Dripping in Dunwoody
Wednesday, July 29 — It’s Cathy from Rough Draft with my weekly newsletter on Dunwoody.
Ok, this heat is ridiculous. I’m either enduring the water-boarding of sweat down my back while walking to my car, or dressed for winter in my freezing cold condo. There is no middle ground. It’s like both venues are declaring, “I’ll show you suffering.”
🏔️ On Thursday, I’m escaping to the North Carolina mountains for a few days, where the high temperature for the day will be close to Atlanta’s low.
Let’s get to a couple of newsy items before discussing the top stories of the week.
🎒On Sat., Aug. 15 from 7-10 p.m., Funwoody will transform its outdoor courtyard into a community gathering place featuring live music from King St. Band, food and drinks, and opportunities for attendees to support Blessings in a Backpack, a nonprofit that helps provide weekend meals for children facing food insecurity.
🌽 🕳️ At the same event, Dunwoody High School Softball Booster Club will host its annual cornhole tournament behind the courtyard stage. Registration is open to anyone, and more details can be found here.
🐶 Speaking of backpacks, here’s a win-win. Every Monday and Tuesday, through Aug. 23, dine at Lazy Dog in Perimeter, and use the code BPBMA to get 15% off your bill. That money will be donated to Backpack Buddies of Atlanta.
😅 The next Groovin’ on the Green, for those who enjoy the feeling of swimming in your own sweat, will be Aug. 8 at Brook Run Park with Herd Behavior/Emerald Empire Band. Pro tip: place your chair stage left to catch the shade.
🍦 Join Mayor Lynn Deutsch tomorrow, July 30, at Georgetown Park for sweet treats from 10 a.m. to noon. It’s free while supplies last.
🤠 Finally, scroll down to the end of the newsletter for a sweet story involving a local toddler who needs a new heart. While that wish hasn’t come true yet, another one involving this movie did.
📲 The mountains are calling …,
Cathy
Simmer down, people
😱 Dunwoody drama was avoided on July 27 after the city council explained that an inadvertent addition to the Georgetown Small Area Plan documents was included in documents published in advance of the meeting.
Apparently, a now-deleted map discussed zoning in an area previously occupied by a DeKalb County school on Chamblee Dunwoody Road.
People were concerned that high-density zoning and a cut-through street were on the table – and papered neighborhood mailboxes (including that of the mayor) to inform the community – and then dropped by the meeting to give the council a piece of their minds.
Once it was explained, the crowd thinned considerably, leaving the same six people who always attend, minus Sue and Su.
🛒 Lots of other stuff happened, including another hoop jumped for the proposed Kroger grocery store project. Read about it here.
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Some sour on pickleball prospect
🥒 The Dunwoody Planning Commission at its Aug. 11 meeting will consider a request from the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta to allow it to build a four-court indoor pickleball facility.
According to a letter to the city, the organization is asking for a Special Land Use Permit (SLUP), or an extension of one that was granted in 2023, to allow the addition of a 10,000-square-foot indoor facility near the existing courts.
An outdoor facility with 12 courts opened in June 2024 as part of an extensive renovation on the 50-acre site that included the construction of an outdoor pool and other amenities.
💢 One woman at a community meeting held on July 2 had a lot to say about the proposed courts, the MJCCA, and the absence of adequate vegetation in the winter. Here’s more about it.
Kingswood Church welcomes new pastor
⛪ Kingswood Church welcomed the Rev. Thomas Hall as its new senior pastor on July 12. Hall succeeds the Rev. Dr. Dana Everhart, who retired from full-time ministry in June.
“Kingswood is a church with a warm spirit and a deep commitment to serving its neighbors,” Hall said in a release from the church. “I am grateful for the opportunity to join this congregation, and I look forward to walking together in faith as we continue the mission God has entrusted to us.”
Hall has served in full-time pastoral ministry since 2000 and brings more than two decades of experience in preaching, discipleship, and community engagement. Most recently, he served as pastor of Crossroads United Methodist Church in Conyers.
🍴You can grab a free lunch and meet him on Aug. 2.
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Pizza in the summer, so fun
🍕 Varuni Napoli, known for its Neapolitan-style pizzas with two ITP locations, will open on Aug. 5 at a third location at High Street, a mixed-use destination in Atlanta’s Perimeter Center.
According to an announcement from owner GID, the new restaurant, spanning nearly 3,000 square feet, will further expand High Street’s growing collection of chef-driven culinary experiences.
The restaurant, founded by Luca Varuni, has a location in Morningside, which opened in 2014, and inside Krog Street Market, which opened in 2017.
PICTURE THIS: A ‘TOY STORY’ WISH
Sometimes “heart” can mean something other than that vital organ that keeps one alive. Four-year-old Jace Connor, who was diagnosed soon after birth with a rare heart condition and is currently on a transplant list, was able to see “Toy Story 5” with the help of a new medication, along with the love and dedication of the cardiology team at Arthur M. Blank Hospital. Read the sweet story here.
