The calm before the storm
JULY 30 — It’s Cathy from Rough Draft with my weekly newsletter on Dunwoody. I don’t know about you, but the words “100-degree heat index” and “back to school” should not be in the same sentence. Growing up in Ohio gives me the right to bash the state any time I want, but at least school administrators had the sense to start classes in September.
🕚 This newsletter unravels Monday’s complicated city council meeting, highlights an upcoming art exhibition that features student and instructor work, discusses safety changes that will make school zones safer, and showcases a new sign for a venerable institution. It also contains heartbreaking news about one of Dunwoody’s men in blue.
🫡 Thanks for reading,
Cathy
In the air and on the ground
🥱 During a marathon Dunwoody City Council meeting on July 28, the panel made significant changes to its proposed 20-year comprehensive plan that will be used as a road map for commercial and residential development.
However, this high-arching document, meant as a guidebook for Dunwoody’s future, is coming at a pivotal time as the city is considering a high-density low-income senior housing development on Ashford Dunwoody Road, a few miles away from the Perimeter area.
The Ashford character area, where the development would be located, is a hot-button issue with opponents who say it’s too dense, along with other concerns. Further complicating the issue is that the comprehensive plan is still in the draft phase and the housing development proposal is happening now.
🏘️ The five-hour meeting was a bit chaotic with dozens of motions cast, canceled, and passed. Read about it here.
Final weeks: Data meets art at the High Museum!
SPONSORED BY THE HIGH MUSEUM
✨ Don’t miss your chance to immerse yourself in the data-verse! Get ready for a mind-bending experience – Ryoji Ikeda’s captivating light and sound installations are a must-see.
A tragedy for the Dunwoody Police Department
😞The Dunwoody Police Department released a statement on Instagram sharing news of the death of Detective Jordan Laverty.
“Jordan honorably served the citizens of Dunwoody for eight years and previously served with DeKalb County Police Department for three years,” the statement said. “He dedicated his time and service, and his absence has left a void that will not easily be filled. We are heartbroken and wrapping our arms around his family in love and support.”
Laverty, an Army veteran, leaves behind a wife and four young children.
👮🏽 Friends and family have established a Go-Fund-Me page to help with funeral and other expenses.
Good news for Dunwoody finances
💵 Dunwoody will close out 2025 with $11.8 million in reserves, well above the goal of a six-month reserve for fund balance, according to an announcement from the city.
“According to the city’s year-end audit of 2024 financials, $3.5 million was added to Dunwoody’s reserves. In addition, the FY 2025 Mid-Year Budget Amendment will eliminate the planned use of [$1.26 million] fund balance for the current fiscal year,” the release said.
“Through careful planning, budgeting, and spending, we’ve added to the reserve every year since I became mayor. What’s more, we haven’t spent the reserves – even during the uncertainty of COVID and its aftermath,” Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch said.
Back to school (already)
🚌 Enjoy your last few days of driving around town relatively unimpeded during before- and after-school hours, because school is starting for most on Aug. 4.
Dunwoody has done a lot to make walking and driving in school zones safer, including pedestrian hybrid beacons, wider sidewalks, tree-trimming, and the recent additions of “don’t-block-the-box” demarkations at key intersections, including this one at Womack Road near Dunwoody High School.
This installation is particularly satisfying for me as it really grinds my gears when people who try to beat the light only to end up in the middle of the intersection.
☒ While “don’t block the box” is fairly self-explanatory, you may not know what pedestrian hybrid beacons are, so here’s an explainer video from the city.
Juried art show kicks off July 31
🖌️ Here’s a fun art experience for everyone on July 31 – Spruill Center for the Arts’ Student & Instructor Biennial Juried Exhibition. According to Spruill, the exhibit will “showcase a diverse range of works completed by students and instructors involved in the art classes offered by the Spruill Education Center.”
More than 80 works spanning a wide range of mediums will be included in the exhibition, and awards will be given for best 2D, 3D, and overall pieces.
“This show will be juried by Atlanta-area creative consultant Lisa Thrower, who currently sits on the board of the Georgia Committee of the National Museum of Women in the Arts and previously served as the Manager of Collections and Exhibitions at The Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia,” the release said.
The exhibition runs from July 31 – September 12, but the awards will be presented at a celebration reception from 6-9 p.m. on July 31 at the Spruill Gallery, 4681 Ashford Dunwoody Rd.
🏺 Here is more information about the event.
Picture this: LaBo gets a facelift
Although technically in Chamblee, La Botana is one of Dunwoody’s favorite Tex-Mex casual restaurants. It got a big sign upgrade recently, and I couldn’t resist taking this picture of the transformation.
Since I’ve been in Dunwoody, not much as changed there as far as the menu – solid food, good prices, quick service, and an ice-cream-headache-inducing frozen marg (made even better if you splurge for a side of Gran Marnier). Although the offerings include the usual cheesy and meaty options, LaBo’s chicken soup with avocado is my go-to dish.
We have lots of options in the city for people craving unlimited chips – Discover Dunwoody has a list of its favorites you can find here.
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