Sail away with me
Friday, Aug. 29 — I know many of us are still mourning the loss of Dolly Parton this week, but do you know her connection to Sandy Springs? Her chart-topping duet “Islands in the Stream” was performed with Kenny Rogers, who lived in Sandy Springs until his passing in March 2020.
🌦️ Temperatures will be in the mid-80s over the weekend. You may get some rain on Friday and Saturday, but Sunday should be sunny.
🛶 The Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy is celebrating National Park Week with several special events taking place around Sandy Springs. Learn more here.
🍷 Early-bird pricing ends on Monday, Aug. 31, for the Sandy Springs Wine Festival taking place on Sunday, Oct. 11.
🌝 The Sandy Springs Night Market kicks off on Thursday, Sept. 3 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the River Springs Shopping Center.
🚍 MARTA officials are updating multiple routes and schedules across its transit network. WSB-TV reports five routes have already undergone “slight routing changes,” and officials say more than 30 others will also have their schedules adjusted to better reflect travel. Some of these routes impact Sandy Springs riders.
🪕 The Blue Stone Arts & Music Festival announced the performers for its annual event taking place at City Springs on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 25-26. Performances will span rock, soul, R&B, country, alternative, and singer-songwriter genres. Grammy-nominated Allen Stone and alt-rock sensation Nicotine Dolls will headline both evenings. Other acts include tribute bands celebrating Zach Bryan and Bon Jovi.
☕️ @grubswithgomes recently visited the new Summitt Coffee in Sandy Springs Circle. Have you checked it out yet?
🏈 Our weekly high school sports scores roundup sponsored by Score Atlanta returns this week. Make sure you scroll to the end of the newsletter to see how your teams are doing.
Thanks for reading!
The Rough Draft team
🤍 Experience an evening of whimsy, wonder, and impact at Atlanta Angels’ sixth annual Raise Your Wings Gala: The Magic of Belonging. Tomorrow, Sat., Aug. 29, 5:30 p.m. at Phase Event Center. Support children and youth in foster care. Learn more here. SPONSOR MESSAGE
Temporary exits on SR 400 in Sandy Springs open this weekend
⚠️ The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) announced that crews working on the multi-billion-dollar SR 400 widening project will open two new temporary exits (5A and 5B) on Aug. 29, while closing the existing ramp for phase-one construction.
Motorists traveling southbound to the North Springs MARTA Station, Abernathy Road, and Hammond Drive exits will use new temporary exit ramps just south of the existing Exit 5 entrance as access points to each destination during the first phase of construction.
“Motorists should slow down, follow posted signage, and allow extra travel time as they become familiar with the new traffic pattern,” GDOT stated in its recent newsletter.
🦺 Read more about what to expect with the temporary exits.
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Sandy Springs approves $2M tax break for North River
📌 The Sandy Springs Development Authority okayed a 10-year tax abatement, valued at $2.55 million, at an Aug. 26 special-called meeting, taking effect if Woodfield Development officially acquires North River Shopping Center.
Sandy Springs Economic Development Director Chris Burnett, who serves as a liaison to the business and development community, said Woodfield’s redevelopment would be the “first major development project in the North End in decades.”
“It is at the gateway, really, as you come down from Roswell across the river,” Burnett said. “It is going to be the first major project you see as you come into the North End of Sandy Springs … We believe this will be a catalyst for more things to come in.”
👉🏼 Read Hayden’s full report on what’s in store for the new development.
School cafeterias are the busiest restaurants in metro Atlanta
🍗 With classes back in session, school cafeterias have become some of metro Atlanta’s busiest restaurants.
School systems throughout the metro feed thousands of kids five days a week, across all grades. Lunchtime does not merely sate hunger and social needs; for many metro Atlanta children, a school lunch and snacks may be their primary source of nutrients for the day.
It takes a lot of effort, coordination, and people to feed that many kids on a weekly basis. To better understand how school lunch programs operate, Rough Draft spoke with nutrition professionals for Fulton County Schools and the DeKalb County School District.
🥛 Read how the schools successfully feed so many students.
What’s it Worth?
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🤍 Experience an evening of whimsy, wonder, and impact at Atlanta Angels’ sixth annual Raise Your Wings Gala: The Magic of Belonging. Tomorrow, Sat., Aug. 29, 5:30 p.m. at Phase Event Center. Support children and youth in foster care. Learn more here. SPONSOR MESSAGE
What’s doin’ around Sandy Springs
🧘🏽♂️ Aug. 28:Floating Soundbath at Life Time
🔐 Aug. 28:Lock & Key Singles Event at Hudson Grill
💃🏼 Aug. 29:Concert and Dance with Jambalaya Cajun Band at the Dorothy Benson Senior Complex
🐈⬛ Aug. 29:Dungeon Crawler Carl Trivia at North River Tavern
🌈 Sept. 1:PFLAG Sandy Springs Support Group at Congregation B’Nai Torah
🗓️ Find more events on our event calendar.
City Springs Theatre kicks off its season with ‘Les Miz‘
🎭 The Sandy Springs-based City Springs Theatre Company is heading into its ninth season, kicking things off with the musical “Les Misérables” from Sept. 11 through 27.
“Because of its rich history and global success, ‘Les Misérables’ probably has the broadest appeal of any musical we’ve ever produced,” said Executive Director Natalie DeLancey in a press release. “Les Miz changed the cultural landscape in so many ways – not only by helping usher in the era of the ‘mega-musical,’ but by introducing so many new theatergoers of all ages to the art form.”
The cast includes New York-based actor Jacob Keith Watson, who will be making his City Springs debut as Jean Valjean. Jonathan Christopher, who played Coalhouse Walker Jr. in City Springs’ production of “Ragtime” last year, will play Javert, and Anna Sailors will make her City Springs debut as Fantine (performers pictured left to right).
🎼 Read more about the production.
The Sports Section
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SCORE ATLANTA
🏈 FOOTBALL
- Holy Innocents’ (1-0): Friday @ Athens Academy (0-1)
- Lovett (1-0): Friday vs. Pace Academy (0-1)
- Mt. Vernon (1-0): Friday @ Whitefield Academy (1-0)
- North Springs (1-0): Friday @ Creekview (1-0)
- Pace Academy (0-1): Friday @ Lovett (1-0)
- Riverwood (0-1): Friday vs. Dunwoody (0-1)
- Westminster (0-1): Friday @ King’s Ridge Christian (0-1)
🥎 SOFTBALL
- Holy Innocents’ (3-4): Tuesday vs. North Cobb Christian (7-2)
- Lovett (1-4): Monday vs. Walker (1-6); Tuesday @ Temple (1-6)
- Mt. Vernon (6-3): Saturday vs. Blessed Trinity (6-3); Saturday vs. Temple (1-6); Tuesday @ Mt. Paran Christian (8-5)
- North Springs (1-8): Monday vs. Northview (1-10); Tuesday vs. Stephenson (5-0)
- Pace Academy (6-4): Monday vs. Decatur (7-2)
- Riverwood (6-3-1): Tuesday vs. Gainesville (4-2) (Doubleheader)
- Westminster (4-5): Tuesday @ Greater Atlanta Christian (1-7)
🏐 VOLLEYBALL
- Holy Innocents’ (7-5): Tuesday vs. Mount Pisgah Christian (10-8); Tuesday @ Whitefield Academy (5-9)
- Lovett (3-5): Saturday vs. Dalton (8-7); Saturday vs. Oconee County (12-5); Tuesday vs. Midtown (4-5)
- Mt. Vernon (5-4): Saturday vs. Westminster (15-3); Saturday vs. Hillgrove (8-5); Saturday vs. Milton (13-1); Saturday vs. North Paulding (12-3)
- North Springs (1-5): Wednesday vs. Atlanta International (2-2)
- Pace Academy (3-4): Saturday vs. Lee County (7-7); Saturday vs. LaFayette (11-2); Saturday vs. Sequoyah (8-2); Saturday @ Mount Pisgah Christian (10-8)
- Riverwood (15-3): Tuesday vs. Roswell (5-8)
- Westminster (15-3): Saturday vs. Mount Vernon (5-4); Saturday vs. Hillgrove (8-5); Saturday vs. Wheeler (13-5); Tuesday vs. Wesleyan (5-5); Tuesday vs. Sandy Creek (0-11)
School records as of Thursday, Aug. 27.
