April 1: We are not going there
Apr. 1 — It’s Cathy from Rough Draft with my weekly newsletter on Dunwoody. April Fool’s Day in Dunwoody used to be hilarious, but sad to say, it didn’t happen this year. Our morning newsletter team played along, if you are looking for a little levity
😕 If you haven’t heard already, the community is in an uproar about the possibility that high-achieving Vanderlyn Elementary School may close under DeKalb County’s Student Assignment Project. People are not thrilled with the vetting process, and especially the company, HPM, in charge of the process. A group of parents has done some research into HPM’s previous projects around the country, and the results are not great.
🐞 Don’t forget to check out the Snap Dragon Garden at Brook Run Park, near the community garden.
🧀 Sit back and relax on The Green at High Street for movie night with complimentary popcorn on the first Thursdays of the month from April to October. The first movie, “Ratatouille,” is on April 2, starting at 7:30 p.m.
❤️🩹 Friends of Max Woodburn, whom I wrote about last week, started a GoFundMe to help him as he battles Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. They are only a few thousand dollars away from reaching the $50,000 goal.
🤧 Have a great week,
Cathy
🥂 Taste of Atlanta is celebrating its 25th Anniversary with an epic night of two dozen chef-driven tastings, craft cocktails, wine and beer tastes, live music, and electric energy! April 16 from 6 to 10 p.m. at The Works. Tickets are on sale here. SPONSOR MESSAGE
City council grapples with Flock data contract
🪿 The Dunwoody City Council at its March 23 meeting heard a myriad of concerns about Flock cameras installed around the city, and again postponed a vote on renewing a $15,000 contract with the organization.
Speakers during public comment held before and after the meeting hammered the council with demands for accountability as the panel grapples with concerns about data sharing and its terms and conditions.
Dunwoody has more than 100 Flock Safety cameras and related surveillance devices, including drones and gunshot detectors, used by the Dunwoody Police Department for license plate recognition and to power its Real-Time Crime Center.
📹 Here’s more information about the meeting.
A Visionary World Comes to Life
SPONSORED BY THE HIGH MUSEUM
✨ Lose yourself in the vivid world of Minnie Evans, where color blooms, faces emerge, and dreams take shape. Experience the exhibition that transforms spiritual visions into unforgettable works of art.
A three-peat for Sarv
🐝 After more than 350 words and 23 rounds (including vocabulary), 12-year-old sixth grader Sarv Dharavane from Peachtree Middle School in Dunwoody on March 20 won the 65th Annual Georgia Association of Educators (GAE) State Spelling Bee for the third consecutive year.
He will get the opportunity to better his third-place finish at the Scripps Bee championships in 2025, according to a release from the GAE.
He, along with runner-up, seventh grader Sreeya Lakkimsetti, 13 from Stallings Middle School in Columbia County, will both represent Georgia in the Scripps National Spelling Bee Championships in Washington, D.C., May 24-29.
🏆 Read about his winning journey here.
Spruill has a rad fundraising night
🍭 Spruill Center for the Arts’ Artistic Affair on March 28 broke records with $135,000 garnered at the auction. Last year’s event raised more than $110,000, including $17,500 in scholarship funds for Spruill’s art camps and courses.
Harkening back to the first-ever Artistic Affair, this year’s event featured a 1980s theme, including arcade games, a throw-back photo booth, costume contests, an opportunity to collaborate in the creation of a mural led by Graffiti Class ATL founder Malcolm Turpin, as well as live painter Leslie Cannon, who created an original work on-site that was auctioned off that evening.
🪩 Read about the ’80s theme party here.
🥂 Taste of Atlanta is celebrating its 25th Anniversary with an epic night of two dozen chef-driven tastings, craft cocktails, wine and beer tastes, live music, and electric energy! April 16 from 6 to 10 p.m. at The Works. Tickets are on sale here. SPONSOR MESSAGE
What’s it Worth?
SPONSORED BY ATLANTA FINE HOMES SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY
🏡 Set on 100± acres of rolling pastures in Chattahoochee Hills, this equestrian estate offers a private 7-acre lake, three barns with a total of 18 stalls, resort-style outdoor living, and a well-appointed residence.
❓ Guess the price below!
No Kings’ rally in Dunwoody
👑 Thousands of people turned out in force all over Atlanta to protest the Trump administration’s immigration policies, and even Dunwoody got into the act.
About 75 people gathered at the corner of Chamblee Dunwoody and Mt. Vernon roads in a peaceful demonstration during the morning of March 28, including the man pictured above, who had two goals in mind. So far, the Braves are listening.
⚾ Read more about what happened around the city.
