Editor’s note: This letter is in response to Everett Catts’ June 12 article titled “Those against Buckhead school land sale silent at meeting.” Atlanta Public Schools, as part of its strategy to offset a $60.9 million budget shortfall for fiscal 2014, has offered $6.1 million to sell the old North Fulton High School property in Buckhead to Atlanta International School, which has leased the land for its campus since 1995.


EDITOR:

I just wanted to respond to your article regarding the AIS [town hall] meeting in which you stated that the opposition was silent. The implication in the article is that there is not visible opposition to this sale. However, this was a meeting that was announced two days before it was held, and was hosted by AIS with the express purpose of informing their neighborhood association and parents about the sale to clear up misconceptions. North Atlanta Parents for Public Schools [a group of parents supporting North Atlanta High and its feeder schools], on the day before the meeting, encouraged people to attend if they wanted to hear about the sale from this perspective or voice their opinion, and we did have NAPPS representation there to listen.
However, this was not a proper venue for APS parents to express themselves, especially in light of such a small turnout. Furthermore, the APS constituents are not really in need of clarification as to why this is the right choice for AIS at the current time. We clearly understand why buying the property before the 2019 reappraisal benefits their school and its community. We also are well informed as to why this deal makes absolutely no sense for any APS parent, teacher, student or taxpayer. We are confident that the Atlanta Board of Education will make the right choice in deciding not to sell and they are the focus of our energy.
Please don’t mislead the public into thinking that the AIS sale is supported by APS parents or our community. In one week’s time, over 300 people have signed a petition against the sale of the North Fulton property to AIS and that number will certainly grow as people return from their summer vacations.

Kim Zemmali
North Atlanta Parents for Public Schools board member and Buckhead resident


Editor’s note: To view a copy of the statement the group has sent to the media and residents and a copy of Buckhead resident Tom Tidwell’s letter to the school board, visit http://bit.ly/11hR5M7. To view the online petition of residents against the proposed sale, visit http://bit.ly/13RnS90.

Police reports of note from the week of June 3 through 7. -Provided by Sandy Springs Police Capt. Steve Rose.

o NIGERIA STRIKES AGAIN: At the 400 block of Marsh Trail, a man reported that he set up a user account with Amazon.com to sell a camera lens. He was contacted by a woman who was representing a possible buyer in Nigeria. He was re-contacted via email by the woman, who said she paid Amazon.com for the lens and gave him information to ship the lens. He received another email saying the payment was made but he never confirmed this email was Amazon. Turns out it wasn’t and by the time he figured it out, he had sent the lens.

o LOVE TRIANGLE GOES BAD: Just before 4 a.m., officers responded to Foxcroft Apartments at 6851 Roswell Road on a person-shot call. They found the victim, who was shot in the arm. The story unfolded as follows: The suspect allegedly shot a man in the arm after coming to the home of his wife and finding them in bed. Detectives were told the suspect and the woman were married a month ago but really didn’t live together. The suspect took off but later surrendered to detectives.

o WOMAN EXTRACTS VANILLA EXTRACT: At 227 Sandy Springs Place, store security at Kroger in CityWalk said they saw a woman place items in her bag and leave the store without paying. The manager said he recognized her because she did the same thing before. The woman paid for some chicken and then re-entered the store and placed some vanilla extract in her bag without paying. She was arrested.

o TOO DRUNK TO FIGHT: At the 700 block of Hollyfax Circle, officers were called to the location and were greeted by several neighbors who said they heard loud yelling and what appeared to be fighting. The officers found two men, both drunk and bleeding, who had apparently been trying to fight but they were so intoxicated that they only managed to scrape each other up a bit. Both men were arrested after being checked out by EMS.

o SMOKE BREAK-IN: While out of town, the victim’s apartment at the 300 block of Winding River Drive was entered by force. Nothing was taken, but the victim found several cigarettes on the floor and stove top. A neighbor said they saw several teens jumping over the fence to the patio area of the apartment.

o DINNER BANDIT: At 1165 Perimeter Center, a woman reported that she was dining at Le Madeline Restaurant between 1 and 3 p.m. She was with three other friends. She had her purse strapped to her chair. During lunch, she was called in reference to her credit cards being used suspiciously. She checked and realized her wallet was gone from the purse that was strapped on the chair. She recalled that at one point, three persons sat at the table next to hers but they did not order and soon left.

o LOCKED UP: At the Home Depot at 6400 Peachtree Dunwoody Road, security personnel detained a man who stole a set of two Schlage door locks. The man had purchased identical locks just before and now showed that receipt for the new locks in an attempt to convey the receipt was for the second set of locks. He was arrested.

The names and charges above are from area arrest warrants and crime reports. A warrant  is merely an accusation of a crime, and accused people are innocent until proven guilty.