Winding down the week
Feb. 13 — Is it just me, or did this week feel like it lasted twice as long? Fortunately, we made it to another Friday, which means it’s time for your weekly Sandy Springs news.
🌤️ Enjoy the 60° temperatures on Friday and Saturday, because we’re expected to have rain most of Sunday.
🎭 Leaders at the nonprofit City Springs Theatre Company are worried that a potential change to the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center’s Presenting Partner program may impact its ability to produce world-class shows within its budget.
🎻 The Sandy Springs Art Foundation raised $100,000 for programming at the city’s public schools through its annual ARTBEAT fundraiser.
💵 The Sandy Springs-based Community Assistance Center is offering free tax assistance for households earning less than $67,000 a year.
🦌 Sandy Springs Police rescued a deer trapped in a net, according to a report by WSB Radio. Fortunately, the deer appeared to be okay after it was freed.
🍸 Rough Draft dining reporter Sarra Sedghi reports Zafron in Sandy Springs will now offer $8 cosmos, lemon drops, and cucumber martinis on Monday nights and half off bottles of wine priced $75 and below on Tuesdays.
SANDY SPRINGS SNAPSHOT: Congratulations to the North Springs High School class of 2026 top 10 students.
Thanks for reading!
Hayden and the Rough Draft team
✨ Party like it’s 1985 at Spruill Center for the Arts’ 40th Artistic Affair! On March 28 join us for 1980s fun, open bar, arcade games, costume contests, a live auction, and more. Get your tickets today before the early bird discount ends! SPONSOR MESSAGE
City leaders grill GDOT on SR 400 Express Lane project
🛣️ Sandy Springs leadership interrogated the Georgia Department of Transportation and its private-sector partner about construction of the SR 400 Express Lanes project during the City Council’s annual retreat.
Heavy construction on the SR 400 expansion is expected to begin in July, adding two ground-level lanes in each direction through the center of the existing state highway. City officials are concerned about the impacts on the Spalding Woods and Talbot Colony neighborhoods abutting the state route, as well as traffic congestion.
The 16-mile express lanes project stretches from the North Springs MARTA station (Exit 5C) in Sandy Springs to southern Forsyth County, one mile north of McFarland Parkway (Exit 12). MARTA’s bus rapid transit will operate in the barrier-separated express lanes.
🚧 Read more about the upcoming road project.
RELATED
🚶🏽♂️ The public is invited to attend a series of listening sessions on the Sandy Springs 2026 Transportation Master Plan. Participants will be able to offer input on traffic congestion, transportation, and potential projects that support walking, cycling, and transit, as well as safety. Click here for the dates and locations of the meetings taking place later this month.
Rebuilding a stronger Israel
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We will introduce you to one aspect of our work with the Galilee Culinary Institute, Rosenfeld School of Culinary Arts—a primary driver of job creation and tourism in Israel’s North. Chef Lior Lev Sercarz will introduce you to a bold and diverse culinary tradition, creating the new food hub of the Middle East.
➞ RSVP at jnf.org/hirsch.
Housing and recreation top Sandy Springs retreat agenda
🗓️ The Sandy Springs City Council held its annual retreat Feb. 5-6 at City Springs, discussing everything from a decrease in crime and new fire stations to housing affordability.
Some of the topics and suggestions from candidates who ran in last year’s municipal elections resurfaced during the annual planning exercise, including attainable housing and a youth recreation center.
While the 2025 elections were not a topic of conversation, a few things upon which mayoral runner-up Dontaye Carter campaigned were discussed by city leadership at the retreat. Carter did not attend, but he shared his thoughts about the retreat’s topics in an interview with Rough Draft reporter Hayden Sumlin.
“I’m encouraged to see the city advancing a conversation that’s been decades in the making,” Carter said. “Over the last two election cycles, I’ve urged the city to be more intentional about investing in recreation and family-centered infrastructure.”
👉🏼 Read Hayden’s full report on the retreat.
Guilt-free shopping at Tossed Out Treasures
👛 The Sandy Springs Society invites metro Atlantans to the 33rd annual Tossed Out Treasures, an upscale resale event, March 13-15 at the Parkside Shopping Center at Roswell Road and Cliftwood Drive.
Tossed Out Treasures co-chairs Christina Ferguson and Elizabeth Kelly encourage community members to search their homes, donate, and shop. The annual sale, which is also the nonprofit’s longest-running fundraiser, supports the environment by collecting and reselling gently used upscale items. Organizers say it’s the ultimate guilt-free shopping experience.
All proceeds go back into the community through the Society’s nonprofit grant program, which disbursed more than $380,000 to 44 local organizations last year.
What’s it Worth?
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✨ Party like it’s 1985 at Spruill Center for the Arts’ 40th Artistic Affair! On March 28 join us for 1980s fun, open bar, arcade games, costume contests, a live auction, and more. Get your tickets today before the early bird discount ends! SPONSOR MESSAGE
What’s doin’ around Sandy Springs
🌳 Feb. 13:Get a Tree, Plant a Tree at the Sandy Springs Library (also Feb. 14)
🏮 Feb. 13:Chinese Lantern Workshop at the Sandy Springs Library
🎺 Feb. 14:Love in the Key of Swing at Byers Theatre
🤖 Feb. 14 and Feb. 15:Power Hour Morning Gaming at Battle & Brew
👟 Feb. 16:Fit4Mom Stroller Ride at Hammond Park (includes additional dates)
🍷 Feb. 18:WINE’d UP Wednesdays at O’Reilly’s Public House (every Wednesday)
🗓️ Add your event to our free, online event calendar.
The Sports Section
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SCORE ATLANTA
🏀 BOYS BASKETBALL
- Holy Innocents’ (20-3): TBD
- Lovett (14-11): TBD
- Mt. Vernon (22-3): TBD
- North Springs (9-14): TBD
- Pace Academy (18-7): TBD
- Riverwood (12-13): TBD
- Westminster (19-3): Friday vs. Blessed Trinity (7-17)
🏀 GIRLS BASKETBALL
- Holy Innocents’ (19-6): TBD
- Lovett (13-9): TBD
- Mt. Vernon (1-18): TBD
- North Springs (4-17): TBD
- Pace Academy (11-9): TBD
- Riverwood (5-19): TBD
- Westminster (18-5): Friday vs. Blessed Trinity (11-11)
⚾️ BOYS BASEBALL
- Holy Innocents’ (1-1): Friday @ North Atlanta (0-1)
- Lovett (1-0): Monday @ North Hall (1-0)
- Mt. Vernon (2-0): Saturday vs. Archer (2-0); Saturday vs. North Springs (0-2)
- North Springs (0-2): Friday @ Centennial (0-1); Saturday vs. Archer (2-0); Saturday @ Mt. Vernon (2-0)
- Pace Academy (0-1): Friday vs. Westminster (1-1)
- Riverwood (1-2): Friday vs. Brookwood (1-0)
- Westminster (1-1): Friday @ Pace Academy (0-1); Saturday vs. Landmark Christian (2-0)
🥍 BOYS LACROSSE
- Holy Innocents’ (0-1): Friday @ Starr’s Mill (0-0)
- Lovett (1-0): Friday @ Wesleyan (0-0)
- Mt. Vernon (2-0): Tuesday @ Woodward Academy (1-0)
- North Springs (0-0): TBD
- Pace Academy (1-0): Friday vs. North Atlanta (1-0)
- Riverwood (0-1): Feb. 20 @ Richmond Hill (0-0)
- Westminster (0-0): Feb. 20 vs. George Walton Academy (0-0)
🥍 GIRLS LACROSSE
- Holy Innocents’ (2-0): Feb. 20 vs. Richmond Hill (0-0)
- Lovett (0-0): Saturday vs. Whitewater (1-0)
- Mt. Vernon (0-0): (I don’t believe they have a girls program, not listed on MaxPreps or school website)
- North Springs (0-1): Wednesday @ Woodward Academy (0-1)
- Pace Academy (0-0): Tuesday vs. Richmond Hill (0-0)
- Riverwood (0-0): Wednesday vs. Duluth (0-1)
- Westminster (0-1): Feb. 20 vs. Marist (0-0)
⚽️ BOYS SOCCER
- Holy Innocents’ (0-0): Tuesday @ Whitefield Academy (1-0-1)
- Lovett (1-1): Tuesday @ Cambridge (1-0)
- Mt. Vernon (0-0): Friday @ Jackson County (1-0)
- North Springs (2-1): Feb. 19 vs. Woodland (0-1)
- Pace Academy (0-1): Feb. 19 vs. Westminster (0-1)
- Riverwood (0-0): Tuesday vs. Milton (0-1)
- Westminster (0-1): Friday vs. Meadowcreek (2-0-1)
⚽️ GIRLS SOCCER
- Holy Innocents’ (0-0): Tuesday @ Whitefield Academy (1-1)
- Lovett (1-0): Tuesday @ Cambridge (0-1)
- Mt. Vernon (0-1): Friday @ Jackson County (2-0)
- North Springs (1-1): Feb. 24 vs. Marist (1-0)
- Pace Academy (0-0): Tuesday @ Buford (0-0-1)
- Riverwood (1-0): Tuesday vs. Milton (1-0)
- Westminster (0-0): Feb. 19 vs. The King’s Academy (1-0)
Note: School records do not reflect Feb. 12 games.
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