hours per week, M-F, on-site. Qualifications: Responsibilities include: • Human resources administration and staff support • Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree required • Strong computer and organizational skills • Church operational and administrative functions • Experience in office administration, operations • Technology systems coordination and support management, HR, or related field preferred • Insurance, compliance, and records management • Excellent communication skills and ability to • Vendor and contractor administration maintain confidentiality To apply: • Successful criminal records/child abuse Please submit your resume and cover letter to background check required alpharettajobopening@gmail.com

SHOP LOCAL EAT LOCAL READ LOCAL Your North Atlanta News & Podcast Source AppenMedia.com

Is Your Company Hiring? Submit your opening at appenmedia.com/hire

16 | October 1, 2026 | Sandy Springs Crier | AppenMedia.com/Sandy_Springs

VISIT THE APPEN MEDIA STORE Support local journalism by visiting appenmediastore.com – every purchase directly funds the vital work of the Appen Media newsroom.

SHOP AT APPENMEDIASTORE.COM AND SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM