Red, white and blue week
July 2 — It’s Cathy from Rough Draft with my weekly newsletter on Dunwoody. It’s Wednesday, two days away from Georgia’s largest Fourth of July parade, so everyone should be lining up their chairs along Mt. Vernon Road in anticipation of getting a shady spot – except for the people who set up on July 5, 2024.
⛓️💥 This week’s newsletter will discuss yet another water main break on Harris Circle, an effort to put tennis racquets in the hands of those who might not be able to enjoy the sport, news about the city’s latest pay raises for employees and police, and a call for submissions from Spruill Center for the Arts AMPLIFY exhibit.
It will be hot for the parade, but probably not as steamy as last year, and certainly not as rainy as 2023. Read about what to expect before, during, and after the parade in our print edition.
See you on Friday,
Cathy
😋 Get ready for Buckhead Restaurant Week! From July 21-26, explore curated menus at Atlanta’s finest restaurants. An unforgettable dining experience awaits. Reserve your spot now here! SPONSOR MESSAGE
The definition of insanity
🚰 On July 1, the city announced yet another water main break on Harris Circle in the same area that has been plagued with incidents over the past months and years.
The city posted on social media around 10 a.m. that the break, near the corner of Harris Circle and Chamblee Dunwoody Road, is currently being repaired.
Residents say the area is a frequent site for water main breaks, and have complained that the incidents have caused issues with water pressure in homes.
While the issue was solved by the afternoon, it seems putting a band-aid on this problem isn’t going to work, no matter how many times you try.
$10M to Help Atlanta Entrepreneurs Expand
SPONSORED BY THRIVING CITIES FUND
🏙️ Two Atlanta-based companies, Flock Safety and Homegrown, have partnered to launch the $10M Thriving Cities Fund, supporting multi-location brick-and-mortar entrepreneurs across the city.
Entrepreneurs in Atlanta and beyond can now access growth capital without selling their ownership or putting their personal assets up as collateral. Neighborhood businesses like El Tesoro, Sugarcoat, and Switchyards were among the first to benefit.
➞ Is there a multi-location brick-and-mortar business you love? Send them to Thriving Cities Fund or Homegrown to learn more.
A racquet for good
🎾 Dunwoody’s FIRST SERVE, a local nonprofit on a mission to foster interest in the sport of tennis. delivered its first fully equipped tennis cart to Children’s Development Academy in Roswell.
“What began as free tennis lessons for local high schoolers has grown into a monthly Friday night junior round robin fundraiser that’s become our own version of Friday Night Lights,” said FIRST SERVE founder Kelly Ellis.
“Each month, we gather teenagers, parents, and supporters at Redfield Swim & Tennis for an evening of friendly matches, a taco bar, and a shared purpose – raising funds to donate fully-stocked tennis carts to schools and nonprofit organizations that otherwise wouldn’t have access to equipment,” Ellis said.
😋 Get ready for Buckhead Restaurant Week! From July 21-26, explore curated menus at Atlanta’s finest restaurants. An unforgettable dining experience awaits. Reserve your spot now here! SPONSOR MESSAGE
Dunwoody raises go into effect
📈 On July 1, the City of Dunwoody enacted a 4.9 percent mid-year pay increase for police personnel and city employees.
The raise, approved by the Dunwoody City Council in October 2024, “reinforces the city’s commitment to maintaining a high-performing and well-supported police force,” according to a statement released June 26.
“Public safety remains the highest priority for Dunwoody’s mayor and city council,” said Dunwoody City Manager Eric Linton. “Year after year, that commitment is reflected in our budget. Compensation is a critical piece of the overall package that ensures Dunwoody Police remains competitive in hiring and retaining high-quality officers.”
With the increase, according to the release, base salaries for Dunwoody Police officers will range from $62,301 to $99,682, which includes additional pay available for officers with college degrees. New hires are also eligible for a $15,000 signing bonus, which is distributed over time.
Speaking of things on the rise, the Sandy Springs Police Facebook released video of the high-speed chase I wrote about a couple of weeks ago, and it’s kind of white-knuckler.
🚨Read more about the raises, along with a comparison to what other cities are paying.
Spruill AMPLIFY call for submissions
🧑🎨 Dunwoody’s Spruill Gallery is now accepting nationwide submissions for its annual AMPLIFY mural competition through July 28, according to a release from the organization.
The winning artist will receive a $10,000 prize and their mural will be installed on the side of the Spruill Smoke House outside the gallery
for the coming year. This year’s $10,000 prize is a significant increase from what has previously been awarded.
“This is a difficult time to find funding as an artist,” said Spruill Gallery Director Shannon Morris. “We wanted this year’s AMPLIFY award to help ease some of that burden and reflect the extent to which we value and appreciate the artists who beautify our communities.”
All applicants, regardless of whether their work is chosen, will be eligible for inclusion in a city database of artists and projects to be considered for future public art installations.
The new mural will be unveiled at the Spirits for Spruill celebration on October 25. All the details on how to submit artwork is here.
⌚If you can spare nine seconds of your time, here is last year’s unveiling.
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