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The

CITIZENS REVIEWVol. 21 Newsletter of the Mt. Paran-Northside Citizens Association, Inc. June 2004

Your Vote Counts

General Primary July 20, 2004General Primary Runoff August 10

Registration Deadline June 21

Primary Election: A primary is any election held for thepurpose of electing party officers or nominating candidates

for public offices to be voted upon in a general election (tobe held on November 2). At the present time, recognizedpolitical parties in Georgia include the democratic and re-publican parties. Most judicial officers and some localcounty officers are elected on a non-partisan basis. Thesenon-partisan candidates are included on both political partyballots in the primary.

Offices to be elected include President/Vice President, U.S.Senate (to succeed Zell Miller), U.S. Congress (Districts 5,6), Associate Justices of Georgia Supreme Court, DistrictAttorney, Judges of Superior Court and Court of Appeals,Public Service Commissioner, State Senators and Repre-

sentatives, Clerk of Superior Court, Probate Judge, Sheriffof Fulton County, Solicitor, Fulton County Surveyor, Ful-ton County Tax Commissioner, Judges, State Court of Ful-ton County and Fulton County School Board Members(outside the City of Atlanta). For more election and candi-date information go to: www.sos.state.ga.us

The remaining trees, whose roots are buried under thecrushed stone, are now in jeopardy of dying too.

On April 14, the citys Tree Conservation Commission(TCC) ordered the homeowner to pay $49,320 in recom-pense for illegally cutting trees. The TCC further orderedthe citys arborist (who initially cited the homeowner withillegally removing only seven trees, but that later waschanged to 21 trees), to return to the site to determine thenumber of stumps that were buried with crusher run toconceal the evidence. The TCC indicated that there wouldbe more fines imposed after the actual number of cut treescan be determined. One commission member commented

Ecological Disaster Created with Driveway Repair PermitNeighbors are horrified atthe disaster that took place

at 1175 W. Conway andwonder how this couldhappen in our neighbor-hood and our city. Thistragedy has resulted in themassive destruction ofmore than 60 mature trees,illegal dumping of some550 truckloads of crusherrun to widen and raise thedriveway, along with thepollution of State waters. Continued on Back Page

July Election More Important Than Ever

There Can Be no Daily DemocracyWithout Daily Citizenship

Special Election: Also included on the July 20 ballot willbe a special election for: 1) Atlanta City Council Presidentto fill an unexpired term 2) a referendum on whether toimpose a special one percent sales and use tax in the Cityof Atlanta to fund water and sewer projects.

Registration and Absentee Voting: There is still time toregister to vote before the June 21 deadline. You can go tothe State of Georgia website listed above or call the voter

registration office at (404)656-2871. If you will be awayor cant get to the polls, please vote absentee. You canrequest an absentee ballot application by calling (404)730-7065 or pick one up at the Northside Library located at3295 Northside Parkway. Fax the application to (404)730-8839 and a ballot will be mailed to you. Ballots must bereturned no later than 7 PM on Election Day.

Your vote in the upcoming Primary Election is extremelyimportant. A low voter turnout could result in a loss for

the most qualified candidates.Judicial races and the spe-

cial election will be decided on July 20, not in November.We have an obligation to be informed and to choose thebest candidates.Hope to see you at the polls, open 7AM to7PM,July 20!

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After two and a half years of serving on the Atlanta City Council

(in large part due to the support I received from the Mt. ParanNeighborhood), I am pleased to report that change is afoot. Butunfortunately, that change is not coming soon enough. The Cityis still short several hundred police officers; solid waste collec-tion continues to be a problem across the city; water/sewer ratesare going through the roof; gridlock is the norm; our parks are ina deplorable condition; scandals are continuing to reveal them-selves, and the list goes on. So where do we go from here?

It took the City of Atlanta more than two and a half years to getinto this situation. So we can all be assured that it will take theCity more than two and a half years to get out. Yet we all hopedthat we would have been further along on the path to recovery.The difficulty in addressing many of the Citys most pressing

issues revolves around two major deficiencies. The two missingingredients are a lack of money and of efficient management.

Therefore, to address many of these challenges the City mustidentify new or enhanced streams of revenue. First, Atlanta mustcollect all revenue due. This isnt a novel idea; however, it hasnot been done well. Additional possibilities include the creationof a parking authority (parking meters and parking decks), theenforcement of all parking and traffic violations, identifying costsaving measures through consolidation and/or outsourcing of cityservices, and identifying automation and management improve-ments.

Of course, more money could always help the City. However,

without proper management/management controls it would all befor naught. In fact, a number of the Citys issues could be ad-dressed largely through the streamlining and implementation ofimproved processes. The most likely place would be in the col-lection of revenue owed the City as it pertains to solid waste.

While we have seen some changes at City Hall, there have notbeen enough for the average homeowner to notice. The citizensmust demand that the Citys administration stretches itself to im-prove services, reduce and/or maintain costs (depending on thedepartment), and create more public/private partnerships whereappropriate. Citizens must also demand that the City Councilexercise adequate oversight and develop thoughtful public policythat gets to the heart of all of these matters.

Where Do We Go From Here?By H. LAMAR WILLIS

Atlanta City Council Member, Post 3 At-Large

Fire Side ChatBy CAPTAIN KEITH SCHUMACHER

FIRE STATION #27 B-SHIFT, 4260 NORTHSIDE DRIVE

Things are moving fast in the Atlanta Fire Department thesedays. One of the biggest things is, were changing our name toAtlanta Fire-Rescue, to more accurately describe what we do.

We have recently put some new emergency medical equipmentin service at Engine #27. We have a new Automatic External

Defibrillator that gives us the capability to provide emergencymedical service to children as well as adults who may be suffer-ing a cardiac arrest. We also have a unit that can measure bloodsugar accurately to a specific number rather than just a range,which greatly improves our care to diabetic patients.

We now have a pulse oximeter, that fits on the tip of a finger togives us a heart rate reading and tell us the percentage of oxygenin the blood, very important in medical emergencies.

Another big move in the making is that our department is in dis-cussions with the Fulton County Fire Department to implement aboundary drop. This plan would enable us to respond to emer-gencies from the closest emergency crew regardless of whatjurisdiction the emergency is in. This would increase the number

of units that each dispatch center has at their disposal. FultonCounty dispatchers would be able to dispatch Atlanta units andvice-versa. The Mt. Paran-Northside community would benefitfrom this because it would nearly double the amount of fire ap-paratus available on either side of the city-county line.

We have also implemented a program called ASAP. This standsfor Atlanta Smoke Alarm Program. We believe that smokealarms are the single most important appliance in your home.They save lives! And, we suggest that you should change yoursmoke alarm battery each time you change your clock. If youdidnt change your battery when we had the recent time change,do it now. If you would like assistance in testing, changing bat-teries, or installing a smoke alarm, free of charge, please call ourSmoke Alarm Hotline at (404)865-ASAP (2727).

In recent Atlanta city budget talks, Atlantas firefighters wereasking for minimum safe staffing, a fair pension and a raise inpay to a level comparable to neighboring fire departments. Wealso discussed replacing the 1987 Ford Hose Tender at Station#27. We did OK, but not great. We were able to get 50 of the203 needed positions to bring us up to national minimum safestaffing levels. We still need 153. We were able to get 2% of theestimated 20% raise needed with an additional 2% to come inJuly. Our pension was not addressed, nor was the Hose Tender.

The AFD Officers Committee will continue speaking at NPU(Neighborhood Planning Unit) and community group meetings

to gain support for the 2005 budget process. As a department,we are stepping up in our improvements in the services that weprovide to you in the hope that you will be there to support us.We need your help. Please call your Atlanta City Council repre-sentative and ask them to support your firefighters with at leastthe same pension as the police and as much pay as neighboringfirefighters.

Under the direction of Fire Chief Dennis Rubin, we are becom-ing a customer service oriented organization. Our essential mis-sion and number one priority is to deliver the best possible ser-vice to you, our customer, Let us know how we are doing. Stopin and say hi. Bring the kids. We would love to see you.

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City Charter and ConsolidationBY CLAIR MULLER

During the May 17 meeting of theAtlanta City Council, I introducedtwo important pieces of legislationconcerning the creation of a Char-ter Review Commission to discussvarious issues relating to the Char-ter of the City of Atlanta. Whilecertain provisions of the Chartercan be amended by action of theCity Council, others, including anychanges to the composition of the

City Council, require action by the Georgia General Assemblyand involve the consideration of a Charter Review Commission.

The first resolution would establish the initial Charter ReviewCommission to deliberate briefly on the questions recently raisedregarding the composition of the City Council. Specifically, as itis written now, it would be charged with studying four issues:

The composition of the City Council; Election procedures for theCity Council; Funding arrangements for City elections; and Ad-ministration and personnel practices from, or during, a vacancy.

This resolution is being held in committee and I hope that actionwill be taken on it soon.

The second resolution I introduced would have expanded thecharge and composition of the Charter Review Commission toinclude an analysis of the feasibility of consolidating the govern-ments of the City of Atlanta and Fulton County. Consolidationhas been discussed in various forums over the years, but the dis-cussion has never garnered serious attention. The Council votedto file this legislation and I have reintroduced a revised version toinclude an analysis of both Fulton and Dekalb counties.

I believe it is time we undertake a serious discussion of the bene-fits consolidation would offer the City of Atlanta and the entireregion. The Charter Review Commission is the perfect forum forjust such a discussion.

There is a growing need for regional planning and cooperation ifwe are to ensure that the Atlanta Metropolitan area remains com-petitive in the global market. Instead, the regions municipalitiescontinue competing against each other for the precious few re-sources coming from the state and federal government, often atthe expense of regional progress. As a result, the City of Atlantaand the entire Metropolitan region continue to face the growinglist of problems stemming from urban sprawl. Just as the City is

in the midst of a costly capital improvement program to improveits water and wastewater system, costly new growth is occurringon the fringes of urban sprawloften at the cost of reinvestmentin our aging infrastructure.

I am not one to suggest that consolidation does not raise numer-ous issues that will require a great deal of discussion. But now isnot the time to ignore this debate. Instead, it is important that weengage in this debate and look seriously at the opportunities con-solidation might provide.

I look forward to the debate regarding this legislation, and Iwould especially appreciate any input from residents interested inthis issue. If you have any questions, please feel free to contactme at

Whitewater Creek neighbor, Sandra Adair, hasbeen appointed to the Board of Equalization(BOE). After completing the required 40-hourcourse, Sandra began serving on the board inApril. BOE members are also required to take anannual 8-hour refresher course. The three-member BOE was established in 1993 to resolve

appeals of tax assessments in the city of Atlanta and FultonCounty.

Mt. Paran Road neighbor,Mary Lou Floyd, wasrecently appointed to Keep Atlanta Beautiful,formerly known as the Atlanta Clean City Com-mission. The groups mission includes keepingAtlanta free of visual pollution through educa-tion, ownership and enforcement.

We appreciate the willingness of these neighbors to work tomake a difference in their city, state and world! Please email usabout your notable neighbors: or

Notable Neighbors

Bill Rau

Jo Ann Rau

ATLANTA AIMS TO BE WORLDSFIRST WIRELESS CITY

Atlanta has begun development of Atlanta Fastpass to becomethe world's first truly "wireless city." This Wi-Fi Initiative willbring together both the public and private sectors to create thisnew high-speed wireless network, which will initially "go live"at Atlanta City Hall and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta InternationalAirport. "The public Wi-Fi initiative is a major step towardsdelivering Mayor Shirley Franklin's vision for a wireless Atlanta,as the City focuses on addressing the broadband conductivityneeds of mobile residents and visitors," said Abe Kani, ChiefInformation Officer City of Atlanta Department of InformationTechnology. "We are thrilled that the City of Atlanta has se-lected Biltmore Communications to be its partner in this ground-breaking effort to create a citywide high-speed wireless network.We look forward to working closely with the City, with ourschools and universities, and with key business leaders in theprivate sector to make Atlanta the biggest Wi-Fi city in theworld," stated Jeff Levy, chairman and CEO of Biltmore Com-munications.

Within a three-year period, the City will rapidly expand its wire-less footprint and provide a service that will enhance educationalopportunities for students and enable businesses in the City toimprove workforce productivity, by giving workers the freedomto use their laptops and PDAs in the various locations through-out the City. It will also benefit Atlanta's backup communicationnetwork in disaster scenarios and make Atlanta more attractiveas a convention and tourist destination. "By making technologyavailable to the public, Wi-Fi brings important benefits to thecommunity as a whole, bridging the digital divide," says Dr.Jabari Simama, Executive Director of the Mayor's Office ofCommunity Technology. For additional information and contin-ued updates on Atlanta Fastpass call (404)330-6633, or visitwww.atlantaga.gov/Government/InformationTechnology.aspx

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Neighborhood Briefs

The Atlanta Lyric Theatre continuestheir summer warehouse series thefirst Thursday in June at 8PM. DanBritt, fabulous baritone, will singevery Thursday evening with a differ-ent artist through August. The con-

certs are free though a $20 donation is welcome. Refreshmentsare included. The warehouse is on Marietta, not far from theAtlanta Humane Society. Go South on Howell Mill, South of10th Street, Howell Mill and Marietta meet at a point. At thistraffic light take a sharp right, then look on your left. See freeparking and follow the crowd down the drive. The warehouseonly seats about 75 people, so no microphones are needed.Come early to get a seat. No reservations are needed. And, markyour calendar now for an evening of entertainment by the LyricOrchestra and members of the company at the The GrandNight of Singing on Saturday, October 2, 2004 at the SheratonGrand Ballroom. For more information on this black-tie galafundraiser, the 2004-2005 Season, and special events go towww.atlantalyrictheatre.com Paula Hill

Help Wanted

In 1999 Chastain Horse Park re-placed the old dilapidated ChastainStables with a new facility offeringprograms for children and adultswith disabilities and children-at-

risk, private boarders, and lessonsfor the general public. The Club-house opened in 2000 and has been

the site of over 500 festive occasions including wedding recep-tions, corporate functions and birthday celebrations. And begin-ning this summer, the Horse Park will be installing 2 x 5brass plaques on the fence along Powers Ferry and W. WieucaRoads as part of its 2004-2005 annual appeal. Plaques are $250($235 is tax deductible) with proceeds going towards capitalimprovements as well as therapeutic student scholarshipsagreat way to have a visible presence at this historic landmark.For more information call (404)252-4244 ext. 32, or log ontothe website at www.chastainhorsepark.org for information on

upcoming events, program information, volunteer opportuni-ties, facility rental and donations. Chastain Horse Park is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Kathy Farrington

Chastain Horse Park Fence Plaques Raise Funds

The Lyric Celebrates its 25th Anniversary Season

The Chastain Park Conservancy was formedlast fall by combining efforts from theChastain Park Civic Association and a grass-roots organization called People for ChastainPark. The 501(c)3 designation was receivedin record time. The board consists of J.PMatzigkeit, President; Justin Wiedeman

VicePresident; Kirk Oppenlander, Treasurerand Mary Dodson, Membership Chair. Ray Mock, formerly withPark Pride, is the Executive Director of Operations. The missionof the Conservancy is to restore, enhance, maintain and preserveChastain Park. Initial volunteer efforts have cleared overgrownareas, spread mulch throughout the park and reopened picnic andgrill areas.

Safety and security will always be the highest priority. There arealso long term improvements to make the park even better. Vol-unteers meet the first Saturday of every month at the Conservancybarn at 4001 Powers Ferry Road. Work projects run from 9 AMto Noon and there is something for all ages. There are patron lev-els for every budget and every dollar is tax deductible and goes

straight to the park. Our founding sponsors include Cox Enter-prises, Harry Norman Realtors, Odd Job Tree Specialists andStarkWhite. For information about joining the Conservancy go towebsite, www.chastainparkconservancy.org, or call (404)237-2177. Come join the fun and help the park become even more ofa jewel for our area.

Introducing the Chastain Park Conservancy

Over 500 Galloway students spent anApril morning in Chastain ParkGrades 5 through 12, in mixed buddygroups of older and younger studentswalked from Galloway to the Master

Grill in Chastain Park. Before they ortheir teachers began working, theywere welcomed by Elliott Galloway,

founder and headmaster emeritus of The Galloway School andRay Mock, Director of Operations for Chastain Park Conser-vancy. While not only celebrating the Earth that day, they alsoserved their community by helping to restore Chastain Park to itsoriginal beauty by spreading wood chips to stop erosion, clearingunderbrush that had crept onto pathways; removing invasiveweeds; and clearing trip hazards to make the Park safer. Theirefforts helped reclaim space that can be used by all park visitors.Mock told the group that, using the national standard of dollarsper volunteer hours, 500 volunteers working 3 hours represents

over $20,000 value to the city of Atlanta. Nancie F. Smith

Galloway Buddy Groups Clean Up Chastain Park

Originally imported from Japan, kudzu nowcovers over seven million acres of the South-eastern United States and has had a significantimpact on life. It is one of the most invasivevines. Please be on the lookout and get rid of it.Call the Fulton County Extension Service foradvice on how to remove Kudzu. For more in-formation, go to www.treesatlanta.org.

Kudzu Alert

To design a new Mt. Paran-Northside Citizens AssociationsWebsite or maintain the current site throughwww.neighborhoodlink.com/atlanta/mountparan

If you are interested in helping with thisworthwhile neighborhood project,please send an email to

It can be what you make it!

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June 2004

Security Patrol Information

The Mt. Paran Security Patrol isa neighborhood-funded patrolstaffed by retired Atlanta policeofficers. The officers patrol ourneighborhood and the RandallMill Civic Association neighbor-hood Monday through Friday andadditional weekend hours as crimepatterns dictate.

The patrol checks doors and win-dows daily while you are out oftown and picks up newspapersThe fee to join the patrol is $150 ayear and covers the time periodfrom January 1 to December 31.The fee for new residents will bepro-rated. Subscribers receive amailbox decal, telephone stickersand access to the security hotlineas well as daily surveillance ofyour house and property.

For information on joining, orto meet the patrol officers, call(404)310-7361. Be sure to leave

a message during off-duty hoursand either Officer Cole or Offi-cer Hendrix will call you back.

Logged 5711 miles patrolling our neighborhood Made 1436 house checks for traveling subscribers

Responded to 50 alarm calls Investigated 28 suspicious persons or autos Investigated 1 break-in (house under construction) Investigated 5 incidents of vandalism Investigated 6 incidents of larceny Found 2 open doors

January: Mailboxes damaged on Cave Road during the night.Water balloons or water-filled plastic bottles thrown at pedestriansfrom different vehicles. Suspicious person ordered checks andchecked a mailbox on Paran Place daily until checks were deliv-ered. When checks were stolen and cashed, the bank called to in-

form the victim and the account was closed.

February: Door-to-door sales people reported on Cave Road andNorthside Drive. Kids throwing snowballs with rocks inside at carson W. Conway at The Highlands. Mailbox damaged on Fairfield.Drunk driver hit mailbox on Sentinel Post and vehicle got stuck inyard and caught on fire. White female driver was arrested and thebreath test showed more than three times the legal limit. Suspi-cious person begging for money on Mt. Paran at Regency Court.Suspicious person ringing doorbell late evening on Swathmore.Suspicious vehicle reported on Musket Ridge. Mail stolen frommailbox on Cave Road. Owners identification and social security

number used to cash checks. Bank called to inform homeowner ofa suspicious person trying to cash checks in his name.

March: Someone took items from an unsecured house being re-modeled on Harris Valley. Mailbox damaged on Mt. Paran Park-way. City inspectors were called about illegal tree cutting on WestConway. (See Citizens Review front-page article.)

April: Kids reported throwing ice at a jogger on Harris Trail.Mailbox damaged on Randall Mill Road. Mail stolen from mail-box on Davis Drive. Auto tag stolen from car on Garmon Road.

Security Patrol ActivityDuring the months of June through December,

The Crime Report

The Mt. Paran-Northside Citizens Association produces this public safety report for the benefit ofour neighborhood. If you see suspicious activity, or are the victim of a crime, call 911 and then reportthe details for this newsletter to our Security Patrol (404)310-7361 or Jo Ann Rau (

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A Message from Officer ColeIts important to know your contractor.

Ask if he uses day laborers and if so,dont hire that company. Duringneighborhood rounds, he regularly seesboxes for new lawn equipment and

other large items at the curbside, daysbefore trash is scheduled for pick-up.These boxes send a message to thievesdriving through the neighborhood tocome and get it. Its best to break theboxes down to conceal the contents orwait until the day of trash pickup to putthem at the curb. And, remember tohave someone maintain the water levelin your pool if you are away traveling.

Security Patrol and Crime News: Dont be a Target

SECURE YOUR PREMISES AND VEHICLES

By Officer Jim HendrixMt. Paran Security Patrol

To keep your home safe and unwanted people out, have several layers of pro-

tection. Install motion detector lights above your garage and add dusk-to-dawn

lights on the back side of the house. Survey your house the way a burglar might during the day and night.

Look for areas where you are vulnerable. Pay attention to lighting, landscaping and unlocked doors, particularly

sliding glass doors and garage doors.

When selecting a home, burglars look for easy targets. They want to get inand out quickly. They also want to remain unseen. A burglar will bypass yourhome if it looks risky or requires too much effort.

Many homeowners dont take time, or simple steps, to burglar-proof their

homes until they have a problem.To help keep your home from becoming a burglars next target, consider thesetips. Install a peephole or wide-angle viewer on your entry door. Drill holes and place simple metal pins in double-hung wooden windows. Rearrange furnishings or valuables, such as a silver collection or com-

puter, so they are not easy to see from the outside. Arm your alarm system, even when you are home. Surveys found that in

34 percent of homes with an alarm system, that the systems were notturned on at the time of the break-in.

If you have an alarm system, be sure the alarm company lawn sign can beseen from the street. Burglars often bypass a property with visible alarm

signs.Although break-ins can occur at any time, the FBI says most take placeduring weekdays and daytime hours.

There are simple ways to keep your vehicle from becoming a target. Do not leave valuable items inside (Cell phones, handbags, laptop com-

puters). Take your keys and lock your vehicle. Some people will walk into your driveway just to see if any items are left

inside and unsecured. If they are, they wont be there when you re-turn.

New Car Jacking SchemeImagine...You walk across the parkinglot, unlock your car and get inside.Then you lock all your doors, start theengine, shift into reverse.Habit! You look into the rear-viewwindow to back out of your parkingspace and you notice a piece of paper,some sort of advertisement, stuck toyour rear window.So, you shift back into park, unlockyour doors and jump out of your car to

remove that paper (or whatever it is)that is obstructing your viewwhenyou reach the back of your car, that iswhen the car-jackers jump out of no-wherejump into your car and take offyour engine is running, your purse isin the car, and they practically mowyou down speeding off in your car.Be aware of this new scheme. Justdrive away and remove the paper thatis stuck to your window later andtell your friends!

Overall Crime in Atlanta Down 11%The City of Atlanta's 1st quarter UniformCrime Report statistics show a 10% de-cline during the first three-months of2004 compared to the same period in2003. Although Atlanta has been noted tohave the highest violent crime rate in

America, there is a turnaround in the making! Since ChiefRichard Pennington arrived in Atlanta in August of 2003,

he has developed a department-wide plan of action thatincludes the most extensive reorganization in APD historyto help meet the Mayor's commitment to make Atlanta asafer city. "I am gratified by the continued downwardtrend, our Commanders will continue to be held account-able for tracking crime trends in the City and reportingtheir strategies and progress in our weekly COBRA

Continued on Next Page of Crime Report

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More Crime News: Be Careful Now, Not Sorry Later

Victim of Identity Theft Gives Advice

By A NEIGHBOR

To all Mt. Paran-Northside Readers: I was the victim of stolen mail/credit

cards/access checks and more, about 6 months ago. They attempted to cashchecks in Florida, and North Carolina. These checks weren't "washed," theysomehow had facsimile checks made within days of the theft. They used myATM card (unsuccessfully), cashed access checks and wired the money toNigeria; they charged thousands on a stolen major credit card. They had afake North Carolina license with my name on it, and if a friend of mine at astore in Sandy Springs had not called me it could have been worse. TheUnited States Post Office and the Fulton County Police tried to set up a stingbut were unsuccessful. The man was driving a new white Cadillac withGwinnett County plates. He was using a stolen cell phone. Also, my wifeand my three college-aged kids all have accounts and credit cards. They canhit any of these.

It took me 3 months to straighten this out. Fortunately it cost me little byfraud but a lot in security expense and time. Here are my recommendations:

1) These people are sophisticated and bold. Be watchful take down num-bers. These individuals are often immigrants (yes, this is stereotyping). Boththe US Postal inspector and Fulton County Police were very helpful.2) Invest in a locking mailbox. You can get various inserts (will require astone mason to insert) or free standing units on line for $200-400. Theyaren't foolproof but do make it more difficult. Otherwise get a Post OfficeBox.3) Take out an account with Equifax to warn you of anyone trying to estab-lish a line of credit in your name ($5/month). This can be done online.4) Stop access checks and shred receipts.5) Remove your Social Security number from all checks, etc.6) Begin online banking and check your account several times weekly. Ipicked this up 2 days after they tried to pass the first check in Ft. Pierce,Florida. I now had the recipients name; this enabled me to stop everythingwith a few phone calls.7) Remember, debit cards are more dangerous than credit cards.8) My credit card companies were not as helpful as they could have been.Its probably best to have as few credit cards as possible.9) When out of town, have someone check your mail daily.10) If you change one account number, change them all. All they need tosteal is a couple of bank or credit card statements. You would not miss themfor weeks or until the next cycle.11) Don't think this can't happen to you. I was way too smug.12) Don't ever give out any vital info by phone unless you are sure who youare talking too, or online unless it is a secure site.

Thiefs are going to continue to work our neighborhood until we stop them. Itis affluent, the houses are widely spaced, and we are near several inter-states. If anyone else has any suggestions please share them with all of us.

Atlanta Crime Stats DropContinued from Previous Page of Crime Report

(Command Operations Briefing to Revi-talize Atlanta) meetings. I applaud my

officers for their hard work and commitmenton behalf of our residents and visitors,said Chief Pennington.

It is a proven fact that an adequatelyresourced and well-managed police de-partment can reduce crime dramaticallyin just a few years. Atlanta has one ofthe lowest ratios of officers per squaremile of all large cities in the country.And nearly a third of Atlanta residentsagree that most police officers are notable to answer every call, regardless ofthe seriousness of the call. In this too,we will see a dramatic improvement. InApril, Mayor Franklin welcomed 53new officers in the Atlanta Police De-partment. This was the largest numberof officers to graduate at one time in theAcademys history. The next class isscheduled to graduate 30 new officers aswell. This is very exciting, says MayorFranklin. I attend the weekly COBRAmeetings and can see the improvementright down to the Zone. During the firsttwo years of my term, we spent a greatdeal of time putting together the masterplan to make Atlanta a city whereDowntown and all other neighborhoodsare places where people are unafraid towalk, park, play or work, day or night.Now we are in the implementing phaseof our plan and these results prove ourplan is working.

If You Are a Victim of Identity Theft Call:Equifax1-800-525-6285 Experian1-888-397-3742

Trans Union1-800-680-7289

Stats-at-a-Glance

Homicide is down 28%Rape is down 16%Robbery is down 21%Burglary is down 20%Larceny is down 8%Auto Theft is down 8%

For more information about the AtlantaPolice Department or to view crime pre-vention tips and weekly crime statisticsvisit their website at www.atlantapd.org

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Elvis Has Left the LuncheonCrissy Klaus was a fantastic host to some 60 neighbors attendingthe May Ladies Luncheon at her Monte Carlo home. The highlightwas a white-suited Elvis who dropped by to sing his own songs asguests watched from the circular veranda by the pool. We touredthe house, admired the decorations and art, and enjoyed BillHewetts fabulous catered lunch all adding to the fun of meet-

ing new neighbors and catching up with old ones. Watch foremails with details of our next Luncheon sometime this fall.

Photographs by Crissy Klaus and Jo Ann Rau

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Entertained in a Paris Salon on Garmon DriveIda Wooldridge was an exceptionally generous and gracioushostess to over 50 neighbors attending the February LadiesLuncheon. Her home, with the piano and tall atrium, providedthe perfect backdrop for a knock-out performance by baritoneDan Britt singing, among others, To Dream the Impossible

Dream. Bill Hewett catered, and Idas two dogs were so cute

some even thought they were fake! The ladies luncheons arehosted three times a year in some of the neighborhoods finesthomes. Its a great way to meet, greet, catch up on the news andhave great fun!

More Neighborhood Briefs

Year Ends as Warren T. Jackson Looks AheadWeve just completed another fabulous year at Warren T. Jack-son Elementary. Our students have achieved at extraordinarilyhigh levels and their successes are our successes. We are proudof our 5th grade graduates who are moving on to Sutton, West-minster, Lovett, Pace, Woodward, and beyond. Congratulationsto them and to their parents who have supported their achieve-ments.

After months of discussions and negotiations, it looks as if theaddition to Jackson will actually happen. R.J. Russell has thecontract to build an eight classroom addition to the building aswell as to retrofit our gymnasium to serve as a multi-purpose

room. We have been crowded for a long time and look forwardto this addition to relieve the stress of 650 students in a buildingbuilt for 450. We do not anticipate any significant increases inthe number of students we serve, although as young familiesmove into the neighborhood, we are proud to be their school ofchoice. We will do all we can during construction to minimizethe negative impact on our neighbors and look forward to invit-ing you all to the dedication of our new addition in December,2004. Lorraine B. Reich, Principal

Gazebo adds Charm to Station #27You may have noticed a new addition in front of the Fire Stationat the corner of West Conway and Northside Drive. Chris Sirok-man is a candidate to become an Eagle Scout, and the gazebo hedesigned and built in front of Station #27 is his project to reachthat goal.

Yard Trimmings refer to leaves, brush, grass clippings, shruband tree pruning, including tree roots, branches not exceeding 4feet in length and 6 inches in diameter, discarded Christmastrees, nursery and greenhouse vegetative residuals. Leaves, grassclippings and pine straw should be placed in paper bags (noplastic) manufactured for yard trimming disposal, and shouldnot exceed 50 pounds. These items will be picked up duringregular garbage collection, on your regular day, during the 1stand 3rd weeks of the month.

Bulk Rubbish refers to materials with a total weight, volumeand/or size that is too much for the Citys residential trucks. Thisincludes appliances, large furniture, large piles of tree branches,large metal or wooden playground equipment or similar items

and combinations of these items. Call the Bureau of Solid WasteServices, (404)330-6333 to schedule appointments for pick-up.The city will never collect the following: building materials andconstruction debris (lumber, roofing, siding, gutters, bricks, con-crete), hazardous materials (automobile parts, wet paint, tires)and trees cut down by contractors.

Tips for Cleaner Streets and Safer Neighborhoods

Editors note: special thanks to all the contributors in this issue. Email

with ideas, events, tips and photos for the next issue

of The Citizens Review.

Please join us for the Starlight Children's Foun-dation Annual Ladies Open at Reynolds Planta-tion, on Lake Oconee, Monday, September27th, 2004. The event is a fun-packed day ofgolf and gathering for all levels of play. Don'tmiss this wonderful opportunity to support the

Starlight Children's Foundation, a non-profitorganization that touches hundreds of thou-sands of Georgia's children that are terminallyor seriously ill. Entry fee is $200 per person,with $150 of that donation going directly to the

children. Don't miss the many fun activities on and off thecourse, including raffles, silent and live auctions, Tiffany gifts,hole-in-one Jaguar prize, and much more. The format is a scram-ble, so everybody looks like a good golfer. New golfers can optfor a clinic and nine holes if eighteen holes is daunting. Pleasecontact your neighbor at melissalowe@mindspring.com or Star-light Children's Foundation directly for more information(404)982-0508. Melissa Lowe

Women who love to play golf, or want to learn!

Unwanted Littering: The Best Reason to Spay and Neuter

Each day in the United States70,000 kittens and puppies areborn, many abandoned or un-wanted. This tragedy is not thefault of our pets. They are justdoing what nature programmedthem to do. Because we are at

the top of the food chain, it isour responsibility to care for Gods

creatures we have chosen as pets.

By Mary Louise Floyd Sure, theres a lot we cant control even though we prac-tice the most vigilant, conscientious pet care. But theres alot we can. Uppermost is the sterilizing of our pets if wedont plan to breed them.

According to the Atlanta Humane Society, failing to spayor neuter our pets can result in: Aggression towards humans and other animals

(common with male dogs). Marking territory by urinating inside the home.

Continued on Reverse Side

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On May 3 and 4 Mount Paran Woods Garden Club mem-bers again applied their artistry to our three neighborhoodparks. They replaced winter pansies with 50 flats of sum-mer color. Louise McDermott and Roberta Foley, land-scaping chairmen, drew bedding designs and selected theannuals, soil emollients, fertilizers and pine bark mulch.

These three parks are the triangle of Cave Road and Mt.Paran, the island at West Conway and Broadland, and theisland across from the Country Store. These pocket parksare among hundreds owned but not maintained by the city.Mount Paran Woods Garden Club spends $6000 annuallyto landscape and maintain these neighborhood green-spaces. This summer the parks will showcase blue salvia,chartreuse Jacobs Coat, orange zinnia, pink begonias andhollyhocks, red angel-wing begonias, black elephant ears,gold rudbeckia, purple scaveola, and multi-colored coleusand impatiens.

Because of a destructive spring storm, last year the West

Conway-Broadland Park was completely redesigned at acost of $17,000, with $7000 coming from donations fromarea residents. What you see now is the result of ninemonths planning and fundraising by the garden club. Astacked-stone wall retains enriched soil in which a fifteen-foot white oak is centered. Also added were four chastetrees, two black gums, and two dogwoods, six with hazels,camellia and butterfly bushes. At the tips of the island tri-angle are clusters of crape myrtles. The beautiful stonewall provides a backdrop for alternating beds of perennialhosta and colorful annuals. This wall was donated by

Karen and Glen Sturm, Bildon Construction, Fieldstoneand Limmus Building Supplies. The viability of theseplantings is assured by a new irrigation system.

In addition to enriching the quality of our neighborhoodslife, Mount Paran Woods Garden Club provides financialsupport to the Oakhurst Community Garden Project, ShepherdSpinal Center, and the Atlanta Botanical Garden. TheOakhurst Project in Decatur teaches environmentalawareness to diverse local students through hands-ongardening and outdoor education programs. The gardenclubs support to Shepherds therapy garden providestherapeutic recreation for people with spinal cord injuriesand related neuromuscular diseases.

Mount Paran Woods Garden Club is a 501(c)(3) charitableorganization whose membership is dedicated to communityservice. If you are interested in becoming a member,contact Julie Bennett, membership chairman, (

Front row: Ruth Anthony, Angi Evert, Ann Woodruff, Debbie Leet, LouiseMcDermott, Merry Carlos Back row: Dr. Laraine Kendall, Connie Hawn, SallyHanna, Roberta Foley, Mary Lou Floyd, Cecilia Wright

Continued from Reverse Side

Spay or Neuter Cats & DogsMount Paran Woods Garden ClubDesigns with All Colors of the PaletteBy Mary Louise Floyd

Public Relations, Mt. Paran Woods Garden Club

The leash law. Coyote and foxes, predators that have been repeat-

edly sited in our area. Research shows that petmammals comprise only 1% of urban fox diet. Thecoyote, however, relishes a cat-snack. In truth, anysmall pet looks like food to the coyote.

Signs advertising lost pets contribute to littering,

not the proliferation of unwanted animal life, butthe proliferation of visible pollution. These signs,stapled to utility poles, encourage the illegal postingof commercial signs that blight roadside landscapein Atlanta. In most cases, the pet owners neverremove the signseven if the pet is recovered.Given the criminal, or simply unscrupulous-mind,it would be logical to assume that advertising aprodigious reward for the return of a missing animalno questions asked would encourage pet-nappingin our affluent neighborhood.

The overwhelming need to escape (jump the backyardFence, for example).

Prostate and uterine cancer.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty toAnimals says, Spaying your pet before her first heatand neutering a male cat or dog before six months preventpyomtra (pus-filled uterus), breast cancer (fatal to 50% offemale dogs and 90% of female cats), testicular cancer and

prostate disease. The ASPCA gives further reasons for petsterilization on its website article Why Spay or Neuter?

In our Neighborhood there are additional reasons todiscourage your pet from roaming:

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June Gardening Tips

Take a look at the blooms on your rose bushes, hydrangeas andannuals. Most flowering plants are at their best during the monthof June. This is because the late spring season is warm enough toencourage prolific blooms but not so warm that you can fry an

egg on the pavement. As a general rule, rainfall is also more plen-tiful in the spring. So enjoy your flowers and the moderate tem-peratures while you can. All too soon, our steamy summerweather will be upon us and our gardening focus will turn to wa-tering our plants, mowing the lawn and weeding our gardens.

Did you know? Turf grasses perform best when maintained atthe correct height. No more than 1/3 of the blades should be re-moved at any one time. Also, instead of bagging the clippings,leave them on the lawn. The heat will decompose the grass clip-pings in a matter of hours, releasing nitrogen into the soil.

Create a butterfly garden for months of visual enjoyment. Abutterfly garden should have at least one buddleia (butterflybush). Abelia, azaleas, dahlias, gaura, lantana, pineapple sage,

rose of Sharon, verbena and zinnia also attract butterflies.

Plant Knock Out and Flower Carpet Roses for continuouscolor. These compact shrub roses, available in several colors,require little maintenance and are reliably black-spot resistant.

Plant an instant lawn. Warm season sod varietiessuch as Ber-muda, Zoysia, Centipede, St. Augustine are all available now.

Tomato remedies. Blossom End Rot which causes ugly, darkblotches on the bottom of the fruit is caused by a calcium defi-ciency in the soil. Several products will correct this problem.Tomatoes that are splitting on the vine is caused by inconsistentwatering, so keep the soil uniformly moist at all times.

Snails and slugs can take a bite out of your annuals, creatinglarge holes and ragged blooms and leaves. To control this, distrib-ute a snail and slug bait or simply sprinkle sand in their paths.They will go out of their way to avoid the sand because of itsrough texture. If all else fails, use the snail and slug's fondness forfermented beverages. Put out a shallow container of beer or sugarwater mixed with yeast in the evening. The next morning, youwill find a saucer full of submerged snails and slugs.

Deadhead your annuals on a regular basis. Pinching off deadblooms helps to prevent seed production and pauses in blooming.

Got weeds? Apply a post-emergent weed killer to your lawnusing package directions. Make sure that the product you select issafe for use on your type of grass. Dont wait too late. Weed kill-

ers work best when temperatures are 85 degrees or less.

Plant a hydrangea for long-lasting, summer color. The plantitself is rather inconspicuous, the large, highly decorative bloomclusters that appear in June, July and August are real attentiongrabbers. The new Endless Summer variety blooms repeatedlythroughout the summer.

Japanese Beetles can be distinguished by their metallic greenheads and bronze colored wings. They are insatiable eaters andfeed in groups as they devour leaves, flowers and fruit on manykinds of plants. To control these, use traps that contain both floraland sexual lures, chemical controls and/or grub controls.

By PIKE FAMILY NURSERIESIf you receive a newsletter addressed to the previous owner orCURRENT RESIDENT, then we dont have your name in ourdatabase. Please fill out the form below with your correct infor-mation so that we can include it in our neighborhood directory.

There are currently 531 paid members. If you did notreceiveyour 2004 Membership Directory, please contact Debbie Gootat If you are not a currentmember and would like to join, send $25 to the Mt. Paran-Northside Citizens Association, 4380 Harris Trail, NW, At-lanta, GA 30327 along with the form below. The Associationmaintains a large email list so that neighbors can be informedimmediately of an important issue or crime alert.

Email addresses are protected and will not be shared.

Help Needed to Update Database

Check one: __Address Correction or __Annual Dues($25)

Please email form information to or send toDebbie Goot, 4380 Harris Trail, Atlanta, GA 30327

Last Name_________________First Name(s)_____________

Address___________________________________________

Telephone _____________Email_______________________

Low-Carb Comfort Food

Mock Garlic Mashed Potatoes1 medium head cauliflower

1 tablespoon creamcheese, softened

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1/8 teaspoon straight

chicken base or bullion

(may substitute 1/2 tea-

spoon salt)

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh or dry chives, for garnish

3 tablespoons unsalted butterSet a stockpot of water to boil over high heat.

Clean and cut cauliflower into small pieces. Cook in boiling

water for about 6 minutes, or until well done. Drain well; donot let cool and pat cooked cauliflower very dry between sev-eral layers of paper towels.In a bowl with an immersion blender, or in a food processor,puree the hot cauliflower with the cream cheese, Parmesan,garlic, chicken base, and pepper until almost smooth.Garnish with chives, and serve hot with pats of butter.Hint: Try roasting the garlic and adding a little fresh rosemaryfor a whole new taste.Yield: 4 servings; Prep time: 15 min; Cook time: 6 min

Nutrition Information: Calories 153 Total Fat 12 grams

Saturated Fat 7 grams Carbohydrates 8 grams

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MT. PARAN-NORTHSIDE CITIZENS ASSOCIATION, INC.P.O. BOX 724153 ATLANTA, GEORGIA 31139

OFFICERSPresident/Brenda SmithVice President/Communications/Jo Ann Rau

Vice President/Membership/Debbie GootVice President/Security/Angelia EvertSecretary/Jean SmithTreasurer/Jim Carter

BOARD OF DIRECTORSSandra Adair, Yolanda Adrean, Sharon Giles, Al Goodgame,Greg Lyles, Dick Perkins, Alan Leet, Pamela Tremayne, ClausHalle, Dana Scavo, Glenn Sturm, Karen Swim, Marci Vincent,Richard Wilson.

EX-OFFICIO (PAST PRESIDENTS)Lynne Moscow, Sheldon Schlegman, Robert Hurst, EdwardFloyd, John R. Martin (d), Robert Miller, H. Clay Moore, Jr.,J. Martin Turbidy

Editors: Lynne Moscow and Jo Ann Rau

Design & Typeset: Jo Ann Rau

WEB SITE

www.neighborhoodlink.com/atlanta/mountparan

Pre-SortedFirst Class Mail

U.S. PostagePAID

Atlanta, GAPermit No. 3207

Return Service Requested

Association Newsletter and Crime Report Inside

Neighborhood Ecological Disaster

Continued from Front Page

that this was the worst case she had seen in her four yearson the commission.

To date, the arborists have not returned to the site to deter-mine the number of illegally cut trees. There are still anumber of unanswered questions, including why proce-dures were violated. City officials have not explained howsuch a disaster could occur in a city that has laws and pro-cedures that should have prevented it.

The following hearings will be held on this matter. On

June 10 at 2 PM in Atlanta Municipal Court, 170 GarnettStreet, SW, the homeowner/defendant has been ordered topresent his plan for correcting the damage caused by 550truckloads of crusher run to his property and the adjacentstream and lake during a mischaracterized repair of adriveway. On June 16 at 6 PM in Atlanta City Hall, 55Trinity Avenue, SW, second floor conference room, thehomeowner will again appear before the Tree Conserva-tion Commission. Only this time he will be appealing therecompense amount of $49,320 that the commission or-dered him to pay for illegally destroying 21 trees. A large

turnout by concerned citizens at the court and the treecommission hearing will be recognized and could affectthe outcome of this case.

The Board of Directors of the Mt. Paran-Northside Asso-ciation has recently formed a task force to encourage acomplete and expedited review of these circumstances.They will be making recommendations on the course ofaction that needs to be taken to establish safeguards toprevent this type of damage from occurring in the future.The task force will communicate further information to

the neighborhood through the Associations email net-work. In the meantime, if you would like to assist in thismatter or be involved in any way, please send an emailto: shelarchitect@comcast.net

Editors note: The city permit issued to this homeowner to

repair his driveway allows the owner to make simple re-

pairs like repaving. The footprint of the repaired driveway

must remain the same as it was before the repairs. The permit

allows the owner to replace the driveway in kind, but thats

not what this homeowner did.