Weather watch
Jan. 23 —Since Gov. Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency ahead of this weekend’s weather, we wanted to provide some resources to keep you informed. Rough Draft will post updates on its Facebook and Instagram pages. To keep you up to date on any problems in Sandy Springs, sign up for Sandy Springs alerts or follow the city’s Facebook page.
🗞️ Let’s get to the local headlines:
📈 The director of the Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute’s Center for Economic Development Research told the Greater Perimeter Chamber that 2026 will look a lot like 2025 during its Signature Breakfast this week.
🏠 Stacker ranked Sandy Springs seventh among metro Atlanta cities with the most expensive homes, citing a typical home value of $660,185.
🚦 Sandy Springs wants your input on updating its Transportation Master Plan. You can fill out a survey here.
🩷 Since their mom’s breast cancer diagnosis in July 2015, the Scalise daughters have raised more than $113,000 through their charity, Strides for Survivors. The family’s nonprofit is celebrating its 10th anniversary on Jan. 31 with a walk around Chastain Park, with the proceeds going to Sandy Springs-based TurningPoint Breast Cancer Rehabilitation.
🏀 Holy Innocents’ boys basketball is ranked No. 1 in the class 3A-A Private rankings, and Mount Vernon is close behind at No. 3. (AJC subscription required.)
⤵️ Keep scrolling for the Sandy Springs high school games taking place this week.
| SANDY SPRINGS SNAPSHOT: Former Sandy Springs Council Member Tibby DeJulio and his wife Gayle are all smiles during a sign unveiling at Windsor Meadows Park, renamed in honor of DeJulio, one of the city’s pioneers. Read Hayden’s full account of the event. |
| 🥶 Stay warm and safe out there this weekend, Hayden and the Rough Draft team |
🎉 Celebrate Food Service Workers! Join Giving Kitchen on Sun., March 15, at Truist Park for THE culinary tasting of the year! Team Hidi 2026, fueled by Georgia Natural Gas, brings nearly 100 top food & beverage partners. Get details and tickets here. SPONSOR MESSAGE
Sandy Springs lobbies for city name in ZIP codes
📫 Sandy Springs requested a ZIP code boundary review from the U.S. Postal Service in early January, seeking to remove Atlanta as the default city name on mailing addresses on all properties within the city.
When Sandy Springs formed in 2005, it inherited eight ZIP codes within its municipal boundaries. Most still have Atlanta as the recommended city name. Previous attempts to establish Sandy Springs as the preferred last line on addresses within the city have failed.
Communications Director Carter Long said one of the reasons Sandy Springs made its most recent request is because neighboring Johns Creek had success last year uniting ZIP codes with the city name as the preferred address.
📍 Get the full story here, as well as an update on grants the Sandy Springs City Council voted to support.
The largest artist market in the Southeast opens on Monday
SPONSORED BY TRINITY SCHOOL
🎨 See the work of more than 400 artists from around the country at the annual Spotlight on Art Artists Market at Trinity School, which begins at 6 p.m. on Mon., Jan. 26, and is open through Sat., Jan. 31.
❄️ Weather Watch! Keep an eye on our socials and website for any weather-related updates.
➡ New art daily! The Market features an ever-changing variety of art in 6,000 square feet of gallery space!
➡ Free entry all week long! And don’t miss next Monday’s Opening Night (6–9 p.m.) and next Friday’s Cocktails & Canvases (6–8 p.m.)! Beverages and hors d’oeuvres are complimentary at these two evening events; no tickets required.
🖌️ Click here for details, including VIP Early Access tickets, hours, and parking.
The Save Spalding Committee files a petition for a new charter school
🚌 The Save Spalding Committee, a parent-led nonprofit seeking to create a new charter school in Sandy Springs, filed a petition Jan. 16 with Fulton County.
The nonprofit was formed last February, around the time the School Board voted to close Spalding Drive Elementary. Last May, Fulton County Schools rejected the nonprofit’s $10 million offer for the site, instead proposing to turn it into a teaching museum with administrative functions.
The Save Spalding Committee is working with a charter operator, National Heritage Academies, to open the Spalding Academy for Innovation and Learning, or SAIL, by the start of the 2027-28 school year.
✂️ Read more about the initiative.
Families learn about MLK’s legacy at annual Sandy Springs celebration
🧑🧑🧒🧒 Hundreds of families from metro Atlanta stopped by the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center Jan. 19 to learn more about Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., an Atlanta native and the driving force of the Civil Rights Movement.
Sandy Springs throws an annual celebration to honor King, centering the event around children’s activities, education, and the teachings of justice, equality, and love.
Read more about the celebration.
🎉 Celebrate Food Service Workers! Join Giving Kitchen on Sun., March 15, at Truist Park for THE culinary tasting of the year! Team Hidi 2026, fueled by Georgia Natural Gas, brings nearly 100 top food & beverage partners. Get details and tickets here. SPONSOR MESSAGE
What’s doin’ around Sandy Springs
We recommend confirming with the venues whether the event has been cancelled due to potential weather conditions.
🎻 Jan. 23: Prague Philharmonia at Byers Theatre
🦤 Jan. 24:Bird Walk at Morgan Falls Overlook Park
🎨 Jan. 24: Paint Like Bob Ross at Lost Corner Preserve
🐐 Jan. 25: Dwarf Goat Yoga Class at Pontoon Brewing
SAVE THE DATE
🎼 The City Springs Theatre Company will host its second annual Encore Gala on Feb. 12 at the Coca-Cola Roxy. The gala is a benefit for the City Springs Theatre Company, which was founded in 2017. Rough Draft’s Sammie Purcell has the full story.
🗓️ Add your event to our free, online event calendar.
The Sports Section
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SCORE ATLANTA
Fulton County Schools have cancelled all weekend activities, which may impact the following sports schedules.
🏀 BOYS BASKETBALL
- Holy Innocents’ (16-2): Friday @ Washington (1-11)
- Lovett (13-8): Friday vs. Carver-Atlanta (9-9)
- Mt. Vernon (16-2): Friday vs. Whitefield Academy (10-7)
- North Springs (5-14): Friday vs. Druid Hills (2-15)
- Pace Academy (10-7): Friday vs. M.L. King (6-10); Saturday @ Norcross (7-11)
- Riverwood (9-10): Friday vs. Creekview (7-12)
- Westminster (16-2): Friday vs. Centennial (9-10)
🏀 GIRLS BASKETBALL
- Holy Innocents’ (15-5): Friday vs. Washington (1-11)
- Lovett (10-7): Friday vs. Carver-Atlanta (5-13)
- Mt. Vernon (1-12): Friday vs. Whitefield Academy (15-2)
- North Springs (2-15): Friday vs. Druid Hills (0-18)
- Pace Academy (7-6): Friday vs. M.L. King (11-8)
- Riverwood (5-13): Friday vs. Creekview (16-2)
- Westminster (16-3): Friday vs. Centennial (4-13)
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