SEPTEMBER 2020 • VOL. 14 — NO. 1
reporternewspapers.net
Buckhead
Reporter
EDUCATION GUIDE
FALL 2020
VIRTUAL SCHOOL
YEAR BEGINS
► Q&As WITH LOCAL
SUPERINTENDENTS
WORTH KNOWING
Theater groups aim
to stage pandemic
comebacks
P18
AROUND TOWN
Georgia
spreads
its wings pm
COMMENTARY
Basic needs of
teachers and
students
must be met P16
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PHIL MOSIER
The Confluence Bridge is lowered into place over Peachtree Creek near 1-85
on Aug. 21. The bridge connects the PATH400 multiuse trail with South
Fork Conservancy trails. See story and more photos, p. 11. ►
Mystery group proposes
cityhood, annexation;
Mayor’s Office criticizes it
BYJOHNRUCH
johnruch@reiportemewspapers.net
A mysterious group called the Buck-
head Exploratory Committee is preparing
to study possible cityhood for the neighbor
hood or annexation into the cities of Sandy
Springs or Brookhaven -- an idea the May
or’s Office says “clearly loses sight of the
need for inclusion and equity.”
In an unsigned email, the committee de
clined to identify its members or answer
questions, including about its claim to have
behind-the-scenes support from some local
elected officials, which several of them have
denied. However, the committee has post
ed a privately organized webinar about the
idea on YouTube, where a moderator named
Jack Montgomery outlined the concept and
answered some audience questions.
In the video, Montgomery said the or-
See MYSTERY on page 20
Gun court,
permit checks
are among
crime-figming
ideas
BYJOHNRUCH
johnruch@reporternewspapers.net
A specialty “gun court,” a firearms buy
back program and an investigation of per
mits for late-night businesses are among
the tactics authorities are considering as
Buckhead deals with its share of a citywide
spike in shootings and other crime, from
street racing to water-selling.
But a crime-fighting challenge, especial
ly on the shootings, is figuring out whether
a common factor is driving the spike as an
ecdotes and rumors fly freely. Meanwhile,
the police force is by all accounts stressed
and dwindling both citywide and in Buck-
head’s Zone 2 precinct.
“Zone 2 --1 hate putting this out there,”
said Atlanta City Councilmember How
ard Shook, who represents much of north
and central Buckhead, voicing frustration.
“Zone 2 on a typical shift has all of 14 peo
ple on patrol for a zone the size of Rhode Is
land.”
Hiring off-duty officers to patrol in po
lice vehicles is an increasingly popular tac
tic. City Councilmember J.P. Matzigkeit in
August hired an officer to watch Peachtree
Road for street races, expressing his frustra
tion. The Buckhead Community Improve
ment District has a specially branded patrol
car driven around the central business area
See GUN on page 21
