📕 Book it, MJCCA
Wednesday, Oct. 7 — It’s Cathy from Rough Draft with my weekly newsletter on Dunwoody. Still waiting for that crisp fall weather before I order my first pumpkin spice latte (just kidding, those delicacies do not appeal to this unsophisticated palate).
Speaking of fall activities, here are a few upcoming events:
🎃 The All Saints Catholic Church/Knights of Columbus pumpkin patch is now open for business through Oct. 31. It’s a great place to take cute family pictures and decorate for fall.
🏃🏽♂️The 2026 Dyslexia Dash, a family-friendly Peachtree Qualifier 5K and Kids’ 1-Mile Fun Run, will be held on Oct. 17 at Perimeter Mall, concluding with a festival featuring activities for all ages, including Jump Start Gym, Creation Stations, Curiosity Corner games, a photo booth, sponsor booths, and more.
🚵🏽 The Parks & Recreation Department will hold its first Ride & Seek: Dunwoody Public Art Tour on Sat., Oct. 10, from 10 a.m.-noon. The inaugural ride has already reached capacity, with a waiting list now open for residents interested in participating.
🎀 Likewise, the Pink Box Partners Fill the Box luncheon on Oct. 21 is sold out, but you can get on the waiting list or consider donating to this great cause. Pink Box, for those not familiar with its mission, provides comfort, hope, and support to women facing breast cancer through thoughtful care packages and compassionate outreach.
Let’s drive on,
Cathy
🏈 College Football is coming to Chamblee! The City of Chamblee is excited to announce that it has been designated an official University of Georgia Alumni Association watch party location, giving Bulldogs fans a place to gather, cheer, and experience game day together. See the full schedule here. SPONSOR MESSAGE
Data center concerns aired, answered
💿 Renovations to an 88,000-square-foot existing data center at 40 Perimeter Center East and a new tenant would result in a significant boost to Dunwoody’s tax digest, but residents surrounding the 12-acre site said they still worry about the cost to their quality of life.
According to city officials, the property, currently being purchased by Raeden, a California-based company that modernizes and builds out existing real estate and infrastructure for data centers, could conservatively bring in more than $300,000 annually for the city.
However, residents have complained about the lack of advance notice regarding the demolition of the center’s crumbling parking deck, saying that the noise is scaring nearby wildlife and that the working hours are violating the city’s restricted hours for construction noise.
👩🏻💻 Here is the story.
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Ripcord recommended!
🪟 Stage Door Theatre’s opening production of “Ripcord,” a tale of two elderly women determined to best each other, no matter how ruthless the tactic, is the entire package of humor, pathos, and discovery.
Abby, a legend at the facility for being its most disagreeable resident, decides she has no choice but to get rid of her cheerful roommate, Marilyn, by any means necessary and proposes a bet between them.
If Abby infuriates Marilyn, she must move out of the room. If Marilyn scares Abby, she will stay in the room and move to the bed next to the window.
🤯 What happens next is a bit jaw-dropping.
🏈 College Football is coming to Chamblee! The City of Chamblee is excited to announce that it has been designated an official University of Georgia Alumni Association watch party location, giving Bulldogs fans a place to gather, cheer, and experience game day together. See the full schedule here. SPONSOR MESSAGE
MJCCA Book Festival vice-chair talks favorites
📕 Tracey Grant, the vice-chair of the 35th Book Festival of the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta (MJCCA), which runs from Nov. 1-22, said that, after growing up going to the event, she has been “beyond thrilled to be involved” as part of its inner circle.
“I’ve always loved the energy around it, so it was an easy ‘yes’ when they asked me,” Grant said. “We have so many tremendous headliners this year that people are really excited to hear from authors who are premier voices in their fields.”
Besides the top-name authors – former first lady Dr. Jill Biden, discussing her memoir, “View from the East Wing” (Nov. 7) and Harry Connick Jr. with his book “Babe: Elaboratio, A Tribute to My Mother” (Nov. 14) – Grant said she is excited about many other authors who have “sparked my curiosity in ways that I would never have imagined.”
🔌 Shameless plug alert: I will be moderating a conversation with Dr. Barak Benaryeh, the author of “The Vet Will See You Now: What Every Pet Owner Needs to Know (But Doesn’t)” on Wed., Nov. 11 at noon. Would love to see all of you there.
📇 Read more about the festival here.
Builder switched for DHS stadium expansion
🥈The DeKalb County Board of Education at its Oct. 5 meeting selected the second-ranked construction firm to build out Dunwoody High School’s stadium after the recommended provider backed out.
In a letter dated Sept. 19, 2026, SmithBuilt VP of Operations Tanner Parker said that “proceeding with the current design would require confirmation of [in-kind] contributions, and additional funding, or substantial revisions to the scope.”
“We understand that the District and the Project Sponsor do not wish to pursue substantial revision to the permitted design,” the letter said. “Given these circumstances, we do not see a viable path to reach an agreement on the current scope within the available budget.”
