What in the hello kitty, October?
Oct. 8 — It’s Cathy from Rough Draft with my weekly newsletter on Dunwoody.
😳 Has the world gone mad? We have a story about a shooting at the Dunwoody Waffle House with some conflicting information that makes you wonder who exactly is the villain in the case, an upcoming rally for slain activist Charlie Kirk that feels like it could go sideways in about a minute, and the sudden death of a beloved Dunwoody football coach. Ugh. Ick. Terrible.
Luckily, there’s some regular news to share, including some info about what the city council might do with that extra $7 million that’s just hanging out, and a review of Stage Door Theatre’s excellent production of “The Cottage.”
🌅 Keep your eyes on the horizon,
Cathy
👻 Enjoy a lantern-led walking tour of ghost stories at Stone Mountain Park’s Historic Square for a Tour of Southern Ghosts! Oct. 16-25 on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, from 7 to 9:30 pm. Presale tickets available. Fun for the whole family! SPONSOR MESSAGE
Mourning a Dunwoody treasure
🏉 Funeral services will be held for former Dunwoody High School Football Coach Mike Nash on Oct. 12 at Dunwoody Baptist Church. The longtime Dunwoody icon died suddenly on Oct. 3 following emergency surgery.
In addition, a GoFundMe has been established that has surpassed $50,000 of its new goal of $75,000.
Nash had resigned in February after a decade at DHS to coach at Chattahoochee County High School for the 2025-26 school year. The above picture was taken when Nash was named the 2025 Dunwoody Fourth of July parade marshal.
I imagine the church will be filled with lots of people whose lives Nash touched (which was no small number, if you read all the online tributes to the coach).
😟 Details about the service and fundraising efforts can be found here.
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Scattered, smothered, and suspicious
🤥 Someone is lying here, that’s all I can say. But here’s what we know: An Uber driver who was involved in a fracas involving five juveniles at Waffle House has been charged with aggravated assault after shooting a 16-year-old who allegedly attacked him after he refused the ride.
Officers responded to reports of a shooting on Sunday, Oct. 5 around 2:30 a.m. at the Waffle House, according to a statement released by Dunwoody Police.
“Five juvenile females ordered an Uber to take them home from the restaurant on the above date and time,” the release said. “The driver arrived and said he could only transport four of the five because he did not have enough room and seat belts in the car.”
The juveniles allegedly argued with the driver about his refusal, which escalated when one of the females allegedly struck him in the face and threatened to kill him.
“The driver then fired a gun and struck the female who assaulted him,” the statement said. However, the juveniles claim that the driver shot the girl before she assaulted him and threatened to kill him, which means she assaulted him… after?
🤕 Either way, she’s in the hospital, he’s in jail, and now the police are trying to get to the truth. Here’s more about the incident.
📚 The Book Festival of the MJCCA is back! From Oct. 22 to Nov. 16, the 34th annual festival features an impressive array of authors, including John Grisham, John Kasich, Debbie Gibson, Jake Cohen, and Sanjay Gupta. Checkout the full lineup and get tickets here! SPONSOR MESSAGE
What could possibly go wrong?
😳 A North Atlanta community group will host a birthday memorial celebrating the life and legacy of Charlie Kirk on Tuesday, Oct. 14, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Brook Run Park Amphitheater in Dunwoody.
Kirk, a right-wing activist, entrepreneur, media personality, and co-founder of the conservative organization Turning Point USA, was shot and killed on Sept. 10, while on stage at Utah Valley University speaking in front of about 3,000 people.
According to a release from a group called Atlanta 4 Charlie, the event, themed “Honoring Charlie Kirk and Celebrating Civil Discourse,” will feature “prayers, live music, reflection, and keynote speakers highlighting Kirk’s influence and commitment to open dialogue.”
Speakers include Sage Gott of Turning Point, who will share a personal reflection, and Georgia Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Chris Carr, who will discuss Kirk’s civic impact. Bill Crane, an award-winning political commentator, consultant, and Grady Fellow with CSI Crane, LLC, will speak on the importance of free speech and civil debate.
The evening will open with a “CK-style Friendly Debate” at 6:30 p.m., followed by music, prayer, and guided reflection at 7 p.m. A memorial stand will also be available for guests to leave written tributes and messages for the Kirk family.
Not sure what this means, but from the release: “The event is private, with an open invitation to the public up to capacity. Folding chairs, blankets, and flags are recommended.”
🇺🇸 Contact the organizers for more information or if you want to donate to the event.
How did we get here?
🏡 Stage Door Theatre’s production of “The Cottage” takes the audience through a twisted, witty tale of infidelity that’s sure to entertain.
The play, which runs through Oct. 19, opens with star-crossed lovers Sylvia and Beau making their annual secret romantic rendezvous at Beau’s family cottage. We soon find out that Sylvia is married to Beau’s brother, Clarke.
During their weekend together, Sylvia (Charls Sellick) decides she is ready to leave her husband and start a new life with Beau (Benjamin DeWitt Sims), and sends a telegram to both her husband (played by Jerome Manning) and Beau’s wife, Marjorie (Tori Thompson), revealing the affair.
To everyone’s surprise, the arrival of the spouses sets off a series of revelations, including the fact that Clarke and Majorie are also having an affair much more intense than that of their cheating spouses – and further, that Beau’s philandering ways aren’t limited to Sylvia.
The play culminates in a mix of farce, witty dialogue, and unexpected turns, questioning the true meaning of marriage and love.
🎭 You know the world is twisted when a play about infidelity is the funniest part of your week. Here’s my review.
$7 million in loose change
🏡 It’s not a bad problem to have. The Dunwoody City Council is contemplating what to do with $7 million in excess reserves that are over the state-mandated level of four months of operating expenses. The group talked about some scenarios at a special-called city council meeting on Oct. 6.
Among the ideas that Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch has proposed:
• $500,000 for police equipment, including drones and vehicles;
• $5 million for Homecoming Park, including playground equipment, restrooms, and possibly sand volleyball courts;
• $500,000 for pedestrian safety projects;
• $500,000 for sidewalk projects.
There could also be some cash spent on improvements and repairs at parks around the city. Nothing was decided, but discussions will continue when the budget is presented on first read at the council’s next meeting on Oct. 14.
P.S. Even if this $7 million is spent, the city will still have seven months of operating funds in reserve. But I’m sure someone will have an opinion about the city’s “wild, irresponsible spending” on things that aren’t police-related. You know who you are.
🤓 Click here to view the whole presentation.
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