The highs and the lows
Wednesday, June 3 — It’s Cathy from Rough Draft with my weekly newsletter on Dunwoody. We have had an interesting week in our city, what with celebrations, crushing defeats, and the excitement that all of us feel about FIFA coming to Atlanta (I guess). Frankly, I’m about FIFA-ed out at this point. I could be alone in this pessimism.
Before we get to the news, here are a few tidbits:
🗳 Remember, early voting begins on Sat., June 6, and runs through June 12 for the June 16 primary. As usual, the Dunwoody Library is the place to be if you want to avoid the crowd of three people who might be in front of you on June 16.
🥣 Spruill Makers’ Market will take place June 7 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m., featuring work by 30 Spruill Center for the Arts students and instructors spanning ceramics, glass, mosaics, wood, metal, jewelry, painting, and mixed media. Remember, this was postponed from February because of a threatened weather event.
🎋 The Dunwoody Nature Center is holding a terrarium building workshop on June 27 from 1-2:30 p.m.
🚪Create Dunwoody has launched Doorwoody, a new art exhibit that brings the creativity of Dunwoody High School students inside local businesses through hand-designed miniature door displays. Created in partnership with the Dunwoody Team of Leadership Perimeter, Doorwoody is installed throughout the Greater Dunwoody Village area.
Let’s drive on, shall we?
Cathy
❤️ Alan Mothner knows that making art helps in making a community. That’s why he’s the CEO of Spruill Center for the Arts, a nonprofit that’s connected people in Perimeter for over 50 years. Watch this video to see what’s bringing everyone together. SPONSOR MESSAGE
Millage rate unchanged for Dunwoody
💰 Unlike other cities and school districts (ahem, Brookhaven, DeKalb County School District), the City of Dunwoody is proposing to keep its millage rate steady at 3.040 mills for fiscal year 2027, which will include a one-mill reduction for all homestead properties, lowering the effective rate to 2.040.
The May 28 release clarified a state-mandated release that says homeowners will experience a tax increase for residential properties.
“These combined exemptions mean that no homestead property will see a city tax bill increase this year,” the release from the city said. “The state press release infers that there will be a tax increase for these properties. Tax increases will happen for commercial properties and non-homesteaded residential properties, such as rental properties, with higher assessed values.”
Amy Sherald: American Sublime
SPONSORED BY THE HIGH MUSEUM
🎨 You’ve seen Amy Sherald’s iconic portrait of Michelle Obama. Now, her largest exhibition to date comes to Atlanta, featuring rarely seen paintings and monumental portraits spanning nearly two decades.
Amy Sherald: American Sublime is now open, bringing one of the leading artists of her generation back to Georgia. Secure your tickets before it’s gone.
Can only make it in the evening? We’ve got you covered. The show stays open after hours every Friday. Grab a drink, snag an exclusive exhibition poster, and explore the galleries at your leisure.
‘Disa’ is Dharavane’s downfall
🐝 Sometimes the easiest words are the ones that trip you up. In this case, the word “disa” was the one that eliminated Dunwoody speller Sarv Dharavane, as he finished third in the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee on May 28.
Dharavane, a sixth grader at Peachtree Middle School, was perfect through rounds 12-16, as six other finalists fell, leaving him, Shrey Parikh, and Ishaan Gupta in a head-to-head-to-head showdown.
The 12-year-old, who in earlier rounds successfully spelled words like “cydnid,” “Kadohadacho,” “Tethyan,” and “kurgan,” misspelled “disa” by inserting an extra “a,” thus eliminating him from the competition in the 17th round. Coming in third two years in a row is still pretty freaking awesome, as the kids don’t say.
🥉 Read about his journey here.
A ‘dream’ years in the making
🤔”Anatomy of A Dream,” the city’s newest mural, debuted Monday on a large wall outside Stage Door Theatre.
The mural, designed by Nicole Merizalde, was created in partnership with the city’s parks and recreation and economic development departments, and Living Walls, The City Speaks Inc.
Living Walls, The City Speaks Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, based in Atlanta, that “creates inclusive, intentional, thought-provoking public art to inspire social change,” according to information from the city.
🎨 Here is more about the mural and its creation process.
❤️ Alan Mothner knows that making art helps in making a community. That’s why he’s the CEO of Spruill Center for the Arts, a nonprofit that’s connected people in Perimeter for over 50 years. Watch this video to see what’s bringing everyone together. SPONSOR MESSAGE
PICTURE THIS: FIFA is fast approaching
💸 The FIFA World Cup is coming to Atlanta, but apparently, most Atlantans are not going to the FIFA World Cup, mostly because of the incredibly high ticket prices (up to $2,600 per seat for some matches).
👀 Never fear: venues around the city have many watch parties and other events, including some at Funwoody (pictured above). Check out our comprehensive roundup about all things FIFA here.
