😈 Not today, Satan
Wednesday, Sept. 16 — It’s Cathy from Rough Draft with my weekly newsletter on Dunwoody. I’m writing this on Monday, when the theme of the day was “it should not be this hard to talk to customer support.”
Over the last few days, I’ve been on hold with the New York Times, Georgia Power, 1-800 Contacts, and a property management company – for hours. My go-to move – hitting zero multiple times and shouting into the phone, “I want to speak to a customer support representative,” no longer works, so congrats, AI. When someone finally answers, I like to preview the upcoming contentious conversation with, “Gird your loins.” Because it’s war by then.
I feel better. Let’s get on with a couple of news items before we take a deep dive.
☀️ Sunshine Artist Magazine has chosen the Dunwoody Art Festival as one of their “200 Best” Classic and Contemporary Craft events in the country for 2026. The national publication ranks the most profitable festivals based on artists’ reported sales from the previous year, and the Dunwoody Art Festival came in at 78th in the United States.
😶🌫️ Trulieve Dunwoody, Georgia’s newest DeKalb County cannabis dispensary, located at 4675 N. Shallowford Rd, Suite 100, had a grand opening on Sept. 10. According to a company release, the location will carry products from Trulieve’s in-house brands Modern Flower, Momenta, Roll One, and Trulieve, spanning capsules, inhalable flower, tinctures, topicals, troches, and vaporizers. There are several words on this list that I don’t understand, but I bet calling customer support would be a better experience for everyone after an inhalable flower.
📣 Discover Dunwoody added a business-focused series to Dunwoody Dialogues, its live interview program called “Built for Business.” It premiered today at noon and is aimed at companies operating in Dunwoody and the Perimeter District, those considering a move here, and any business owner who could use a hand running their business. Episodes will stream live and remain available afterward on LinkedIn, YouTube, and Facebook pages, with a short written recap of each conversation.
🐾 Dunwoody pet owners can now honor their pets through the Create Dunwoody Pet Tribute Project, a community-funded public art initiative at Ashford Lane that honors beloved pets through permanent sculptures featuring pet names from local families and supporters. The early bird price is $100, a fraction of the cost of the many visits made to the vet when someone’s dogs, AC and Mo, decided to “mix it up” with (AKA kill in cold blood) a potentially rabid raccoon.
🤠 High Street Hoedown returns Sat., Sept. 19. It’s a free, Western-themed community celebration with live music, a mechanical bull, face painting, and a custom hat bar. During the event, guests can test their skills on the mechanical bull, with prizes awarded to the three longest rides of the evening.
🤒 Gotta get out of my head,
Cathy
🍴 West Midtown Restaurant Week debuts Sept. 20-26, uniting James Beard-honored kitchens like Bacchanalia and Miller Union with beloved favorites like Taqueria del Sol. Enjoy prix fixe dinners, tasting flights and signature cocktails crafted for the occasion. Reserve your table today! SPONSOR MESSAGE
Some sour on pickleball
🏡+ 🏢 + 🥒+ 🥴 The Dunwoody City Council at its Sept. 14 meeting held public hearings on four applications that will expand housing, recreation, and medical options throughout the city.
One proposal drew pushback from nearby residents during a public hearing on a Special Land Use Permit application to add a 10,000-square-foot, four-court indoor facility at the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta.
Several people during public comment said they have been bothered by the court noise generated by outdoor players, including the sound of the ball hitting racquets and the ground, as well as people shouting and cheering. They asked that additional screening and sound-mitigation efforts be installed.
👏🏽 Here is more about the meeting and the other developments that will affect Dunwoody.
Oglethorpe alumni are making an impact
SPONSORED BY OGLETHORPE UNIVERSITY
🤝 Atlanta is shaped by people who choose to invest their talents in something bigger than themselves.
Across the city, Oglethorpe alumni are making an impactthrough healthcare, the arts, nonprofits, public spaces, and community organizations that help Atlanta thrive.
→ Their careers may take different paths, but they share a commitment to service, leadership, and creating opportunities for others. Here are story highlights on just a few of the graduateswhose work is strengthening Atlanta and helping shape its future.
Community turns out after death of PMS student
🎗️ The sister of an 11-year-old Peachtree Middle School student who died after suffering a medical emergency at the school on Sept. 9 while playing basketball, has established a GoFundMe page to help cover funeral expenses.
“I’m raising funds for my sister after she died at just 11 years old while playing basketball last night,” the GoFundMe narrative by Mirabel Datsa said. “Everything is still all over the place right now, and our family is trying to process a loss that happened so suddenly. I started this fundraiser to help with her funeral and to give my family some support as we try to start life over after losing her.”
“My mom is devastated, and any mention of my sister’s name leaves her in tears for hours. My father is trying to stay calm on the outside, but I can tell he is losing his mind with grief,” it said. “My little brother is only 9 years old and does not understand what death means, which makes this even harder for all of us to carry.”
🫂 Read the story and how the community can help here.
🎉 Say thank you on Sept. 25! Two out of three people in the U.S. have worked in food service. Join Giving Kitchen’s National Food Service Worker Day by celebrating the people who make our meals and moments possible. Show a food service worker some love and say thank you! SPONSOR MESSAGE
Sauce-y meeting results in new school leader
➗ A divided DeKalb County Board of Education approved, by a 4-3 vote, to name interim superintendent Dr. Norman C. Sauce III as the sole finalist for the top post.
The previous superintendent, Devon Q. Horton, resigned after the U.S. Attorney indicted him on 17 charges for acts he allegedly committed while serving as superintendent of Evanston-Skokie School District 65 in Illinois.
The dissenting board members said their concerns did not lie in Sauce’s performance, but rather the process by which he was determined to be the sole finalist.
⬆️ Read more about the vote here.
What’s it Worth?
SPONSORED BY ATLANTA FINE HOMES SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY
🐓 Originally built in 1900 and tucked completely out of view from the street, this historic Sandy Springs farmhouse features four bedrooms, a renovated kitchen, and a pool. The property also has a chicken coop, a vegetable garden, mature fruit trees, and an operational well.
❓ Guess the price below!
What is a ‘Material Poesy?’ Find out soon
🌸 The Spruill Gallery’s final exhibition of 2026, Material Poesy, opens Sept. 24 and features works by Atlanta-based artists Johanna Flores, Ato Ribeiro, and Ivy Wu, according to an announcement from the organization.
The exhibition runs through Oct. 29 with an opening reception on Sept. 25 from 6-9 p.m. and an artists’ talk event on Oct. 11 at 2 p.m.
“I am thrilled to close out a successful year by presenting the work of these artists,” said Spruill Gallery’s outgoing Director Shannon Morris. “Flores, Ribeiro, and Wu each contribute meaningfully to Atlanta’s growing art community, and it was my pleasure to work with them to present the visual poetry collectively shared through their works.”
🧑🧒🧒 More details here.
Real-life Abby here
🧓🏽 On Oct. 3, Stage Door Theatre’s 53rd season will open “Ripcord.” Here’s the plot line: A sunny room on an upper floor is prime real estate in the Bristol Place Senior Living Facility, so when the cantankerous Abby is forced to share her quarters with new-arrival Marilyn, she has no choice but to get rid of the infuriatingly chipper woman by any means necessary.
A seemingly harmless bet between the old women quickly escalates into a dangerous game of one-upmanship that reveals not just the tenacity of these worthy opponents, but also deeper truths that each would rather remain hidden. I know it’s late, but if SDT hasn’t cast Abby yet, I’m your woman.
📿 “Ripcord” runs through Oct. 18, with tickets on sale now.
